Laniesha M. Dotson: Director, Documentary Filmmaker and Innovator. While attending Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, Laniesha studied Communications and Film. There she took her passion for directing and technology and used her abilities to help create out of the ordinary films. As a graduate student, she is currently working with her alma mater, which will produce multiple 360 and VR documentaries.

How did you get started in 360 video & Virtual Reality?

As a filmmaker, I want my audience to watch my films and connect with the situation. I want them to feel closer with their surroundings and experience an event that they have never experienced before. What better than to shoot 360 video and in a virtual reality world? While I studied at my undergraduate, I was more excited to take out a camera, interview random people and hear their stories. One day, the head of my department asked me to make a film about a student, but with using a different medium. Of course I said yes!!  360 and VR is still somewhat new and I am very new to the game. I have always been a fan of Virtual Reality and especially a fan of technology. When I was a little kid, I would play a video game and always imagine how it would feel to be inside of the game and experience a different world. Then one day I was surfing the internet and saw that a guy named Palmer Lucky, had invented a new device. I was ecstatic!!! Right then and there I knew that I belonged in the field.

What 360 videos are you currently working on?

Right now, my team and I are working on one documentary and virtual reality adaptation of a  film. Even though I love what we are working on so far, my pride and joy will always be my documentary called Gifty’s Journey. My team and I are in the process of reshooting this documentary with 360 video. I am super excited!!

Can you elaborate more on Gifty’s Journey?

Sure! Gifty is a young woman who came to the United States from Ghana. She was a refugee and had to overcome many struggles. In this documentary, Gifty tells her viewers about her life back home. As a little girl, she lived through war, blood and death. She lived with her grandparents, siblings, mother and father. As Gifty became older, she wanted to come to the United States to learn and study as a nurse. She pushed her way through medical school and is currently making a beneficial process. On her way over to the United States, tragedy is dealt. Gifty’s mom has died and it took her several months to find out. Even through heartache and tragedy, Gifty has overcome many obstacles and tears. She now wants to go back home and use her nursing skills, to make a difference.

Wow, that’s absolutely incredible! How do you plan on re-shooting this documentary with 360?

Well… to be honest… it will certainly not be easy. This time, my film crew and I want to go to her home and shoot with our 360 cameras. This will give the viewer an out of this world dimension and experience. I want our viewers to step into her atmosphere and what she had to go through on an everyday basis. During our new adaptation, I want to use 3D modeling to reenact some of the terrible scenes.  There are important interviews in the documentary where we get up close and personal with Gifty. I want to re-shoot these interviews with these 360 cameras so that the viewer can really see her emotions, expressions and the tears falling from her eyes.

I cannot wait to see this remake!! I really enjoyed the first documentary. I know that you also mentioned another adaptation of a film? What was it and how are you going to create it?

Asides from Gifty’s Journey, my team and I are in the process of remaking the movie, The Six Sense. We are taking a particular scene in the movie and re-creating this scene using 3D modeling software's and scanners. We plan on recreating the church scene. We want to create a 3D model church in a virtual reality world. Right now we are in the process of taking pictures of a local church and digitally creating these 3D models. Our goal is to still keep the movies dialogue, but give the viewers a new look “into” a movie. The church walls will be able to touch, the stain glass windows will be see through and finally, viewers will be able to sit on the church benches.

Have you encountered any difficulties in the filming process?

Like any other filmmakers or tech savvy people, problems will always be waiting for you. There were times when we would forget to bring extra batteries or a charger. There were also times when the tripod’s would break and the entire camera rig would fall. The best thing to do is to always have extra equipment, a plan a,b,c and d.

What do you think 360 video or VR be like in the future?

Virtual Reality has come a long way. Schools and universities are now using these new mediums to teach their students. Because of the Oculus and other VR headsets, the world is now able to go where no man has gone before. The content is not changing, but the medium is.