The Guardian’s latest VR experience is quite different from anything the company has produced before.
Celestial Moon, as the piece is called, is a VR dance experience that combines live action video and computer-generated images. It features several dancers performing in a surreal cosmic landscape in a routine that explores humanity’s relationship with the Sun. At any time throughout the video the viewer can switch between the live action performance and the digital one.
Based on the trailer below this looks like a powerful, strange experience that won’t soon be forgotten.
The video was choreographed by Alexander Whitley and adapted from his original stage performance, 8 Minutes. The live action element was shot at YouTube’s London-based studio, whereas the digital element saw the dancers wear motion capture suits and perform at Queen Mary University of London. BAFTA award winner Tal Rosner worked on video graphics for the experience and the audio was composed by Daniel Wohl.
Celestial Moon can be downloaded through the free Guardian VR app on Google’s Daydream platform and is set to arrive on YouTube later this year. Other experiences in this app include several other 360 videos and even full VR experiences that explore different topics like solitary confinement and more.
