The article was written by student Lillian Hagala who participated in the course described here.
The future has arrived, and it’s happening in virtual reality. With their VR headsets equipped and recorders at the ready TV students at the University of Bergen braved a new world. They were eager to learn more about the avatars of the Metaverse and their stories.
The technology of VR has many great potentials. One of these is the feeling of being transported to another world in the comfort of your living room, which is what VR chat has managed to realize. With an opportunity to live in a digital world with your very own avatar, VR chat is a perfect opportunity to get invested in an online community without the worry of physical limitations.
In the autumn of 2022, the students of TV production at the University of Bergen got an introduction to virtual reality (VR). Guided by filmmaker and VR-enthusiast Joe Hunting, the students got a look into the world of VR chat. His film We Met In Virtual Reality, shows different communities and users of the online virtual platform called VR chat.
Hunting gave the students a thorough introduction to VR technology, the use of VR chat, and the tools he used to make his documentary. It took place in the course TVP104 "Documentary productions" and associate professor Richard Misek was the course leader. TekLab funded Joe Hunting’s visit.
After a two-week-long workshop led by Hunting, the students were assigned the task to make a documentary about four notable people from the VR chat community. The documentaries revolve around a dancer, a painter, an avatar maker, and a world creator. Each of the films give the viewer a glimpse into the world of VR chat and how people can thrive in a virtual reality where everything is possible.
The four films made by the students at the University of Bergen, follow four different people with different stories but an equally strong love for VR chat and the potential that lies within virtual reality. The four documentaries were shown at BIFF 2022. They can be viewed on YouTube through the links below.
Imagine a world where you can paint whatever you want wherever you want. In the documentary Painting in VR, we’re introduced to the painter VirtuaLilly. She tells us her story of how VR chat helped her through a difficult time in her life.
Made by: Janne Eldegard, Ingvild Withammer-Ekerhovd, Sara Boquist, Sigurd Kleiven.
Virtual reality is a perfect place to escape deep beneath the earth. Flushed through a toilet you're teleported to a secret world where plans for a better future are being made. In the documentary MetaRick, we meet the world builder MetaRick. He’s the maker of the dystopian world called Uncanny Alley. He has a small grudge towards Facebook and its misuse of both his name and the technology of which he is so fond.
Made by: Tristan Sæter and Julia Aase
In the documentary Blueasis, we’re introduced to the world builder and avatar maker Blueasis. He tells us the story of how he was introduced to VR chat and how he has made a living out of making avatars. He shows us some of the worlds he has created and talks about his infamous green brush avatar.
Made by: Eskil Byrkjeland, Isabel M. Farrell, Mats Hansen, Simon E. M. Nordpol
Teaching partner dance across the world is no easy feat, but with the help of VR headsets and hand controls, it is possible. In the documentary Dustbunny, we’re introduced to Dustbunny, a dancer and dance instructor in VR chat. She holds dance lessons in beautifully designed dance studios teaching all types of dance to people all over the world.
Made by: Salomon Poutsma, Synnøve Hestad, Inga Undlien, Lillian Hagala.
