Summer 2022 News
Hello everyone,
we hope you’re all looking forward to the summer, whatever your plans. Before you switch the laptop for your summer reading, we wanted to check in with a couple of updates.
Applications have opened for TalentLab XR 2022!
If you’re a UK-based creative with a story idea that has the potential to be developed as an extended reality project, we’re looking for you to apply. No experience in tech is necessary. We’re looking for bold, fresh ideas and motivated creatives.
Deadline: 15th August 2022, 12:00 GMT+1
Quotes from attendees of the TalentLab XR 2021 Industry Showcase
“I was really impressed with the quality of work and new XR narrative experiences coming from the course, and the overall support given to emerging creatives.” – Fiona Kilkelly, StoryFutures Academy
“An exciting assembly of high energy, diverse and distinct voices, looking forward to following their journey and see their visions come to life!”
- Nancy Xu, Virtual Production Producer at Epic Games
“All the projects were fantastic in their own way. I was very impressed by the level of creativity that you’ve all got. Having all of these innovative ideas about ways to tell stories is very impressive. Well done, everyone.”
– Natasha Brown, Virtual Production Manager at Yahoo Creative Studios
“I think I am just beside myself, I’m so incredibly impressed at the immense learning curve that everyone has taken in this trajectory. Kudos to you, Marc, and to all of you bold artists to have the stomach and the courage to jump into this medium. […] Based on what you’ve shown today and what I saw before, the sky is the limit and you are absolutely ahead of the game and on the right path. Congratulations to all of you.”
– Vassiliki Khonsari, Award-winning Creative Producer / Director / Writer and Founder at iNK Stories
Congrats to our previous TalentLab associate artists
TalentLab XR has only run once before, but our alumni have already achieved great things. Some have secured freelance gigs for companies and agencies that focus on immersive tech.
“The Awakening” - by RCL Graham
Associate Artist and TalentLab XR alum RCL Graham has submitted an edge-of-your-seat action sequence for the Unreal Lightning Challenge.
Created in Unreal Engine 5, “The Awakening” has its two characters duke it out against a cyberpunk backdrop—and teases a rich story, where a defeat might only be the beginning...
Massive congratulations, too, to four of our TalentLab XR participants, who have been successful in receiving Arts Council funding for their projects:
“Mawueneti” - by Isaac Ouro-Gnao
Mawueneti is a magical realist and Afrofuturist story using location-based of theatrical VR storytelling experience for theatre audiences to explore themes such as assimilation, identity, mental health and community healing.
Isaac Ouro-Gnao is a multidisciplinary artist and journalist who creates empathetic and thought-provoking work rooted in traditional African realism, magical realism, and Afrofuturism.
“Sacred Spaces” - by Wanda Yu-Ying Hu
“Sacred Space” is a location-based XR journey that enables you to experience praying in spiritual spaces of various faiths that have been built digitally.
Wanda Yu-Ying Hu is an architect and moving-image artist who creates a language for experimental documentaries that focus on the experiential qualities of architectural space.
“Just Passing”- by Leann O’Kasi
‘Just Passing’ is a social drama that explores loneliness and disconnection in big cities through a location-based VR storytelling experience for theatre audiences. The story touches on themes of mental health, immigration and human connection.
Leann O’ Kasi is an actor, writer and theatre-maker.
“Nazar//VR” - by Lara Kobeissi
“Nazar // VR” is a multi-sensory personalised and immersive mixed reality experience using combining inter-generational storytelling, through visuals, sound, smell, taste and touch.
Lara Kobeissi is a 3D artist whose work bridges architectural design with the techniques of animation, visualisation, interactivity and storytelling to generate an experimental practice of surreal spaces.
TalentLab XR is a hybrid development programme supported by Arts Council England.
