Live: J’ouvert in VR Exhibit

This project was a dream come true with some bittersweet circumstances surrounding its creation. I started experimenting with 360 degree video as a new way to capture Trinidad and Tobago’s carnival traditions in 2020, which ended up being the last carnival for three years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fast forward to 2023, and I found myself heading to Trinidad during Carnival season to visit my eldest relative in her last days. Some casual conversations about making an immersive j’ouvert project over the past year led to a phone call two weeks before my trip, asking if I’m able to make it happen that year.

In collaboration with the Jouvayfest Collective, I was able to capture and produce a presentation of two j’ouvert traditions and share the experience from a truly first person point of view on VR headsets, or on your phone. I captured the 360° video in 6K with the Insta360 RS 1-inch Camera, which features a 1-inch CMOS sensor for extra sensitivity in low light environments, perfect for J’ouvert rituals.

I attached the Insta360 RS 1-inch to a monopod wrapped in black gaff tape to both protect it and hide it within the crowds, encouraging more authentic behavior closer to the lens. These cultural events do not accommodate rehearsals, so I leaned on my instincts and cinematography experience to find the ideal recording approach as I went. I used Final Cut X to orient and edit the video and Apple Motion to present the info captions in the virtual space. You can see the result at the bottom of this post.

While I was in Trinidad I was able to share some video clips of the traditions with my aunt. In all her years in Trinidad she hadn’t participated or witnessed some of the traditions herself. I was thankful to bring her culture to her and now to a new generation.

Check it out! Use your mouse or move your phone to look around within the 360° J’ouvert experience.