In this charter, the series presents the universe of New York's immersive theater from the standpoint of actors, dancers, and other performers who have become the biggest names in the genre. Focusing on the mega hit "Sleep No More" and the groundbreaking "Here", it explores the artists' relationship with the audience and the mystery behind the immersive productions.
The evolution of visual arts has given rise to new electronic galleries, such as Artechouse, which already has branches in Washington DC, New York, and Miami, and projects like Super Real in New York, which elevated videomapping to the art category. With works commissioned especially for each location by new media artists, the installations have evolved into an interactive art type, where the public plays a role in the final piece.
Immersive theater shows have elevated the language of the genre with the use of music. It reveals behind the scenes of the musical "Here Lies Love," created by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, where audiences watch the show dancing in a megaclub as well as "The Great Comet of 1812," Broadway's first immersive production. "IMMERSIVE.WORLD" also shows the work of the innovative theater company Third Rail Projects, which has produced over 40 immersive shows.
Documentary films that address environmental problems, social issues and exotic places are increasingly making use of immersive media like V.R. These works have been generating buzz at major festivals and the independent market. On the other hand, many immersive shows and art installations, such as "Say Something Bunny" and "The Privilege of Escape", use real events as inspiration for a new kind of impactful storytelling.
The series goes deeper into the world of immersive theater, featuring plays that bet on situations of extreme intimacy with the audience such as "Broken Bone Bathtub", which is presented to small groups of people in real apartment bathrooms and "Bleach", presented to only five people at a time in a bedroom in Brooklyn. It also features an interview with award-winning director Christine Jones, creator of Theater for One, a mobile "theater" for just one viewer. The series then heads to London where it features the Draw Me Close project, a Canada Film Board collaboration with the London National Theater that mixes actors, virtual reality, and immersive environments.
Creators from various disciplines are looking for new avenues that blend immersive media, fantasy, and storytelling. Whether in virtual reality or theatrical experiences, the idea is to offer audiences the opportunity to escape the real world. Film festivals are investing in virtual reality narratives that deal with fantasy for children and youth, as seen at the Tribeca Film Festival, shown in this chapter. In London, Secret Cinema creates elaborate environments inspired by well-known films such as Moulin Rouge and Blade Runner. In New York, the immersive show Pip's Island peaks children's interest in participatory media.
International museums increasingly rely on the power of immersive works to attract the public's attention. It's the case of the New Museum in New York, which has been showing immersive installations and performances, such as "Menesunda", by Argentinian artist Marta Minujin. This chapter also explores Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh, considered the world's first immersive museum, with works by Yayoy Kusama, James Turrell, and many others.
This chapter explores immersive art made with the use of light. Prior to the evolution of electronic arts, artists such as James Turrell and Dan Flavin became wizards of using light to create immersive environments and sculptures. In addition to their work, it also features another famous veteran artist, Anthony McCall, who has created light sculptures for 40 years, and Norwegian artist Anne Katrine Senstad, who creates immersive installations using neon tubes.
The series explores the next wave of immersive works, showcasing Pittsburg-based theater company Bricolage, known for performing innovative immersive productions in unusual locations such as a science museum. The show "The Raven", set in a historic New York mansion, blends the work of an actress with state-of-the-art surround sound technology to offer an immersive experience revolving around the funeral of Edgar Alan Poe.
Virtual reality is being used for numerous types of visual narratives and works that mix different media. "Chained - A Victorian Nightmare" intersperse virtual reality with live performers to achieve new levels of interaction. To raise awareness about global warming and rising sea levels, Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde has created a public art installation called Waterlicht, which has been seen by thousands of people in Europe and the United States. And how can augmented reality be explored in journalism? The series talks to the interactive media director of the New York Times.
In the first episode of the second season, IMMERSIVE.WORLD acknowledges the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on new immersive works that have been created or modified during the pandemic and use nature as their main environment and medium.
A look at how artists were able to create new work or adapt existing works during the COVID-19 pandemic. Explore projects that take advantage of advanced technologies to help audiences connect to different stories.
Explore participatory experiences that go beyond the exploration of different spaces. These works take audiences through different senses including taste, smell, touch and sound.
An investigation of works where music and immersive elements collide. Showcasing works of different sizes, the episode focuses on immersive and participatory elements that enhance shows with music at the center of their narrative.
Immersive works that explore the mind, mental health and relationships are highlighted. Using different formats to deal with psychological themes, these participatory works put viewers at the center of intimate issues.
The world has been incredibly focused on social and environmental issues. Many believe that empathy can be a real force in creating a better world. Take a look at immersive work designed specifically to educate and inspire.
Take a deep dive into innovative productions that lean heavily into the latest in sound and VR technology to create one of a kind storytelling experiences in darkness.
Very few museums and institutions have devoted their focus to immersive works. Step inside three spaces that have and get a better understanding of the benefits of investing in this style.
Take a peek into experiences that heavily focus on the proximity of actors to audience members and the exciting ways that storytellers are using these intimate experiences to entertain and challenge audiences.
Take a deep dive into the growing immersive art and theater scene in Denver. This beautiful city has seen an uptick in immersive works, including a piece by Talking Heads frontman David Byrne and another by "Sleep No More" alum.
