Virtual reality documentaries to explore First Nations ‘Truth-telling’
Two Western Australian filmmaking teams will be supported to develop innovative virtual reality documentaries as part of a new Screenwest initiative that explores First Nations ‘Truth-telling’ conversations.
Filmmaking brothers Luke and Daniel Riches, along with multi-medium practitioner Brooke Collard and Kylie Bracknell, have been named as the two successful teams of the inaugural First Nations VR Documentary Initiative and will receive development, production and industry support to create short virtual reality documentaries.
The First Nations VR Documentary Initiative, made possible with financial support from Lotterywest, is a special initiative designed to uncover distinctive WA First Nations voices, support their career progression and enable practitioners to explore new storytelling mediums and markets.
The Riches brothers will explore First Nations ‘Truth-telling’ through Tiger Shark Dreaming, which tells the story through the eyes of two young, emerging Bardi leaders and follows their journey across Bardi Country in search of one of Australia’s most revered and elusive predators: the tiger shark (Gundarr).
It is inspired by the old Bardi story of a man called Moochoo Davey, who became stranded at sea while hunting on a raft and was rescued by Gundarr, a mythical shark that inserted its fin into the raft and carried him back to safety. The Bardi people still practice a traditional song and dance that lays tribute to this story.
Collard and Bracknell’s Walbreninj, which translates to ‘healing’ in the Noongar language, is about Country holding on to memories and passing those memories on to people through bodily sensations or visions. It explores a group of Noongar women who have held onto a haunting truth about a local parkland for 30 years, and strange events that have drawn people back there. Now, these Noongar women want to bring healing to the spirits of ancestors left behind, and return the park to ‘Walbreninj’.
Clockwise L-R: Kylie Bracknell, Daniel Riches, Brooke Collard, Luke Riches.
Screenwest Chief Executive Officer, Rikki Lea Bestall, said: “Virtual reality doesn’t just convey a story, it immerses audiences right into the heart of the film. In Western Australia, we have a wealth of First Nations creatives with incredible stories to tell. No doubt these projects will make important contributions to the national conversation.”
Luke and Daniel Riches said: “This opportunity presented itself and we were gripped by the abundant possibilities that will expand our storytelling capability. We believe this industry will continue to grow each year and as it becomes more accessible to audiences and we hope to make First Nations stories a contributing part. We hope it re-engages us with the audience experience. It can be easy to follow the rules in traditional media and lose connection to how audiences feel while viewing content. XR (extended reality) is 100% committed to making the most enjoyable and refreshing experience possible.”
Brooke Collard said: “I’ve used VR, and the first time was experiencing Tyson Mowarin’s Thalu. I remember sinking into the ground and being awed by the possibilities of storytelling. VR has this special extra layer of immersion that you don’t get in film. Previously working in narrative design for games really opened my eyes to how far you can push stories and audiences with VR and with Walbreninj, it brings this extra level of understanding and compassion when you make your audience directly a part of the story.”