Virtual reality (VR) content creator Baobab Studios have previously been responsible for VR experiences Asteroids! And Invasion! And are now working with musician and producer John Legend to create a complete VR animated series called Rainbow Crow.
The story of Rainbow Crow comes from a legend of the Native American Lenape Tribe, where a bird with brightly coloured plumage and a beautiful voice must travel far from home to restore light to a world gone dark and cold. The series is set to be narrated by Kiowa-Caddo tribal elder Randy Edmonds, who has been a crusader for Native American rights his entire life and who founded the National Urban Indian Council.
“All Native American tales have a tradition of deep meaning and that’s why we tell the stories, sharing down the generations,” explains Tribal Elder, Randy Edmonds, who left Oklahoma in 1954 for Southern California as part of the Indian Relocation Act. “When I look at the impact these legends have, the insights they represent, taking that storytelling to a modern medium is extremely exciting. The beautiful VR work being created -inspired by our folklore- is like nothing I’ve ever experienced in my many years.”
“Rainbow Crow brings storytelling and music together in a way no one else has yet in virtual reality. It’s an incredible medium for inspiring a journey of self-discovery and finding your way in times to darkness,” explains John Legend. “In light of what’s going on in today’s world, it’s a message of deep meaning that people from all walks of life can embrace.”
The first episode of the series will debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on the 19th-29th April. A launch date for the series has not yet been confirmed, not is it yet known what VR platforms will be supported.
A trailer for the first episode is available below.
VRFocus will bring you further information on Rainbow Crow and other VR projects when it comes in.