TUNER
Omid Zarei & Anne Jeppesen / Omid Zarei / Denmark, United States & France
Tuner is a documentary-based AR experience in which you have a tailor-made alien encounter in your own living room inspired by your interaction & surrounding.
The question of whether humans are alone in the universe has long fascinated us, with countless accounts of extraterrestrial encounters across history. Recently, the subject has gained significant attention, reaching the U.S. Congress, where officials are now discussing government records of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs). Despite the political divides in today’s world, it has united lawmakers in an effort to investigate these phenomena.
Tuner focuses on the human side of these experiences, specifically people in Iceland who claim to have witnessed UAPs, been visited by ETs, or even abducted. Through documentary-style interviews, we are gathering real accounts to create an immersive AR experience tailored to each spectator, based on these testimonies.
In the experience we create a shapeshifting AR environment with visuals that progresses through a series of mini-events, all inspired by these real accounts. The spectator’s interaction can either diminish and normalize these sightings but if they choose to amplify them, they unlock the unfamiliar: revealing themselves in new, uncanny forms.
Coming from a background of documentary filmmaking & audio storytelling, we’ve developed a unique technique to transform traditional documentary content into interactive XR experiences, bringing non-fiction stories into a hyper-realistic context through XR (e.g. A Vocal Landscape, 2023). This approach offers a deeper, more engaging way to explore complex topics, tapping into humanity’s awe & curiosity on a visceral level. As the topic gains mainstream attention & legitimacy, we anticipate growing demand for such content in the years to come.
