.
444.2
The first star cluster mapped by the original stargazers of Southern Africa 
constellates 444.2 light years away from Earth, 
ancient astronomical practice superposed on the geography 
and modern astrophysics
of the Southern African Large Telescope
Immerse in the starlit & ghostly terrain of the Karoo, where volumetric fashion performance unfolds to a cinematic 
Afro-diasporic score
Costumed figurations and particle bodies morph in a triptych, entangling African cosmology with the sublime of inner and outer space.


A real-time PC VR Meta Quest 2/3 experience
set in the virtual geography of the Southern African Large Telescope [SALT].
444.2 uses photogrammetry and LiDAR data 
from the actual geography and observatory structures of the site in Sutherland, South Africa, 
thereby linking the story to the geopolitics of its location. 

Research Paper | ACM Digital Library

see behind the scenes:

A fashion volumetric VR film by Nirma Madhoo
Featuring  Jessie Oshodi 
VR Technical Director Jason Stapleton | VR Development Lead Sean Devonport

Unit 1 | RMIT  Virtual Studio | Melbourne | Volumetric Capture Powered by Depthkit
Styling by Blake Barns | Act 1 Costume & Headpiece by Michelle Li | Accessory by  Zybin Steel | Act 3 Dress by Amanda Nichols
Choreography by  Dr. Megan Beckwith | Hair & Makeup Artistry Ivy Reynolds
Software Engineer Ross Eldridge | Jonathan Duckworth | Studio Management Luke Raisbeck
Unit 2 | South African Large Telescope | SALT | SAAO | Sutherland
Project Management Jason Stapleton | Land & Drone Photogrammetry by Stephen Wessels 
LiDAR Capture | Wian Wilson | Modena Technologies
SALT Technical Operations Manager Paul Raby | SALT | SAAO Science Engagement Astronomer  Dr. Daniel Cunnama
Audio Production & Post Production | Sound & Motion Studios | Cape Town | Music Composed by Simon Ratcliffe
Act 1 Narration & Vocal Performance by Nasfa Ncanywa | isiXhosa Advisor Anda Petse | Act 2 Carnatic Performance by Sharvan Boyjoonauth - recorded in  Mauritius | Act 3 Vocal Performance based on Salve Festa Dies by James Harvey | Xhosa overtone singing Umngqokolo - recorded in Ngqoko, Eastern Cape, South Africa by Ganesh Geymeier on 12.08.2014, see on Artist's site 
Sound Design James Olivier | VR Audio Mix by Carl Roberts | Trailer Sound Design by Jade Hill
Volumetric Post & Scenography  Nirma Madhoo | Unity Production & Post Production | Terrain Artist | Jason Stapleton
Audio & Depthkit Asset Management  Sean Devonport | Post Assistance & Rotoscoping  Jesse Stapleton
Milky Way image | Trailer | NASA  ESO/S. Brunier | Unity Skybox | Deep Star Maps 2020 NASA Scientific Visualization Studio

Advisors | Electric South | Ingrid Kopp | Steven Markovitz | Antoinette Engel | Scatter | James George | Cory Allen | Yasmin Elayat
  RMIT | Dr. Sean Ryan | Dr. Alison Bennett | Dr. Tom Penney | Prof. Jonathan Duckworth
This work was made possible through the support of #AfricaNoFilter,  a sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors 
Supported by Meta  |  Electric South  |  imisi3D  |  Production   www.anatomythestudio.com  |  2022-2023