Los Angeles-based VR studio Light Sail VR and Opera on Tap have been awarded the “Best Virtual Reality Video” honor at the 2017 NYC Independent Film Festival for “The Parksville Murders, Episode 1.”
The engrossing video is the world’s first episodic horror opera crafted specifically for virtual reality and immerses the viewer into the front-row seat of a thrilling and cryptic virtual universe. Two young women wake up confused and terrified in a dark, music-filled world of incongruities and evil intentions, while strange “watchers” lurk in the shadows and slowly gather around the duo, ceremoniously awaiting their fate. One woman fights her way out, only to find that ‘out’ may be yet another illusion in this horrific, virtual atmosphere.
The VR experience was produced Opera on Tap, with VR services by Light Sail VR, directed by Cari Ann Shim Sham*, music by Kamala Sankaram and libretto by Jerre Dye.
About Light Sail VR
Light Sail VR is a Hollywood-based VR production company taking the helm of the evolving field of cinematic virtual reality storytelling. At the entertainment-savvy studio, creative producers and 360 writer-directors collaborate on live-action experiences, bringing compelling narratives, dynamic characters and entrancing visuals to every kind of VR project. From powerful original content to high-profile branded pieces for the likes of Google, ABC, GoPro and Paramount, Light Sail VR’s work captivates audiences and garners millions of views on the web.
Experts in this emerging technology, Light Sail VR continues to steer new ways to capitalize on VR’s ability to inspire, innovate and engage.
About Opera on Tap
Opera on Tap has always been dedicated to making opera more accessible to a broader audience through intimate, immersive performances. Born in 2005 at Freddy’s Bar and Backroom in Brooklyn, what began as a small monthly gathering of ambitious, classically trained singers looking for more performances opportunities has grown into a vibrant producing organization with 19 national (and international) chapters. An early leader in the movement towards bringing opera directly to new audiences in alternative venues, Opera on Tap has proven over and over that opera can be a transformational and meaningful experience for audiences, regardless of venue.