Kenan Thompson of "SNL" stars in "Our Reality is Virtual" produced by Studio 61 in tandem with The Uprising Creative, WEVR
One doesn’t normally associate virtual reality with comedy but CBS Interactive is looking to alter that perception by showcasing how VR can facilitate and enhance humor. The means towards that end is an original comedy short, Our Reality is Virtual, set to debut at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity this evening as part of CBS Interactive’s annual partner presentation.
Saturday Night Live’s Kenan Thompson appears in multiple roles in the scripted short, using humor to showcase the fundamentals of virtual reality. Conceived in late April and shot in New York in May, it was produced by CBS Interactive’s Studio 61 brand (led by CBSi Media Group’s Christy Tanner) in partnership with integrated creative and production company The Uprising Creative and WEVR (led by Anthony Batt), with support from Kendall Ostrow from UTA.
“We wanted to showcase for our clients how we can use virtual reality to combine creativity and tech for fresh, compelling storytelling,” explained Tanner. “The results exceeded our expectations. We’ve seen people shocked, scared and excited wearing VR goggles, but we’ve never before seen them laugh like they did watching Kenan.”
“We’ve been producing and directing a lot of different VR projects recently, and having a chance to attend Cannes with this group of partners and present original work really represents a dream-team in action,” said Uprising co-founder Jeff Nicholas, who directed Our Reality is Virtual along with Jonathan Craven. “Together with Kenan, everyone at WEVR, and everyone from Studio 61, we created something that’s not only funny, but it’s also helping a lot of people better understand VR storytelling. We’re demystifying it a little bit.”
Uprising has had other original VR content debut this week. On Monday, Fort Minor’s 360-degree VR “Welcome” music video premiered, and that also was directed by Nicholas. Both projects used similar production and postproduction workflows, featuring a custom 4-camera GoPro rig for capturing in 360-degrees. For the shoot with SNL’s Thompson in NYC, the directors also used a Sony A7S camera for principal photography, shooting in 180-degrees to capture two plates of talent and crew that were then stitched together for comic effect.
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More