This week on the show a trio of interviews with the people behind some amazing projects.

First up, Erfan Saadati, co-creator of Child of Empire, joins us to talk about this stunning VR piece showing at Sundance's New Frontier that explores the human cost of the Partition of India: one of the largest forced migrations in human history. [6:00]

Then Doug Jacobson, Athena Demos, and Andrew Barrett from Big Rock Creative drop by to talk about the upcoming BRCvr Film Festival which takes place next weekend. [25:00]

Rounding out the program is Steve Jamison co-creator of On The Morning You Wake (To the End of the World), an incredible piece of VR documentary making that is also at the New Frontier at Sundance this year. [40:00]

Plus Headlines and voting for the NoPro Audience Awards is now open, a link to the ballot and the full list of nominees can be found here.

Associate Producer: Parker Sela

Music: Chris Porter 

Headlines: Kathryn Yu, Executive Editor of No Proscenium

Producer and Host: Noah Nelson  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week director Joe Hunting talks with us about his new documentary, We Met In Virtual Reality, which is premiering at the Sundance Film Festival [1:29]; we learn about the Black Immersive Creators Grant from two of its board members, Dana McGarr and Risa Puno [16:00]; and NoPro's own Kathryn Yu drops in for a podcast version of our Sundance Diaries feature [42:55].

Associate Producer: Parker Sela

Music: Chris Porter 

Headlines: Kathryn Yu, Executive Editor of No Proscenium

Producer and Host: Noah Nelson 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we talk with Shari Frilot, Chief Curator of the New Frontier at the Sundance Film Festival about this year's line-up and return to the virtual Spaceship. [3:20]

Then friend of the show Kent Bye drops in to chat with us about the goings on at his podcast the Voices of VR, including a special series about the IDFA Doc Lab, and his interview with philosopher David Chalmers. [38:00]

Associate Producer: Parker Sela

Music: Chris Porter 

Producer and Host: Noah Nelson  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the end of a year that wasn't all it could be, but still: we gather members of the Review Crew to have a rambly chat about a very weird year.

With NoPro Arts Editor Laura Hess, LA Reviews Editor Kevin Gossett, and East Coast Editor-At-Large Blake Weil. Hosted by Noah Nelson.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's that time of year when critics search their souls and do the impossible: make lists of what they liked the most.

We make the Review Crew do that too, with a top-three Shows & Experiences (which we mercifully leave unranked) and a Best Moment, which expands the possibilities to work that wasn't released in the year that was. Okay, come on, you know the drill.

This year we have three segments:

Segment I: Kathryn Yu, Blake Weil, Edward Mylechreest [2:12]

Segment II: Kevin Gossett, Laura Hess, Leah Davis, Patrick McLean [45:19]

Segment III: Noah Nelson [1:26:30]

Associate Producer: Parker Sela

Music: Chris Porter 

Producer and Host: Noah Nelson 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we head towards the end of the year we mix the format up a bit. Okay, a LOT.

This is basically two episodes in one, first with our annual tradition of a journalist's roundtable with Todd Martens of The LA Times and Scott Stein of CNET joining host Noah Nelson of, ah, us, for an hour-long talk. Sorrynotsorry. [9:20] Then our very first guest EVER, Annie Saunders, drops in for a long-overdue chat. [1:14:32]

Plus the Headlines and yes, some updates on The Next Stage which is happening Jan 7-9 in Pasadena. Which is basically right around the corner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two meaty interviews on this episode.

First, we talk with Vallejo Gantner currently with ONX Studio an XR accelerator in New York City powered by Onassis Foundation USA (for whom he previously served as Artistic and Executive Director) and New INC. We get into the state of performing arts in XR with Gantner, who was the Artistic Director of NYC’s Performance Space 122 for 12 years. (Check out Tree currently at ONX Studio in NYC.)

Then we settle in for a chat with Scott Cramton of American Immersion Theater, talking about his twenty-year career in making participatory events for clients around the country, and take an unexpected detour into what he's put together over the course of the pandemic: Camp D&D Online. [39:00]

Plus Kathryn with this week's Headlines and the latest on The Next Stage Immersive Summit & Mini-Festival.

Associate Producer: Parker Sela

Music: Chris Porter 

Headlines: Kathryn Yu, Executive Editor of No Proscenium

Producer and Host: Noah Nelson 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week our best-laid plans go sideways, so its a very good thing that Kevin Gossett & Laura Hess just happened to go to Arcane – the Secret Cinema show in LA based on the Riot Games animated series of the same name that's based on their own video game... wait wait... need to catch my breath... okay... video game League of Legends that is one of the top Netflix series of the year worldwide. World. Wide.

Can you feel the rush now?

Hosted by Kevin Gossett.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, X Reality Safety Initiative (XRSI) founder Kavya Pearlman joins us to talk about next week's XR Safety Week – a series of curated and community-powered events diving into issues of privacy and safety in the emerging metaverse. Then the Co-CEO's of Meow Wolf, Ali Rubinstein and Carl Christensen, talk to us about the immersive entertainment company's big year.

Plus: the Pick of the Week, Headlines, and some breaking GOOD news about The Next Stage Summit & Mini-Festival.

Open & Next Stage Update

Headlines [4:00]

XR Safety Week [7:12]

Pick of the Week [26:50]

Meow Wolf [32:20]

Close

Associate Producer: Parker Sela

Music: Chris Porter

Headlines: Kathryn Yu, Executive Editor of No Proscenium

Producer and Host: Noah Nelson  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Leah, Laura, and Patrick pull back the curtain on Savage Hall, a murder-mystery that folds in larp, meticulously crafted audio, and the power of Zoom to send its players back to WWII-era London.

Then Noah and special guest, actress Jenapher Zheng, compare notes on their wildly different experiences at Secret Cinema Presents Arcane (based on the Riot Games series airing on Netflix). [23:15]

And don't miss next week's episode for even more on Arcane when Kevin and Laura compare notes on their upcoming adventures.

With Leah Davis, Laura Hess, Patrick McLean, special guest Jenapher Zheng, and hosted by Noah Nelson.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.