Broome filmmaker Brooke Collard to bring First Nations ‘truth-telling' to life in virtual reality
Walbreninj, which translates to 'healing' in the Noongar language, is about Country holding on to memories and passing those memories on to people through bodily sensations or visions.
It explores a group of Noongar women who have held on to a haunting truth about a local parkland for 30 years, and strange events that have drawn people back there. Now, these Noongar women want to bring healing to the spirits of ancestors left behind and return the park to Walbreninj.
Brooke Collard said using VR to tell the story allows them to tap into the immersive qualities of the technology that aren't present in other mediums.
'VR has this special extra layer of immersion that you don't get in film,' she said.
'Previously working in narrative design for games really opened my eyes to how far you can push stories and audiences with VR, and with Walbreninj, it brings this extra level of understanding and compassion when you make your audience directly a part of the story.
'I've used VR, and the first time was experiencing Tyson Mowarin's Thalu. I remember sinking into the ground and being awed by the possibilities of storytelling.'
The First Nations VR Documentary Initiative, made possible with financial support from Lotterywest, is a special initiative designed to uncover distinctive WA First Nations voices, support their career progressions and enable practitioners to explore new storytelling mediums and markets.
Screenwest chief executive Rikki Lea Bestall said virtual reality offered a powerful new way to bring First Nations stories to life.
'Virtual reality doesn't just convey a story, it immerses audiences right into the heart of the film,' she said.
'In Western Australia, we have a wealth of First Nations creatives with incredible stories to tell. No doubt these projects will make important contributions to the national conversation.'
Filmmaking brothers Luke and Daniel Riches is the other successful team that will explore First Nations 'truth-telling' through Tiger Shark Dreaming, which tells the story of two young, emerging Bardi leaders as they search of one of Australia's most elusive predators — the tiger shark or Gundarr.
'This opportunity presented itself and we were gripped by the abundant possibilities that will expand our storytelling capability,' Luke and Daniel Riches said.
'We believe this industry will continue to grow each year and as it becomes more accessible to audiences, and we hope to make First Nations stories a contributing part.'
The First Nations VR Documentary Initiative is designed to uncover distinctive WA First Nations voices, support their career progression and enable practitioners to explore new storytelling mediums and markets.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Luke Kidgell - Good Intentions - Fri 15 to Sat 16 Aug - 375 Hunter Street, Newcastle, NSW
View Photo Entertainment Luke Kidgell - Good Intentions When Fri 15 - Sat 16 Aug Add to calendar Where 375 Hunter Street, Newcastle, NSW Get Directions 375 Hunter Street, Newcastle, NSW Luke Kidgell kicks off his new World Tour in Australia in 2025! Luke is known for his viral crowd-work interactions that often lead to some fairly unusual, yet hilarious encounters. Despite not having much control over his impulsive thoughts, Luke insists that deep down he means well, and this year he's on a mission to prove it. After touring the US, Canada, NZ & Europe Luke is coming back home with his brand-new show Good Intentions. This is not one to miss! You've seen him on the internet, now it's time to see him in real life, as Luke tries to prove that he really does have Good Intentions. Please note, by entering the venue, you are agreeing to be filmed, and any content produced may be distributed for promotional purposes. Running time 90 minutes, no interval. Times are approximate and subject to change without notice. Recommended for ages 16+. Patrons under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The Age
2 days ago
- The Age
The Perth artists using technology to give a new perspective on the city's shot-hole borer toll
Cassandra Tyler's pitch to her fellow Perth creatives couldn't be more madcap: 'I want to make a musical about the shot-hole borer.' However, Tyler's idea for a musical was not the kind that would play at Crown Theatre but an experimental piece using the sounds of Hyde Park, which has lost about 20 per cent of its trees due to the polyphagous shot-hole borer. The work created by Tyler, W. Tse Sang and Catherine Gough-Brady aims to trigger a strong emotional response and make the people of Perth feel deeply for the loss of thousands of trees. 'People know what's happening from a scientific point of view. We understand that thousands of trees have been chopped down,' Tyler said. 'And we know that the battle is lost and all we can do is wait until the trees fall down or they're cut down. But we don't feel that loss. It is something apart from us.' Loading However, there is a lot more going on in the trio's piece ARia Song Unseen, one of three new immersive art works developed under an innovative program created by the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts called boorda yeyi (a Noongar phrase meaning 'future now'). In their project, Tyler, Sang and Gough-Brady work with AR – or augmented reality – in which participants are given a tablet and headphones and invited to circle a bag of woodchips which, through the tech, is overlaid the ghost-like image of the Moreton Bay figs that have been cut down, along with the sounds of Hyde Park. Tyler, a multidisciplinary artist who moved across from Melbourne, was moved to make a work about the shot-hole borer that is wreaking havoc across Perth and is now threatening trees in the eastern states when she saw a connection between the ravenous bug and the colonisation of Australia.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The Perth artists using technology to give a new perspective on the city's shot-hole borer toll
Cassandra Tyler's pitch to her fellow Perth creatives couldn't be more madcap: 'I want to make a musical about the shot-hole borer.' However, Tyler's idea for a musical was not the kind that would play at Crown Theatre but an experimental piece using the sounds of Hyde Park, which has lost about 20 per cent of its trees due to the polyphagous shot-hole borer. The work created by Tyler, W. Tse Sang and Catherine Gough-Brady aims to trigger a strong emotional response and make the people of Perth feel deeply for the loss of thousands of trees. 'People know what's happening from a scientific point of view. We understand that thousands of trees have been chopped down,' Tyler said. 'And we know that the battle is lost and all we can do is wait until the trees fall down or they're cut down. But we don't feel that loss. It is something apart from us.' Loading However, there is a lot more going on in the trio's piece ARia Song Unseen, one of three new immersive art works developed under an innovative program created by the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts called boorda yeyi (a Noongar phrase meaning 'future now'). In their project, Tyler, Sang and Gough-Brady work with AR – or augmented reality – in which participants are given a tablet and headphones and invited to circle a bag of woodchips which, through the tech, is overlaid the ghost-like image of the Moreton Bay figs that have been cut down, along with the sounds of Hyde Park. Tyler, a multidisciplinary artist who moved across from Melbourne, was moved to make a work about the shot-hole borer that is wreaking havoc across Perth and is now threatening trees in the eastern states when she saw a connection between the ravenous bug and the colonisation of Australia.
