Director – VR Theatre

Job Description

Director, 360 Theatre | leo&hyde

The Tone:
This is a contract position offering flexible location, collaborating with leo&hyde, a vibrant Manchester-based musical theatre company. The company prides itself on being a small, friendly team that shares an enthusiastic passion for new music, innovative theatre, and cutting-edge technology. This role is pivotal in pioneering the integration of virtual reality within their new musical, “Pop Art,” which chronicles Mona Lisa’s journey through art history. The selected Director will be instrumental in exploring novel storytelling possibilities through 360-degree footage by directing the filming of a single song, laying crucial groundwork for the future inclusion of VR elements in their musical productions.

The TL;DR
• Role: Contract
• Type: Contract (5 days work)
• Location: Flexible location
• Pay: £500 (for 5 days work)
• Team: Small, friendly team
• Mission: To direct and explore the use of a 360 camera for filming a musical song to integrate VR into musical theatre.
• Tech Stack: 360 camera, VR

What You’ll Actually Do
• Direct Filming: Oversee and execute the filming of one specific song from the new musical ‘Pop Art’—which explores Mona Lisa’s journey through art history—utilizing a 360 camera to capture the performance.
• Explore Storytelling: Initiate and conduct exploratory work into how 360 camera technology can enhance and expand storytelling capabilities within the unique context of a musical theatre narrative.
• Pioneer VR Integration: Begin the crucial journey of investigating and implementing ways to feature Virtual Reality elements within a musical production, specifically for a piece depicting a journey through art history.
• Collaborate on Artistic Vision: Work closely with the small, friendly leo&hyde team to help define and develop their artistic vision for incorporating VR into ‘Pop Art’ and future musical works.
• Shape Future Projects: Lay the groundwork and identify potential for future projects involving VR within musical theatre, drawing valuable insights from the experience of this initial filming project.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Director with a specialized understanding and practical experience in the application of virtual reality within theatrical productions.
• Experience: Demonstrated professional experience working directly with VR in theatre, specifically having conceived, developed, or produced a piece of work utilizing a 360 camera.
• Skills: Strong directorial skills, proficiency in VR theatre production methodologies, and practical expertise in 360 camera operation and filming techniques.
• Bonus: Possessing personal access to a 360 camera would be advantageous, though it is explicitly stated that this is not an essential requirement for the role.