Virtual reality has been evolving for some time and continues to grow. There are people who make meaningful connections in virtual space and that’s what HBO is exploring in the new documentary We met in virtual reality. The film is directed by Joe Caccia and was shot entirely in VR with different communities. All the while, we will follow an ASL teacher who tries to make virtual reality more welcoming for deaf and hard of hearing users named Jenny, the long distance couple from DustBunny who is a fitness and Toaster dance instructor, and a other long distance couple from DragonHeart and IsYourBoi who met through an exotic VR dance community where they perform.
Shot entirely in the world of virtual reality (VR), this engaging and revealing documentary is rooted in several unique communities within VR Chat, a thriving virtual reality platform. Through observation scenes captured in real time, in true documentary style, the film reveals the growing power and intimacy of different relationships formed in the virtual world, many of which began during the COVID-19 lockdown while so many in the physical world. they were facing intense isolation. While remaining entirely within the VR domain of avatars and fictional worlds, the film has elements of humor, fortuitous interactions and unexpected events that characterize real life. We Met in Virtual Reality tenderly documents the stories of people experiencing love, loss and unexpected connection, expressing vulnerability around mental health struggles and identity questions, offering a hyperreal journey into the human experience of an online world that could soon shaping the future.
I think it’s nice to remember and be shown that some people have positive impact and positive relationships in virtual spaces. There are people I know who have met their best friends online. It’s not always a dark place as many make it seem. We met in virtual reality will premiere on HBO on July 27 and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
by Tommy Williams
Source: Geek Tyrant
