It’s a big day for Baobab Studios as the Annie Award-winning virtual reality animation studio reveals its first trailer, innovative interactive narrative systems and Tribeca Film Festival activities for upcoming VR experience, Bonfire. The debut trailer showcases its main character Debbie, voiced by comedian, writer and actress Ali Wong, as well as more of its story and interactive systems in advance of its world premiere.
In Bonfire, viewers play the leading role as Space Scout 817, on a mission to discover a new home for the human race after it has made a mess of Earth. After crash-landing at night in a mysterious clearing of an unknown planet 300 lightyears from Earth, your only source of light is a makeshift bonfire. Beyond its glow, everything falls to darkness. And what are those strange noises coming from the alien jungle? You have only your instincts and your robot sidekick, Debbie (Wong), to guide you.
Debbie’s companionship comes with a signature wariness. When a chance meeting with a local inhabitant further steers your mission off course, you learn that unexpected encounters just might result in lasting friendships. In this intimate setting, you have the opportunity to embrace, explore and influence the world around you, and, perhaps, make new friends. In the end, the choice is ultimately yours: Will you follow your captain or your conscience?
Tribeca attendees can participate in a Facebook Augmented Reality experience using camera filter effects that will transform viewers into the Bonfire character Pork Bun. Additionally, in partnership with MixCast and Powered by HP, attendees can create and share their festival experience with friends by using the mixed reality video systems that seamlessly merges real world and virtual world footage together.
Baobab Studios has won two Emmys as well as the first ever Annie Award for Best Virtual Reality Production. Founded by Eric Darnell (co-director of all four Madagascar films), Larry Cutler and Maureen Fan, the multi-award winning studio has released Invasion!, Asteroids!, Jack and Crow: The Legend.
