Dr. VR

In December 2024, live from Stereopsia 2024 in Brussels, I sat down with Alexandra Gerard, Co-Director and Co-Founder of UnitedXR Europe, and Managing Director of Stereopsia, to explore how one of the continent’s leading XR events has evolved over the years. Alexandra shares how she fosters collaboration across Europe’s diverse XR ecosystem, the growing presence of women in immersive tech, and her mission to create a circuit connecting XR events across the continent.

In this powerful episode of Dr. VR, I sit down with Māori filmmaker, educator, and immersive media innovator Wiremu Grace, the creative force behind "Atuatanga," a groundbreaking VR experience told entirely in te reo Māori. Premiered at the 2025 Imaginative Festival in Toronto, "Atuatanga" brings Māori spiritual narratives, environmental awareness, and ancestral wisdom into the immersive realm of VR.Together, we explore the cultural and creative journey behind "Atuatanga," the role of Indigenous storytelling in XR, and the future of Māori participation in immersive technologies. From community engagement to language revitalization, this episode shines a light on the transformative power of VR when rooted in Indigenous identity and knowledge.

In this episode of Dr. VR, I sit down with Jonathan Griffith, director, producer, and sports photographer, to explore the making of his groundbreaking VR film Touching the Sky, co-produced by Meta and Red Bull. Filmed across the French Alps and the Himalayas, the documentary captures wingsuit flying, paragliding, and other adrenaline-fueled sports in stunning stereoscopic 360°.Jonathan reveals the creative and technical challenges of filming extreme sports in VR, why this medium demands raw honesty with no retakes or tricks, and how immersive media is reshaping storytelling for audiences worldwide. Whether you’re passionate about virtual reality, filmmaking, or extreme sports, this conversation offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to capture the impossible.

In this episode of Dr. VR, I sit down with Stephen Henderson, multidisciplinary artist, programmer, and spatial designer, to explore tAxI, a groundbreaking immersive installation that invites passengers into a driverless cab for a deeply human conversation with an AI, presented at the Immersive Competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.Co-directed by Henderson alongside Yamil Rodriguez and Michael Arcos, tAxI challenges our expectations of immersive media by removing the headset entirely. Through spatial design, AI-driven dialogue, and real-time responsive visuals, it becomes a space of confession, memory, and reflection.We discuss what it means to create presence without VR hardware, how AI can be designed to truly listen, and why a driverless taxi becomes the perfect vessel for storytelling. From linguistic nuance to emotional resonance, this experience raises profound questions about intimacy, technology, and the future of narrative design.

Dans cet épisode de Dr. VR, je reçois Dominic Desjardins et Rayne Zuckerman, créateur·trice·s basé·e·s à Toronto et fondateur·trice·s de Zazie Films, à l’origine de l’expérience en réalité virtuelle La maison de poupée / The Dollhouse, présentée à la Compétition Immersive du Festival de Cannes.À travers le regard sensible d’une enfant et un univers de papier qui se déploie, La maison de poupée explore les dynamiques de pouvoir, la culpabilité, et la responsabilité individuelle dans l’intimité des foyers. Ce récit interactif donne au spectateur un rôle actif et engageant : que feriez-vous si vous teniez une poupée fragile entre vos mains, seul, avec tout le pouvoir de choisir ?

In this episode, I sit down with Eloise Singer, director and founder of Singer Studios, and Dr. Dave Ranyard, producer, immersive media pioneer, and studio director, to explore their VR work currently under consideration for an Emmy nomination and recently showcased at the Cannes Film Festival in the Immersive Competition. Their projects are redefining how we engage with history through virtual reality.From the windswept decks of The Pirate Queen to the revolutionary journey of Bertha Benz in Trailblazer, this conversation delves into the creative and technical processes behind these genre-defying experiences. We discuss Trailblazer's Cannes premiere, the growing field of immersive historical storytelling, and the importance of agency, embodiment, and innovation in shaping the future of XR, while exploring how VR challenges traditional boundaries between audience and narrative.And stay tuned for an exciting surprise announcement from Singer Studios!

Step into the world of From Dust, the groundbreaking VR opera that just won the Best Immersive Experience at the Cannes Film Festival. In this episode of Dr. VR, I sit down with Michel van der Aa, the acclaimed composer, director, and innovator, whose latest work merges classical vocal performance with AI-powered interactivity to create an experience that’s tailor-made for each participant.We discuss the future of immersive opera, how AI reshapes storytelling, and what it means to place the audience at the center of the performance We also explore topics such as immersive design, digital performance, as well as the intersection of technology and emotion.