Dekker Dreyer
Partner, Clever Fox
Primary Focus: Entertainment
Preferred VR Headset: HTC Vive Pro
Favorite Experiences:
Sleep No More
Favorite Platforms:
Steam
Phantom Astronaut (aka Dekker Dreyer), is an artist, writer, and musician working in dark ambient soundscapes, heavy, and lo-fi. Entrepreneur and MovieMaker Magazines have called him a VR pioneer. He’s created immersive work with artists including Devo, Bootsy Collins, Mystery Skulls, and Disturbed. Dekker began his career as a photographer and filmmaker; His first experimental short Closed Circuit was commissioned by Miramax films as a companion to the Godrey Reggio / Philip Glass feature Naqoyqatsi. As a writer, his novella The Tea Goddess was an Amazon top 20 technothriller for ten years running and his feature The Arcadian starring Lance Herniksen is currently available on special edition VHS.
What compelled you to enter into this line of work?
Curiosity. I love building worlds that people can explore and take some kind of meaning from. Dreams are a lot like that. XR gave me the tools I needed as an artist to let walk around in something directly from my imagination.
What skills contributed most to your success?
Adaptability. I've always been a visual artist, sound artist, filmmaker... XR is the medium of the multi-hyphenate. Being flexible in your process, but firm in your vision, is the key to making headway in VR.
Did you face any hurdles when starting in XR? If so, how did you overcome them?
I actually didn't experience any hurdles. Maybe it's because I don't take things as seriously as some people do. If one technology or device doesn't catch fire I have the ability to appreciate the work I did and shift gears to something newer and bolder. That mentality runs contrary to how the startup and venture capital worlds operate, so I've seen lots of people get caught up in the idea that their current project is make or break. You need to know when to change gears gracefully. As a creative this is easier than it is for a technologist or business leader, but the best of those people share this trait with creatives.
What do you consider your 'first XR project'?
I created a terrifying 360 video called "Off World". It was about a minute long and it still gives people anxiety. My concept was that the Google Cardboard felt restrictive, like a space helmet, so I used that claustrophobia. The sound design is like a muffled deep-breathing, almost like your ears are covered and there's a powerful low frequency heart beat. You begin immediately drifting in space spiraling away from a satellite around the Earth... as you get further away your helmet cracks and the sound of the glass fracturing pans from one ear to the other as you see your helmet splitting. That one was featured on the Youtube VR page. After that project I moved quickly and haven't slowed down. I'm not sure that this project was the catalyst for the work I've done at Disney and Warner and other studios, but it was my first project.
Which past project are you the proudest of? Why?
My latest project, Lucid. It's the culmination of a lot of what I love about VR. It's a visual album where each track is its own immersive space to explore. It plays with ideas I've been developing in VR for some time. For example I use the size and proximity of characters to make the audience feel vulnerable in ways that traditional films can't.
Which past project was the most difficult? Why?
The most difficult project was a 360 video project called The Depths, just because of the schedule and the conditions of the shoot. We built a water tank and filmed it all like a play with multiple 360 cameras. The water was freezing and the days in the tank were long. It was also emotionally draining, but it was very well received on PSVR and Smart TVs. For example, I went to the reception for a film a friend directed and a guest was talking about VR and referencing the show. I was recently having lunch with one of the actors and he was telling me how he'd been stopped by teenagers in Santa Barbara shouting "The Depths! PLAYSTATION!" at him.
Any advice you wish you could tell your younger self during that period?
This is going to sound terrible, but no. My attitude hasn't changed except that now I'm more hard-line about compromises. I don't think that would've done me any good then, but now I make sure that every project feels like something I NEED to do.
What technologies, products, or projects are you currently working on?
The company I co-founded is still doing XR work. We're currently working on a fun Facebook AR project for Amtrak. My Phantom Astronaut live shows are on hold because of the pandemic, but I'm exploring ways to stream. I recently finished up a few concerts in Altspace VR.
What future technology gets you the most excited (eg. driverless cars, CRISPR, etc)? Why?
I don't have a horse in this race. I don't anticipate technology. When a new technology is released I like to get my hands on it and see if I can use it to create or release art, but everything else is go with the flow. For example, I still use a drip coffee maker, but now I draw using a Wacom Cintiq. I try to adapt to technology and integrate it into my life in a healthy way.
What technology scares you the most? why?
Social Media. I'm not against it, in theory, but I don't like the idea that a few powerful people can filter everything you see and how you see it. That's why we're in the disinformation age.
Which resource(s) do you use to learn new skills?
Columbia College Chicago (I’m a professor there).
