Call for Entries - The Immersive Storytelling Award

CONTACT: JEANNE MEYERS                                                     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Co-founder/Director
The MY HERO Project
[email protected]
949-376-5964

CFE Immersive StorytellingMY HERO

Celebrating Virtual Reality for Social Good, the Immersive Storytelling award is for innovative Virtual Reality content featuring stories that promote creativity, engagement, activism and social good. 

Escape is not a luxury everyone can afford but that might change soon with the advent of Virtual Reality (VR.) Thanks to VR, we can experience new worlds and understand our world better. The MY HERO Projects calls for entries for the short film that best supports the innovation in virtual reality and works to positively change the world. 

Watch our sizzle video for further details.

The History of Virtual Reality

According to VR experts, Mel Slater, the most published scientist in VR globally who won the Humboldt Research prize in 2021, and Maria V. Sanchez-Vives, one of Spain’s leading neuroscientists, both of Virtual Bodyworks*, VR originated over 50 years ago to no great acclaim but reemerged in the 1980s and 1990s where it reached the attention of the public and was hailed by many engineers and scientists as the beginning of a new era where it was predicted to 'soon change the world for the better.' However, it disappeared again from public view and was rumored to be 'dead.' In the intervening 25 years, we are told, a huge amount of research has been carried out across a vast range of disciplines from medicine to business, psychotherapy to industry, and from sports to travel. Today, applications of VR are considered extensive and range across numerous domains. And, although it is thought that the most frequent uses in the near future will continue to be for entertainment, the possibilities to improve the lives of many in much more significant ways are endless. And it is this possibility that MY HERO is seeking.

The Immersive Storytelling Award offers a wonderful opportunity for creators of VR to share their short films that feature stories that promote creativity, engagement, activism and social good. 

To find out more go to: myhero.com/immersive-storytelling-award

Read more about the history of VR here: www.virtualbodyworks.com/posts/

MY HERO has Media Arts Resources and mentors to help you get started: myhero.com/MediaArtsResources

The final deadline to submit is September 1st: /submit

About MY HERO International Film Festival

The MY HERO International Film Festival brings together professional and youth filmmakers who honor local and global heroes working for positive change in the world.  Thanks to generous sponsors, prizes are awarded to elementary, middle school, high school, college and professionals in a variety of categories including documentary, narrative, music video, animation, experimental, and more.

To view the 2021 award-winning films, go to Winners

For more details about MY HERO's International Film Festival, please visit myhero.com/FilmFestival

2021 Award Winners:

Educational Volumetric VR Award | Blue Planet VR - Landscapes for the Mind, directed by: Eric Hansen

Blueplanet VR is a curated collection of over 40 photogrammetric experiences of unique and powerful scenic and cultural heritage locations worldwide, ranging from Borobudur Temple in Indonesia to Bears Ears National Monument in the southwestern US. With a high level of digital production and art direction, BPVR offers compelling 6DOF presence and mobility within these remarkable locations. For More Information go to: Blue Planet VR.

Environmental VR Award | The Jet Lagged - 360 SEA PLASTIC, directed by: Hendrik S. Schmitt from The Jetlagged and Plastic Pollution Coalition.

360 SEA PLASTIC is a film that demonstrates the impact that plastic waste is having on the local and global environment. The filmmakers immerse the viewer in environments that are heavily affected by plastic trash with the intention of raising awareness and challenging the viewers to rethink their plastic consumption, and eventually change their behavior. The shocking scenes are juxtaposed with pristine environments which are not yet affected by plastic pollution in an attempt to ignite the viewer into action. For More Information go to: www.thejetlagged.com

Add any story, art, film and music to our global learning project: myhero.com/Start

*Mel Slater, Mavi Sanchez Vives and Bernhard Spanlang founded Virtual Bodyworks with a mission to use breakthroughs in neuroscience and Virtual Reality research to change society.