Beacon

Joburg tinkerers, wildly imaginative creations, AI thoughtfulness, UK funding opportunities, and VR in India

Eden Labs

Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Eden Labs use a variety of mixed reality technology and other digital media to tell stories. They are true tinkerers, using whatever it takes to make ambitious and often jaw-dropping work. They have created a range of beautiful 3D printed headsets for VR projects, making sure that the tech is not front and center of the works they present (even though the tech is very, very impressive). The latest project, the beautifully animated The Lost Botanist in collaboration with Tulips and Chimneys, is going to premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

Tender Claws

Tender Claws are one of the most imaginative, surprising, and thoughtful creative teams making work in the immersive and interactive space. The group’s most recent project The Under Presents is the first project I saw on the new Oculus Quest headset. Tenderclaws also created Pry, an interactive novella, and a delightful AR project called Tendar, where you get to interact with a virtual fish.

Julia Kaganskiy

Julia is an independent curator and cultural knower of many things. She was the founding director of NEW INC and before that she ran the Creator’s Project for many years. If you are interested in digital culture be sure to follow her on Twitter. She thinks deeply about many of the issues we cover in Immerse. She recently curated an exhibition on art and AI at the Transfer Gallery called Forging the Gods.

Digital Catapult

Digital Catapult is the UK’s leading advanced digital technology innovation center. It drives the early adoption of digital technologies and one of its focus areas is the creative industries. Hooray! Creative XR is one of the programs Digital Catapult runs alongside Arts Council England, with support from Innovate UK.

CreativeXR offers:

• Prototype funding: Up to £20k to develop your immersive prototype
• Expertise: Access to a network of industry experts, high calibre peers, and commissioning bodies
• Facilities: Free use of Digital Catapult’s Immersive Labs in Belfast, Brighton, London, and North East Tees Valley
• Workshops: Focused workshops to help develop your concept and pitch
• Pitch: Opportunity to pitch at final commissioner showcase
• Development funding: Chance to secure funding for further development

We need more of this kind of support around the world!

Memesys Culture Lab

Memesys is a wonderfully interdisciplinary studio in India, creating films (An Insignificant Man), virtual reality (ElseVR), augmented reality (Geist) and more.

Immerse is an initiative of the MIT Open DocLab and The Fledgling Fund, and it receives funding from Just Films | Ford Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation. IFP is our fiscal sponsor. Learn more here. We are committed to exploring and showcasing media projects that push the boundaries of media and tackle issues of social justice — and rely on friends like you to sustain ourselves and grow. Join us by making a gift today.