#United States #Austin #DNE Studios #Nonny De La Peña #1906 Atlanta

DNE Studios at SXSW 2025

As dawn dawned over Austin, Texas, during the celebrated SXSW 2025, a captivating revolution unfolded at the crossroads of 6th Street and Congress Avenue. At the heart of this groundbreaking presentation was Bryonn Bain’s volumetric portrayal of Jesse Max Barber, a Black journalist whose eyewitness accounts of the tragic 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre provide a rare historical perspective. This project is far from a mere replication; it is a navigable memory field designed to revive history interactively.

This immersive experience is the result of a collaborative effort between Emmy-winning director Nonny De La Peña and Addie Reiss, the studio director at Digital Nation Entertainment (DNE). Selected for the esteemed SXSW's XR Experience Competition, this partnership represents a monumental shift in how we approach historical storytelling through advanced volumetric capture technology.

A New Way to Experience History

At the core of Barber's compelling narrative lies DNE's unique volumetric 4D stage based in Santa Monica. Here, a staggering 120 bespoke RGB-D cameras meticulously coordinated by Reiss's team captured Bain’s performance. These efforts were not seeking mere likeness but aimed for a depth of realism that conveys the story's emotional weight. The precision of DNE's proprietary structured-light sensors provided a remarkable spatial resolution, capturing even the tremors in Bain's hands—a poignant detail as Barber recounted the devastation inflicted by white mobs on Black-owned businesses.

Reiss notes, "We required forensic-level capture — without compromising artistic spontaneity to present Bain’s raw testimony, drawing the audience into the heart of the narrative." This duality between strict technical precision and emotional authenticity underscores the project’s uniqueness.

Moving Beyond AI's Facsimile

In a time when artificial intelligence and deepfakes are redefining the landscape of visual storytelling, Reiss's approach feels radical in its emphasis on authenticity and simplicity. He argues, "We must record the actor rather than settle for a facsimile." His insights, cultivated through years in both fiction and documentary filmmaking, highlight the crucial distinction between technical precision and genuine connection with the audience. The audience's instinctive response to authenticity ensures a more profound emotional engagement with the narrative.

Reiss has been a pioneer in volumetric technology for over a decade. He articulates, "Volumetric capture represents a natural evolution of photography — transitioning from single cameras to multiple lenses and from two dimensions to immersive three and four dimensions. This emerging art form combines the scientific with the artistic, an essential aspect dominated by the role of directorial vision in volumetric captures."

Accessibility through Mobile Technology

What sets the 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre experience apart is its accessibility. Eschewing the need for expensive displays or heavy headsets, this pioneering project enables users to engage with Barber's volumetric presence through their smartphones. This empowering technology transforms standard devices into gateways for historical exploration, allowing each viewer to engage with the story uniquely, further underscoring the idea that audiences have agency in their viewing experiences.

Reiss emphasizes, "As XR creators, we guide viewers through the narrative but allow them to shape their journey. This shift helps transform audiences into active participants, fully engaging with the material as scenes unfold."

The Future of Volumetric Imagery

While the initial experience was grounded in established photogrammetric techniques, DNE is exploring innovative 4D Gaussian splatting imagery for future initiatives. Reiss explains, "For years, volumetric captures felt confined within a polygonal framework dictated by traditional computer graphics, compelling their data into millions of rigid polygons. We pursued photorealism, yet the foundational constructs were inherently unrealistic."

By embracing 3D Gaussian Splatting, DNE breaks free from the limitations of polygons, enabling them to create more lifelike representations. This method captures the essence of reality—from the delicate nuances of reflection to the fine details of light—achieving striking realism previously unattainable with older volumetric technologies.

“Now, volumetric capture possesses the necessary tools to create authentic portrayals of reality,” Reiss iterates.

The Ethical Imperative of Reality

As the realm of XR increasingly experiments with AI-generated personas, Reiss views high-quality volumetric capture as a crucial ethical calling. In an industry that often chases synthetic illusions, DNE commits itself to authenticity as a priority. He expresses, "We are dedicated to re-establishing the connection between audiences and genuine talent. Volumetric capture stands as a potential guardian of truth amid prevailing digital distortions."

"We are tasked with creating more than just displays of history; we strive to build empathy engines," Reiss concludes, reinforcing DNE's unwavering commitment to harness technology for authentic storytelling experiences.

Experience the Impact

DNE Studios is set to present the world premiere of the 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre experience during the SXSW XR Competition from March 9 to 11, 2025. This historical representation invites audiences to not merely interact with a story but to connect with the profound implications of the events as they unfold in innovative, memorable ways.