Three transgender individuals use art to express their hopes and dreams via an eye-opening documentary and 360-degree companion piece.
When discussing the current status of transgender relations within modern day society, many conversations tend to head into a discussion regarding the many hardships and social hurdles that plague those who identify as a gender different from their assigned sex.
And while it’s essential that we continue to recognize the many problems plaguing these groups, it’s equally important that we encourage trans youth to imagine a future free from judgement and oppression.
That’s the concept behind Creative Futures, a groundbreaking VR art documentary and 360-degree companion film that follow three trans youth individuals as they design their ideal futures using VR technology. Co-directed by Scout Windsor, a 3D and VR artist, and Dylan Paré, a VR, STEM education, and gender/sexuality PhD student at the University of Calgary Werklund School of Education, the linear documentary centers around Levin, Terrance, and Edyn, three young adults dedicated towards improving their collective transgender community.
Utilizing Google’s virtual reality art tool, Tilt Brush, the documentary follows the group of first-time VR users as they attempt to design their hopes, dreams, and fears regarding the future of transexual people. Using a complex system of four, high-end VR computers and a mixed reality capture stage, the team was able to capture the group of creators in real-time as they designed their emotional VR artwork. A 360-degree companion experience built using Unity and the Poly toolkit gives users a better understanding of the meaning behind the art as each artist gives a personal 360-degree tour of their respective pieces.
The linear film is available on both Telus Optik TV On Demand and the Storyhive YouTube channel. The 360-degree companion piece can also be found on the Storyhive’s YouTube.
Out of the 165 total entries, Creative Futures was one of only 13 films to receive mentorship and $40,000 in funding by the programs creator, Telus Storyhive.
Image Credit: Creative Futures
