The virtual reality production Gumball Dreams from the award-winning VR production company Ferryman Collective and Screaming Color, will make its international premiere as an Official Selection of the 79th Venice International Film Festival. Directed by Deirdre V. Lyons, Gumball Dreams won the SXSW Audience Award XR Experience Competition.
Gumball Dreams is a live, hour-long immersive experience in virtual reality that takes three audience members on a fantastical journey through a surreal landscape in space, dominated by a whimsical Gumball Machine, where Onyx, the main character sits on their throne waiting. A powerful and intimate experience that allows us to discover a mythic world beyond the reaches of our reality.
“In Gumball Dreams, our character Onyx has been blessed with the opportunity to explore worlds, and to experience the very best that those worlds have to offer. The delicious metapoetry is not lost on me that this work appears to be bringing me and my team similar opportunities,” states Christopher Lane Davis, aka Screaming Color, “I’m beyond thrilled that we will have almost two weeks to romp around one of the most beautiful cities in the world, meeting some of the most genius creators alive, and getting to experience their art. And I’m endlessly grateful to the founders and curators of the festival for bringing us together in this way.”
Watch the teaser trailer for Gumball Dreams.
NARRATIVE SUMMARY
You have been called by an alien creature named Onyx to a mythical planet on which they are living out their final days. You, and two others, are asked to help them transition from this reality to the next. Each interaction with this majestic creature is illuminating and fascinating as you are asked to delve into your past and share stories with your fellow travelers in moments out of time.
But before Onyx can lay infinite wisdom at your feet, the weight of your spirit must be assessed. If found ready, you shall embark upon the journey of a lifetime, skipping among the stars, floating above the spheres, and remembering who you truly are.
Greetings, Traveler.
HOW IT WORKS
Gumball Dreams is performed live with one actor playing multiple roles. Through the magic of VR technology, participants feel fully immersed in our 3D world.
“There are things that can be done in VR that can only be seen in the movies, however, with VR, we allow the audience to be immersed inside these 3D worlds, in a way that 2D mediums cannot achieve,” says Stephen Butchko “there is a sense of awe about the scope and scale of things that can be accomplished in VR.”
PROJECT HISTORY
“This show was inspired by Club Gumball and Gumball Lounge, the existing worlds of Christopher Lane Davis, aka Screaming Color,” explains Deirdre V. Lyons, “with such beauty and grandeur, I felt this was the perfect environment to bring a new kind of story alive, almost as if it had been waiting for Onyx to step into the world and take a breath.”
Coming off the award-winning success of the festival darling The Severance Theory: Welcome to Respite, Ferryman Collective continues to trail-blaze in this new storytelling medium. Ferryman Collective is also known for PARA and Krampusnacht, a finalist for the PGA Innovation Award.
“VR allows us to combine the centuries old traditions of theater and performance with exciting and boundary breaking technology to bring people into an entirely new world.” adds Whitton Frank.
THE TEAM
Gumball Dreams is produced by Ferryman Collective and Screaming Color and is directed by Deirdre V. Lyons, Artistic Director, World & Animation Design by Christopher Lane Davis, a.k.a Screaming Color with support from Ferryman Collective members: Brian Tull – Producer, Braden Roy – Producer, Whitton Frank – Producer and Andy Aloisio – VR Consultant and Prefabs.
Coding – SnugDad.
Avatar Designer and Creator -Braden Roy and Brian Tull.
Screaming Color – Original Music and Sound Design.
Story by Deirdre V. Lyons and Christopher Lane Davis, aka Screaming Color. Inspired by the VRChat Worlds Club Gumball and Gumball Lounge, created by @screamingcolor.
The production team includes Deirdre V. Lyons, Braden Roy, Whitton Frank, Stephen Butchko, Brian Tull and Christopher Lane Davis, a.k.a Screaming Color.
Cast members include Brendan Andolsek Bradley (Onboard XR: Below Deck and Cruise, Resident Evil Village, The Haves and the Have Nots), Stephen Butchko (PARA, Krampusnacht, Welcome to Respite), Whitton Frank (The Under Presents, Tempest, PARA, Welcome to Respite), Kelly B Jones (Strikeback, The Letting Go, The Marine 2), Dasha Kittredge (The Under Presents, Tempest, Onboard XR), Deirdre V. Lyons (The Under Presents, Tempest, Welcome to Respite), Jonathan David Martin (Finding Pandora X, Loveseat, War Horse), Melinda Dekay (The Willows, Ashes, Torment) and Ona Zimhart (Alien Convergence, Cages).