Lovercraft Country has now hit the airwaves and with it comes an entertaining blend of horror, gore, and social commentary. But what is it like beyond the bonds of the HBO small screen? What adventure await you in Lovecraft Country? Break the bounds of your self imposed isolation and join the creators and stars of Lovecraft Country for a one of a kind VR social experience.
In a first-of-its-kind, groundbreaking social VR event series, 100 select influential voices will experience three events consisting of immersive theater, escape rooms, art installations, puzzles and a live concert, via the Oculus Quest headset, all inspired by LOVECRAFT COUNTRY. The events will be simultaneously run on the social VR platform VRChat, which allows guests to talk and interact with each other in real time within the environment, and streamed to the world via YouTube Live. Viewers on the YouTube Live stream will be able to interact in real-time, solving riddles to trigger spells that directly impact the experience.
“We were very inspired by the deeply layered and dynamic world Misha Green has brought to life in LOVECRAFT COUNTRY and wanted to create a digital experience for fans that is just as innovative as the series itself.” “We’re so thrilled to be partnering with The Mill on creating a virtual reality ‘secret society’ in Sanctum. So much of LOVECRAFT COUNTRY is rooted in the idea of travel as a catalyst for self-discovery. Sanctum provides a way for fans to come together virtually and safely in a unique new place and experience incredible performances that further explore themes and ideas from the show. These virtual events also give us the special opportunity of spotlighting the work of Black artists in celebration of this very important series.”
Dana Flax Vice President, Program Marketing HBO
Guests will experience voiceover performances by series’ Jonathan Majors, Courtney B. Vance and Michael Kenneth Williams; afrofuturist art installations by David Alabo, Devan Shimoyama and Adeyemi Adegbesan; a theatrical performance inspired by the words of James Baldwin, adapted by LOVECRAFT COUNTRY writer Shannon Houston, and performed by star Jurnee Smollett; and an exclusive VR concert given by a soon to be announced artist.
Sanctum was developed in partnership with HBO by creative production partner and experience studio The Mill, whose team of artists, coders and strategists developed the experience during global lockdown, in close collaboration with HBO’s marketing team.
“We created Sanctum as a space to expand the possibilities of what the future of theatre, games, art installations, concerts, and live events can be, It is an alternate universe, built for Social VR, that tests, and exceeds, the boundaries of what we believe possible. We sought to create a space in partnership with Black artists and voices that centers on the Black experience. We chose Social VR because it is the most transportive medium to lift us from the isolation of quarantine, to coexist in a rarefied location. This technology can erase geography to bring us together.”
Rama Allen, Executive Creative Director at The Mill
Join in on all the Lovecraft Country fun with Sanctum and follow the schedule below to ensure you don’t miss a second of this unique opportunity.
You can view Sanctum via YouTube Live during the following dates and times this Fall:
Event #1: Garden of Eden
Thursday, September 3
10:00 PM ET/ 7:00 PM PT
Event #2: An American Dream
Thursday, September 24
10:00 PM ET/ 7:00 PM PT
Event #3: Music of the Cosmos
Monday, October 19
10:00 PM ET/ 7:00 PM PT