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Oculus VR News | March 29, 2024

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Oculus Announces 2017 Creators Lab Participants and Advisory Board

Oculus Announces 2017 Creators Lab Participants and Advisory Board

Image courtesy of: Oculus

FRΛNK R.

Oculus has kicked off its 2017 Creators Lab Summit by announcing the selected participants for this year’s program. As part of the Oculus VR for Good initiative, the Creators Lab aims to bring new voices to the field of virtual reality content creation.

Last month, filmmakers and non-profit organizations from around the world applied to take part in this year’s Creator Lab for an opportunity to work closely with Oculus and collaborate with a panel of advisors to create a compelling VR experience that showcases a meaningful cause that inspires the need for social change. Now, Oculus has officially confirmed the 10 rising filmmakers and their non-profit causes for this year’s program, as listed below:

  • Camilla Andersson-Hjemdahl, Primates Incorporated — Founded in 2004, Primates Incorporated is developing an indoor/outdoor primate sanctuary to house up to 100 rescued monkeys. The goal is to serve as a model for sustainable sanctuaries and aid in the successful retirement of monkeys from research.
  • Gabriela Arp, Life After Hate — Created by former white supremacists, Life After Hate is dedicated to helping individuals leave behind a life of violence and hatred and working with organizations to address the causes of intolerance and hatred.
  • Jesse Ayala, Pride Foundation — Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Pride Foundation is a regional community organization that inspires giving to expand opportunities and advance the full equality of LGBTQ people across the American Northwest.
  • Lindsay Branham, International Justice Mission — By partnering with those working in local justice systems in the developing world to build relationships, identify weaknesses, and improve the system, the International Justice Mission helps protect impoverished populations from the systemic violence of slavery, human trafficking, and more.
  • Ryan Hartsell, Male Cancer Awareness Campaign — Leveraging the power of humor—and the visual spectacle of giant floating testicles—the Male Cancer Awareness Campaign combats embarrassment, raises awareness, and drives home the importance of early diagnosis to save lives.
  • Jess Kantor, Infinite Flow — America’s first professional wheelchair ballroom dance company, Infinite Flow performs locally and nationally to break barriers and combat stereotypes, improves access to dance instruction for people with disabilities, and promotes inclusion in the arts and everyday life.
  • Armando Kirwin, Mercy Ships — A global charity, Mercy Ships provides state-of-the-art medical care on a global scale with a fleet of hospital ships that provide free, life-saving surgeries in areas of the world where such care is virtually nonexistent.
  • Fabiano Mixo, GO Campaign — By partnering with grassroots organizations on the ground, GO Campaign improves the lives of orphans and vulnerable children around the world through initiatives to provide food, clean water, shelter, education, and more.
  • Gayatri Parameswaran, Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining — Working closely with mine action organizations and other human security actors, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining reclaims land for productive uses, promotes development, and saves lives.
  • Sadah Espii Proctor, Malala Fund — Advocating on a local, national, and international level, Malala Fund amplifies girls’ voices and invests in leaders and community organizations to help work toward a world where every girl can complete 12 years of free, safe, quality education.

In addition, Oculus announced its members of the 2017 Creators Lab Advisory Board that were selected based on their wide range of expertise and leadership in the VR community. The panel of advisors will be available to guide and mentor this year’s creators throughout the course of their project.

It’s exciting to see virtual reality and 360˚ filmmaking used in such innovative ways that can help spread awareness of meaningful causes and have an impact on people’s lives for the better.