The Click Effect (2016)
Formosa Interactive/VRSE/Annapurna/New York Times
“This groundbreaking, live-action, immersive Virtual Reality experience invites viewers to accompany two renegade marine science researchers as they attempt to free-dive a hundred feet below the ocean’s surface in a single breath, to capture the “click” communication of dolphins and sperm whales—the world’s largest predators.”
The Click Effect is a live-action, immersive VR experience following two renegade marine science researchers as they attempt to freedive a hundred feet below the ocean’s surface in a single breath to capture the “click” communication of dolphins and sperm whales – the world’s largest predators. It is one of the first VR films to be shot almost entirely underwater and includes never-before-seen 360 footage of face-to-face encounters with bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, humpback whales, and giant sperm whales.
Produced in partnership with Annapurna Pictures, The Sundance Film Festival, Within, and the MacArthur Foundation, The Click Effect debuted at Sundance Film Festival in 2016. It was released as the first New York Times Op-Doc VR experience and received the prestigious Lumiere Award for Best VR Documentary has since been viewed on the New York Times Virtual Reality app more than one million times.
Exhibition: Tribeca Festival, Sundance New Frontier
I designed the sound of The Click Effect - including the underwater movements and vocalizations of dolphins and sperm whales - and as the camera follows freedivers 100 feet under the water.
Sound Design
I worked with the developers of the Two Big Ears Spatial Workstation to add functionality required to work with VRSE’s implementation of quad-binaural and with VRSE to update their app for TBE support. This allowed me to create multiple versions of the spatial audio mix that transports you deep under water with these majestic creatures.
