#1548: “1906 Atlanta Race Massacre” Uses Phone-Based AR to Volumetrically Tell a Forgotten History

Voices of VR

1906 ATLANTA RACE MASSACRE is a phone-based AR experience directed by Nonny de la Peña that digs into the forgotten history of the violent attacks on the black community by white mobs incited by race-baiting politicians and newspapers. The arc of the story is told through the lens of black journalist Max Barber, who was chronicling the events as they were unfolding. We see a series of volumetrically captured monologues by Barber (played by actor Bryonn Bain). As the massacre unfolds, we travel to different key locations around Atlanta represented by spatial facades and Quill illustrations. There's also a series of 2D AI animations ranging from white politicians in newspapers to black activists who are in picture frames. I spoke with de la Peña around some of the constraints and limitations of working with mobile phones that are not completely optimized for XR experiences like this just yet, but it's much more accessible form factor that the executive producer of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights is interested getting into schools. This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality