The project “UNvisible” explores the theme of invisibility in society, highlighting the experiences of marginalized individuals who feel unseen or unheard. The term unvisible refers to what is visible but hiding in plain sight due to the over-familiarity of the subject.
UNvisible is a pioneering 6DOF PCVR storytelling project designed to explore the use of MetaHumans in the Virtual Reality pipeline. This project is the author’s debut VR installation. Its exploratory nature is meant for learning and investigating the affordances of VR technology in creating a spatial world with spatial audio and figuring out how the sense of presence could help this extremely demanding emotional narrative.
Through virtual reality storytelling, it aims to immerse viewers in the perspectives of marginalised individuals, fostering empathy and understanding. This project delves into the emotional impact of invisibility and challenges viewers to confront their own biases and assumptions.
Unvisible represents a significant advancement in VR storytelling, merging cutting-edge technology with a compelling narrative to create a transformative experience for viewers.
Despite having extensive experience in series and commercial work, this creator aimed to shift focus toward narratives with a profound societal impact.
The project provided valuable insights and learnings that contributed to the understanding of effective storytelling techniques for achieving social impact within the virtual reality medium. She comes away from this experience having gained newer affordances of the technology and new pathways that can be taken all over again.
In VR, you’re not watching a story; you’re inside it. If the acting isn’t believable, the illusion breaks.
Tobias Teuwsen delivering facial performance as Van
In VR, music isn’t background. It’s architecture
Juta Õunapuu-Mocanita performing the score from the sheet written by Tom Owen.
Sound shapes the space. Immersive music anchors you in the world, guiding emotion, pacing, and presence. It turns floating pixels into places you feel.
Tommy Kolak and Tom Owen at the recording session
Iternationale Filmschule Köln
UNvisible VR Installation
From the moment a visitor steps into the space, they’re immersed. Not just through visuals and sound, but through intentional staging, interactive props, and atmospheric design. The installation becomes a portal. The headset is only part of the magic.
Team
The project pulled people across Germany, India, UK, USA, Poland, and Canada working in multiple time zones. Experts from their respective fields of VR and interactive, motion capture technology, Unreal TDs, stage actors, graffiti artists, graphic designers, and even members of the Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra found themselves drawn to the story and the characters.
Tom Owen
Music Director/Composer
Juta Õunapuu-Mocanita
Violinist
Pratima Pal
Writer/Director/Animator/MoCap Performance
Mahee Pal
VR Developer/Animator/Mocap Performance
Tommy Kolak
Sound Design
Alex Coulombe
VR Technical Consultant
Bartosz Barlowski
Live Link Technical Consultant
Ilja Burzev
Mocap supervisor
Aman Singh
Quill VR animator, Colour Stylist
Nida Arshiya
Unreal Lighting artist
Ganesh Nair
2D/ 3D animator, Unreal generalist
Fernando Chan
2D art and graphic design
Sunil Garud
Graphic Designer
Antara Bannerjee
Vocals
David Seul
Character Surfacing
Tobias Teuwsen
Voice & facial performance : Van
Madhavi Ashtekar
Voice Actor : Frida
Shaun Williams
Acting Coach
Mon Pal
Screenplay
Kireet Khurana
Story & Art Consultant
Showcases
From intimate one-user booths to multi-user public showcases, VR installations can be tailored to any space and purpose. From festivals and museums to brand activations and educational expos.
