Oculus Story Studio was an original animated virtual reality film studio that was a division of Oculus VR.[2] The studio was started by Oculus VR to pioneer animated virtual reality filmmaking and educate, inspire, and foster community for filmmakers interested in VR.[1]
Story Studio was founded in 2014 by Pixar veterans Saschka Unseld and Max Planck, as well as producer Edward Saatchi.[1] The studio was publicly announced and premiered its first film, Lost, at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.[3] In 2016 the studio's second film, Henry, won the Emmy for Outstanding Original Interactive Program.[4]
Oculus announced in May 2017 that the studio had been closed.[5]
Filmography
The studio produced three films before being shut down.
Lost
Lost was the first film released by Oculus Story Studio. Directed by studio Creative Director Saschka Unseld.[6] The film drops viewers in the middle of the woods at night to witness a robot searching for its misplaced hand.[7]
Henry
Henry is the second film released by Oculus Story Studio, directed by Ramiro Lopes Dau and narrated by Elijah Wood.[8] Henry is the story of a hedgehog who has trouble making friends.[9] Henry premiered at an event in Hollywood on July 28, 2015.[10]
Henry became the first original VR short to win the Emmy for Outstanding Original Interactive Program.[4]
Dear Angelica
The third project from Oculus Story Studio, Dear Angelica, premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. The film was directed by Saschka Unseld, produced by Edward Saatchi, illustrated by Wesley Allsbrook, and featured music by Drazen Bosnjak and Sarah Jaffe. It stars Geena Davis and Mae Whitman in a "visually splendid and deeply human journey through memory, loss, and the magic of a valorous life."[11] The film was animated entirely with the Oculus Quill, a VR drawing and sculpting application.[12]
References
- Josh Constine. Oculus' Pixar Exec-Led Story Studio Will Release VR Cinema Examples TechCrunch, 26 January 2015, retrieved 14 November 2016^
- Steven Zeitchik. Sundance 2015: Virtual-reality company Oculus to launch film label LA Times, 26 January 2015, retrieved 14 November 2016^
- Facebook's Oculus forms in-house virtual-reality film studio CNBC.com, 27 January 2015, retrieved 14 November 2016^
- Angela Watercutter. Oculus' Virtual Reality Film Henry Just Won an Emmy Wired, 8 September 2016, retrieved 14 November 2016^
- Brian Shea. Oculus Announces Closure Of Oculus Story Studio Game Informer, GameStop, retrieved 5 May 2017^
- Ann-Christine Diaz. Grab Your Headset: Producers Plunge Into Virtual Reality AdAge, 11 February 2015, retrieved 14 November 2016^
- Angela Watercutter. Oculus Reinvents Cinema for a Virtual Reality World Wired, 21 April 2015, retrieved 14 November 2016^
- Lucas Matney. Oculus wins its first Emmy for virtual reality short film 'Henry' TechCrunch, 8 September 2016, retrieved 14 November 2016^
- Edgar Alvarez. This is 'Henry,' Oculus Story Studio's second VR film Engaget, 2 June 2015, retrieved 14 November 2016^
- Peter Rubin. Your First Look at Oculus' Adorable New Filmy-Gamey Thing Wired, 2 June 2015, retrieved 14 November 2016^
- Dear Angelica Sundance Institute, retrieved February 1, 2017^
- Oculus Quill Lets VR Illustrators Paint in Space and Time Wired UK, retrieved February 2, 2017^