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http://www.blackenterprise.com/technology/alton-glass-virtual-reality-film-abff/
(Image: File)
Back in 2014, Alton Glass’ groundbreaking drama CRU made history at the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Independent Film Awards when it took home a win in each category it was nominated for, including Best Film and Best Director. Three years later, the award-winning filmmaker returned to the annual festival to break new ground yet again with his virtual reality movie, A Little Love, which premiered Saturday, June 17, 2017.
The story of A Little Love explores the themes of love, family, and adventure, and stars actors Kellita Smith and Dorien Wilson. Watch Glass summarize the plot of the film in the video clip below:
We spoke to virtual reality filmmaker Alton Glass about the premiere of his new VR film "A Little Love" here at #ABFF2017. #ABFF pic.twitter.com/7i5aoy6gvi
— Black Enterprise (@blackenterprise) June 17, 2017
Although the majority of the films screened at ABFF were shot via a standard camera, Glass’ VR film uses a combination of live-action and animation footage to leverage innovative VR technology in a way that completely immerses viewers in a 360° experience. In turn, this enables the audience to feel part of the narrative itself.
“Seeing the audience watch A Little Love for the first time was really awesome,” Glass says, in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE.“They were looking all around, laughing, and just fully transported into this experience. I think that this was something very different for them to experience at a film festival [and] at ABFF, and I think that they loved it.”
Along with providing the audience with an exclusive VR experience, the accompanying panel included a Q&A about the convergence of technology, media, and entertainment, which featured Glass as well as VR experts and television executives. During the talkback session, Glass opened up about being one of the few African American pioneers in the VR filmmaking landscape. He also spoke about his decision to explore VR filmmaking, after directing a number of highly acclaimed movies like The Confidant (2010), starring Boris Kodjoe and David Banner; and The Mannsfield 12 (2007), which was acquired by BET.
“What inspired me to create a narrative in virtual reality like this, was being able to see someone like myself—for people of color or diversity—inside of an experience in virtual reality,” Glass says. “I’ve never seen anything where I felt like I was there—[in the film]— with people that looked like me. So, I felt compelled to make that piece.”
The celebrated director also explained why he chose to premiere his VR movie during the five-day festival. “It was important for me to debut this film at ABFF because one, ABFF has very supportive throughout my career,” Glass says, also adding that secondly, A Little Love is one of the first VR films to feature people of color.
(Image: File)
Back in 2014, Alton Glass’ groundbreaking drama CRU made history at the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Independent Film Awards when it took home a win in each category it was nominated for, including Best Film and Best Director. Three years later, the award-winning filmmaker returned to the annual festival to break new ground yet again with his virtual reality movie, A Little Love, which premiered Saturday, June 17, 2017.
The story of A Little Love explores the themes of love, family, and adventure, and stars actors Kellita Smith and Dorien Wilson. Watch Glass summarize the plot of the film in the video clip below:
We spoke to virtual reality filmmaker Alton Glass about the premiere of his new VR film "A Little Love" here at #ABFF2017. #ABFF pic.twitter.com/7i5aoy6gvi
— Black Enterprise (@blackenterprise) June 17, 2017
Although the majority of the films screened at ABFF were shot via a standard camera, Glass’ VR film uses a combination of live-action and animation footage to leverage innovative VR technology in a way that completely immerses viewers in a 360° experience. In turn, this enables the audience to feel part of the narrative itself.
“Seeing the audience watch A Little Love for the first time was really awesome,” Glass says, in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE.“They were looking all around, laughing, and just fully transported into this experience. I think that this was something very different for them to experience at a film festival [and] at ABFF, and I think that they loved it.”
Along with providing the audience with an exclusive VR experience, the accompanying panel included a Q&A about the convergence of technology, media, and entertainment, which featured Glass as well as VR experts and television executives. During the talkback session, Glass opened up about being one of the few African American pioneers in the VR filmmaking landscape. He also spoke about his decision to explore VR filmmaking, after directing a number of highly acclaimed movies like The Confidant (2010), starring Boris Kodjoe and David Banner; and The Mannsfield 12 (2007), which was acquired by BET.
“What inspired me to create a narrative in virtual reality like this, was being able to see someone like myself—for people of color or diversity—inside of an experience in virtual reality,” Glass says. “I’ve never seen anything where I felt like I was there—[in the film]— with people that looked like me. So, I felt compelled to make that piece.”
The celebrated director also explained why he chose to premiere his VR movie during the five-day festival. “It was important for me to debut this film at ABFF because one, ABFF has very supportive throughout my career,” Glass says, also adding that secondly, A Little Love is one of the first VR films to feature people of color.
In case you didn’t know, I’m a rather big fan of the classic Mega Man games. I could never finish any of the old games when I was a kid, but I always […]
The post Hands-On: Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 is a Blast of Pure Nostalgia appeared first on Geek.com.
The growth of America as a country has moments of inspiration, brilliance, and ingenuity; it’s often glorified with stories of miraculous opportunities. Those stories have played out. They one hundred percent exist. But for some, the evolution of America is also a tale of being pushed aside and silenced. It’s a narrative playing out in American Gods, from a certain point of view. Mr. Nancy, a.k.a. Anansi, put the spotlight on Bilquis–a character who has stood proudly back up after being beat down by the world–in the season one finale of the show. Bilquis, Orlando Jones told Nerdist, shouldn’t be overlooked.
Anansi tapped into his storytelling roots and tried to teach a lesson to Mr. Wednesday. In talking about his performance in presenting Bilquis‘ journey, Jones said, “It was important for me to remember, and I think for Nancy, to impart that there has never been a war in human history that has ever been won without the support of women.”
And Bilquis, their Queen, has survived and evolved after being let down again and again. The Old Gods didn’t protect their queen; they haven’t looked out for their own and allowed her to fall. It’s not an issue Wednesday necessarily recognizes as he recruits allies. With his story, Nancy told Wednesday there needs to be compromise but also that Wednesday should open his damn eyes. “He’s pointing out to Wednesday that there is compromise, but there’s also this role of these people who are often diminished, and that’s as important as these other people that we celebrate,” Jones said about Nancy’s tale.
Nancy is using his stories to speak up. “He’s attempting to always be the voice of the disenfranchised, because frankly, you meet him on a slave ship amongst the other disenfranchised,” Jones said, “When you’re talking about American history you talk about gender roles, and ageism, and race, and sex–all of these things come together to create a truly powerful force of people and individuals who have a lot of information to impart, but we consistently say that isn’t important as we watch bodies of men make decisions on behalf of everyone, as if they don’t have an opinion or that they don’t have anything to bring to the table because they couldn’t possibly understand how intricate things are. I think he’s saying that, really, to Wednesday.”
Jones pointed out how Wednesday’s not been looking outside his own narrow view. Wednesday’s been trying to stack his deck with as many Old Gods as possible, but he hasn’t gone to likes of Bilquis. “He didn’t go to Bilquis that way. He’s actively been trying to put Laura Moon back into her grave. He’s consistently seeing the world in a very specific way that is quite male-centric,” Jones explained, “Nancy’s trying to point out, ‘That’s not the way we’re gonna win this war, and also that there has to be some level of compromise in what we do moving forward.’ For him, if that doesn’t exist for those parties then it’s not going to exist for him either.”
Nancy appears to be on Wednesday’s side for now, but the Old God looks out for himself, too. As a keeper of tales, words are his gift. He wields them the way he must to keep going. He needs worship; he has to have believers in order to exist. That drives his agenda and keeps him playing the game. “I think Nancy’s always playing both ends against the middle a bit, but he often uses the truth of his words to make his point and to get people on his side,” Jones said.
More of Nancy and his stories will be ahead in the second season of American Gods. Jones shared the character will have a bigger role to play: “I’m super excited about season two where Nancy will be very, very heavy.”
Images: Starz