2018 Arab Future Tripping (VR prototype)

2018 Arab Future Tripping (VR prototype) from VJ Um Amel on Vimeo.

This is the first rendering of a prototype of a data-driven virtual world of social media. This world here is made up of 60,000 users (trees) who tweeted about half a million posts (frogs, mushrooms, and deer) on #WomensMarch over 24 hours in 2017 (time indicated by scenes). On her tenth anniversary in 2018, VJ Um Amel will release a second mediascape of the same social media archives that runs the R-Shief Media System. But rather than software applications and data visualizations, Arab Future Trippings will embody skin or stitch holding together various immersive and performative modalities. VJ Um Amel's VR research cluster is made possible by UCSB Academic Senate Faculty Research Grant to support the prototyping and production of this 360 degree, first-person immersive, virtual reality (VR) story of the Arab Uprisings of 2011. The Twitter data is collected, processed, and provided by R-Shief. Graduate student researchers Intae Hwang and Han-Wei Kung used Unreel, Houdini, and Grasshopper for VR production. Original score gifted by DJ Underbelly, “Kali Uchis Watch Want Me 4.” Thanks to all past, present, and future who contribute to this project.