PXR 2023
Schedule

Engage with the conference IN PERSON through unique XR and hybrid experiences. These in-person events have limited capacity, so we encourage both pass holders and non-pass holders to book your ticket now to ensure your spot!

On Friday, November 10 at PXR Port Toronto and PXR Port Kingston, hear from the creators and producers of the PXR conference in an exclusive live presentation: Why PXR?

This presentation led by PXR Executive Producer Liam Karry will discuss the future of PXR and the accomplishments of the past 3 conferences.

This event will occur at 5:30pm-9:30pm Pacific Time.

Engage with the conference IN PERSON through unique XR and hybrid experiences. These in-person events have limited capacity, so we encourage both pass holders and non-pass holders to book your ticket now to ensure your spot!

On Friday, November 10 at PXR Port Vancouver, hear from Marco Cermusoni, the Co-Founder of Grapple Consulting speak about Bringing theatre into multiplayer VR using Volumetric Capture.

Revitalizing Shakespeare for the digital age, this presentation explores our journey of transforming classic theatre into a multiplayer VR experience using volumetrically captured actors. Discover the challenges we faced, the insights we gained, and how we made this timeless material appealing to a younger generation.

Join us as we officially kick off PXR2023! Move through a curated series of custom-built VRChat worlds as we take you Under the Sea to celebrate what’s new and exciting in the world of performance and XR.

Join Emmy and Webby award-winning XR Director and Creative Strategist Michaela Ternasky-Holland, as she shares why XR storytelling creates real-world impact.

Ternasky-Holland will discuss the audience impact, engagement, research, and data that she has gathered throughout various XR projects in her successful career. Attendees will also learn the keys to success when making, showcasing, marketing, and finding an audience for XR work.

Dragon Magic and Freedom Giants represents an immersive project that combines elements of art installation, social VR space, amusement park ride and workshop environments. Designed to harness the power of critical thinking in an immersive environment, these two worlds combined chart an introspective journey from exploring and wishing upon ‘new beginnings’ to the hard work and back and forth motion of reaching one’s goal. In Dragon Magic, Freedom Giants, you will explore the power of social VR amid experiences that will open your eyes to new and innovative ways of telling stories.

We will be offering insights into the vision, creative + art direction, experience design and and the genius-level skills that were required to design and deploy Dragon Magic Freedom Giants on the ENGAGE platform.

Two award winning immersive storytelling companies are pushing the international and conventional boundaries of how live theater can be experienced, GiiÖii based out of Seoul, Korea, and Ferryman Collective have teamed up with Canadian artists James Hyett and Lee Erdman to bring this mind-bending international show to PXR 2023.

Find WiiLii will be performed live with two actors playing multiple roles. Audiences may attend from anywhere in the world, as long as they have access to a VR headset!

The story explores the importance and often flawed nature of memory and forgetting. If we forget things everyday, then what does it matter if pieces of our memory go missing. Do we have a right to those pieces? Our memories help define us, but they are not reliable and we cannot base our actions off of them. What happens if we do?

Starring James Hyett & Lee Erdman

Please note multiple show times and use the separate registration link below for experience streams. PXR2023 conference pass holders can watch the performance streamed over Discord on November 11 (no registration necessary), but you can also upgrade your ticket for only $10 to get the full VR experience. Tickets to attend in VR are $20 for non-pass holders.

A dance party held in the PXR2023 World! Celebrate the opening of the conference with us in an underwater cave rave.

How can mixed and extended reality technologies be used to promote cultural access and preservation? This presentation will explore this question by showcasing Museums Without Walls, a curatorial investigation that took place between 2020-2022 – serendipitously, during the Covid-19 pandemic. The core of the MWOW project was a webVR artist residency that sought to generate different versions of a Brazilian public arts museum using Mozilla Hubs. Additionally, the project produced a series of AR filters with works from the museum’s collection, and compiled an inventory of projects for alternative museums.

As we exit the hangover of Web2.0 and enter the metaverse, what does it mean to design a new social platform worthy of the communities that live there? Are we entertaining ourselves to death or building a boat big enough to get home?

We have a tendency to refer to online communities and digital networks in spatial terms. “On”-line is where we “go” to discuss, to research, to hang out. Immersive VR invites us to engage imaginary geographies even more deeply, surrounding us with scenography and places to explore and giving us a chance to craft our bodies and environments at will. But the most valuable aspect of social VR isn’t technology, it’s people.

Of course we’ve “lost” this singular network – it never really existed – But it comes into view in our peripheral vision, fragile, ephemeral, high on weird, never quite where we left it last.

Off Rail is a parody of a western-themed VR/AI theme park of the future where “nothing can go wrong”. It is a collaboration by RaptorXR, an independent studio featuring the most experienced VR comedy improvisers in the world. This show offers the most audience agency of any VR performance ever made and dares you to take risks as our expert cast follows you…”Off Rail”!

Starring Ari Tarr (Lead Host), Kirsten Rasmussen (Improvisor), & Kris Siddiqi (Improvisor)

Please note multiple show times and use the separate registration link below for experience streams. PXR2023 conference pass holders can watch the performance streamed over Discord on November 12 (no registration necessary), but you can also upgrade your ticket for only $10 to get the full VR experience. Tickets to attend in VR are $20 for non-pass holders.

Two years into an ambitious project to document live performances using 360 video capture, Jay and Carey Dodge return to PXR to share their insights, discoveries, and continuing explorations of the intersections of live performance and virtual reality.

Imagine a universe where you can play musical notes simply by touching the objects that surround you. Instead of traditional musical instruments, you have the power to create sound from objects around you. You can turn floating 3D models in the environment into playable instruments. Sonic Mindscapes game is collaboration-based, allowing users to participate in teams and discover the creative sounds that emerge through their collective efforts. The experience encourages mindful listening, creation, and presence in individuals as well.

The PXR2023 Conference is so excited to have The Unknown Showcase presented by The Unknown Theater as part of our Experience Stream for 2023! The Unknown Showcase will feature Improv, Sketch and Stand-up comedy! Hosted by Daniel Woodrow and Rodney Ramsey.

Starring Rodney Ramsey (Host), Daniel Woodrow (Host), Tamara Shevon (Comedian), & Laura Leibow (Comedian)

Please note multiple show times and use the separate registration link below for experience streams. PXR2023 conference pass holders can watch the performance streamed over Discord on November 18 (no registration necessary), but you can also upgrade your ticket for only $10 to get the full VR experience. Tickets to attend in VR are $20 for non-pass holders.

Two award winning immersive storytelling companies are pushing the international and conventional boundaries of how live theater can be experienced, GiiÖii based out of Seoul, Korea, and Ferryman Collective have teamed up with Canadian artists James Hyett and Lee Erdman to bring this mind-bending international show to PXR 2023.

Find WiiLii will be performed live with two actors playing multiple roles. Audiences may attend from anywhere in the world, as long as they have access to a VR headset!

The story explores the importance and often flawed nature of memory and forgetting. If we forget things everyday, then what does it matter if pieces of our memory go missing. Do we have a right to those pieces? Our memories help define us, but they are not reliable and we cannot base our actions off of them. What happens if we do?

Starring James Hyett & Lee Erdman

Please note multiple show times and use the separate registration link below for experience streams. PXR2023 conference pass holders can watch the performance streamed over Discord on November 11 (no registration necessary), but you can also upgrade your ticket for only $10 to get the full VR experience. Tickets to attend in VR are $20 for non-pass holders.

Off Rail is a parody of a western-themed VR/AI theme park of the future where “nothing can go wrong”. It is a collaboration by RaptorXR, an independent studio featuring the most experienced VR comedy improvisers in the world. This show offers the most audience agency of any VR performance ever made and dares you to take risks as our expert cast follows you…”Off Rail”!

Starring Ari Tarr (Lead Host), Kirsten Rasmussen (Improvisor), & Kris Siddiqi (Improvisor)

Please note multiple show times and use the separate registration link below for experience streams. PXR2023 conference pass holders can watch the performance streamed over Discord on November 12 (no registration necessary), but you can also upgrade your ticket for only $10 to get the full VR experience. Tickets to attend in VR are $20 for non-pass holders.

Two award winning immersive storytelling companies are pushing the international and conventional boundaries of how live theater can be experienced, GiiÖii based out of Seoul, Korea, and Ferryman Collective have teamed up with Canadian artists James Hyett and Lee Erdman to bring this mind-bending international show to PXR 2023.

Find WiiLii will be performed live with two actors playing multiple roles. Audiences may attend from anywhere in the world, as long as they have access to a VR headset!

The story explores the importance and often flawed nature of memory and forgetting. If we forget things everyday, then what does it matter if pieces of our memory go missing. Do we have a right to those pieces? Our memories help define us, but they are not reliable and we cannot base our actions off of them. What happens if we do?

Starring James Hyett & Lee Erdman

Please note multiple show times and use the separate registration link below for experience streams. PXR2023 conference pass holders can watch the performance streamed over Discord on November 11 (no registration necessary), but you can also upgrade your ticket for only $10 to get the full VR experience. Tickets to attend in VR are $20 for non-pass holders.

Engage with the conference IN PERSON through unique XR and hybrid experiences. These in-person events have limited capacity, so we encourage both pass holders and non-pass holders to book your ticket now to ensure your spot!

On Friday, November 17 at PXR Port Toronto, hear from Thomas Vu, creator of EarthMMO!

EarthMMO is the world’s first augmented reality MMORPG. This talk occuring in-person at the Toronto PXR Port explores the potential of a platform which connects event organizers, businesses, and actors to create immersive experiences that blend the physical and digital worlds. Thomas Vu will demonstrate EarthMMO and conference attendees will be able to play and interact with live actor NPCs to fight monsters and win loot.

This event will occur at 6-10pm Pacific Time.

Engage with the conference IN PERSON through unique XR and hybrid experiences. These in-person events have limited capacity, so we encourage both pass holders and non-pass holders to book your ticket now to ensure your spot!

Having created an amazing XR project that tells a compelling story and engages your audience, you want to share it with the world, but are not sure how to navigate the festival and conference circuit. Which are the right festivals and conferences? What can you expect once you are invited to a festival? How do they differ from one another?

In this talk, you will learn from the experience of Ferryman Collective, a group of XR creators who have showcased their VR projects at some of the most prestigious festivals and conferences in the world, such as Siggraph, AWE, Tribeca, SXSW and the Vencie International Film Festival.

Company members will share their personal experience and tips on the experience of presenting their projects at these festivals and conferences. This talk is aimed at inspiring and informing XR creators and enthusiasts who want to bring their project to the world.

A VR Chat mini golf course with 18 holes to complete. Compete with friends and aim for the best score! This will be a social hour for PXR Attendee’s to enjoy some of the amazing worlds and games within VR Chat.

The PXR2023 Conference is so excited to have The Unknown Showcase presented by The Unknown Theater as part of our Experience Stream for 2023! The Unknown Showcase will feature Improv, Sketch and Stand-up comedy! Hosted by Daniel Woodrow and Rodney Ramsey.

Starring Rodney Ramsey (Host), Daniel Woodrow (Host), Tamara Shevon (Comedian), & Laura Leibow (Comedian)

Please note multiple show times and use the separate registration link below for experience streams. PXR2023 conference pass holders can watch the performance streamed over Discord on November 18 (no registration necessary), but you can also upgrade your ticket for only $10 to get the full VR experience. Tickets to attend in VR are $20 for non-pass holders.

The world of XR is all but infinite, but in a media platform made by human minds and hands, what are the limits our social structures create for it, and what barriers can we change?

“Quick, Draw!” is an immersive Pictionary game where players are tasked with drawing and guessing words within VR. This will be a social hour for PXR Attendee’s to enjoy some of the amazing worlds and games within VR Chat.

Liam Karry (PXR Executive Producer), Myles Steel (PXR Technical Director and World Builder), and Cole Paskuski (PXR Associate World Builder) will give an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of our custom-built PXR2023 world while discussing how it was concepted and created within VRChat to suit the wondrous theme of Under The Sea.

Tamara Shogaolu is an Emmy award-winning director, writer, artist and creative technologist whose innovative approach to storytelling has been lauded by Forbes, The Guardian and Vogue naming her a visionary in the field. As the founder and creative director of Ado Ato Pictures, Shogaolu is the first Black Latina woman to head a leading studio specializing in film, animation and technology. This talk will go through how immersive technology, like AR, can be a tool to battle social injustice – and how to prevent it from creating wider rifts.

Our amazing cohort of students in the XRtist Link Up will take the stage and show us their creations from their last week immersed in VR. After that we will have a dance party and celebration of the end of PXR2023!