What happens when cinematic storytelling meets immersive technology? “The Tent”, a critically acclaimed AR tabletop experience, takes on that challenge — blending 2,500 years of theatrical tradition with the power of volumetric video and photogrammetry. In this Q&A, we speak with SIGGRAPH 2025 contributor Rory Mitchell to explore how this project reshapes narrative structure, presence, and performance within the realm of spatial storytelling. From the SIGGRAPH 2024 Immersive Pavilion to SIGGRAPH 2025 Spatial Storytelling, “The Tent” is proving that “movies you can walk around inside of” are no longer just an idea — they’re the next evolution in storytelling.
SIGGRAPH: “The Tent” blends cinematic techniques with cutting-edge AR technology — what were some of the challenges in adapting traditional film and TV storytelling to a tabletop format?
Rory Mitchell (RM): Our primary challenge was finding ways to control the pacing and visual variety that audiences have come to expect from popular entertainment while also honoring the idea of “presence” — the feeling in XR/spatial/immersive that these people and environments are real and exist in your space/on your tabletop. Editing/montage and shot-reverse shot patterns, the bedrock of our 125 year old cinematic language, are largely incompatible with the idea of presence. This led us to draw upon techniques from our 2,500-year tradition of live theater, arranging bodies in space and then setting them in motion to bounce off of each other. This led to an interesting rediscovery of the Aristotelian unities (unity of time, place, and action) as being very compatible with presence.
In addition, the Aristotelian dramatic structure of character, plot, etc., that is delivered through nuanced performance by actors that dominates popular entertainment has been underrepresented in XR. There are two main reasons for this. The first is the technological challenge of capturing live human actors for XR, which is why we needed to use volumetric video. The second reason is the focus on the new interactive affordances (hand gestures and such) that VR allows. We believe in a fundamental human desire to watch other people doing things and the complex (and very active) psychological and emotional processes that arise from that seemingly passive “watching.”
SIGGRAPH: How did volumetric video and photogrammetry shape the emotional and visual impact of “The Tent”, and why were these techniques chosen for this project?
RM: Volumetric video was chosen specifically to preserve the nuanced humanity and emotional depth of live-action performance that distinguishes traditional scripted entertainment from the abstract, conceptual experiences that dominate VR/AR storytelling. Unlike motion capture or animation, volumetric capture allows audiences to witness the subtle gestural work and expressiveness of talented actors up close, maintaining the intimate human connection essential to character-driven drama. Photogrammetry created photo-real environments that grounded the story in recognizable domestic spaces, reinforcing the emotional authenticity of Anna’s suburban neighborhood and the tent that appears in her front yard. Together, these techniques bridge the gap between the visual finesse and emotional sophistication of film and television and the spatial freedom of AR, allowing “The Tent” to carry forward 2,500 years of theatrical tradition while embracing new technological possibilities.
The combination creates what we call “movies you can walk around inside of” — preserving the realism and dramatic depth audiences expect from mainstream entertainment rather than requiring them to engage with abstract metaphorical experiences. This technical approach was essential to our goal of bringing humanist narrative — the live-action scripted entertainment tradition that runs from ancient Greek theater through modern cinema — into the emerging medium of spatial entertainment.
SIGGRAPH: What does this project reveal about the future of immersive storytelling, and how do you see spatial narratives evolving within the broader media and CG landscape?
RM: “The Tent” demonstrates that spatial narrative represents as significant a technological leap as the transition from radio to television or still photography to motion pictures, suggesting we’re witnessing the emergence of an entirely new entertainment medium rather than merely an extension of existing forms. The project reveals that audiences are ready for sophisticated spatial storytelling when accessibility barriers are removed — our iPad-first approach allowed broader reach beyond VR enthusiast communities, indicating that spatial narratives could eventually replace or enhance most content currently consumed in flat formats. Gen Z, raised in the 3D worlds of video games, intuitively understands the freedoms of spatial entertainment, suggesting mainstream adoption may happen more rapidly than previous media transitions.
The technical challenges we overcame — from volumetric capture workflows to developing new spatial cinematic language — point toward spatial narratives becoming the dominant form of entertainment delivery, whether through mobile devices, XR headsets, or future technologies like holographic displays. Most significantly, the project shows that successful spatial storytelling requires returning to pre-cinematic dramatic principles, particularly Aristotelian unities of time and space, while developing entirely new techniques for directing attention and maintaining narrative flow. Entertainment will no longer be confined to rectangles but will live in the world around us, fundamentally changing not just how we tell stories but what stories we choose to tell.
SIGGRAPH: How does the new Spatial Storytelling program shift the way creators share immersive work — and what makes this hands-on, process-driven format so valuable for the future of VR, AR, and XR?
RM: This new Spatial Storytelling program is particularly exciting because it recognizes the growth and success of spatial stories. By encouraging a more rigorous approach to documentation and communication of the processes required to create this work, SIGGRAPH is helping to bridge the gap between traditional 2D, framed storytelling and this exciting future of spatial entertainment.
SIGGRAPH: “The Tent” was showcased in the SIGGRAPH 2024 Immersive Pavilion. How does it feel to return to SIGGRAPH, sharing this project in a new format? What can attendees who interacted with “The Tent” last year expect from your presentation this year?
RM: I’m honored to be back at SIGGRAPH this year to have an opportunity to discuss more about our process. We’ve recently released a special at-home version of “The Tent” in the iOS App Store so everyone can experience it for themselves this time. Attendees can expect a deep dive into our creative process, including our challenges and how we overcame them, as well as a broader discussion about what the potential of spatial entertainment might mean from a storytelling, commercial, and experiential perspective. There should be something for everyone, from experienced spatial creators to traditional filmmakers who are interested in working in spatial.
Whether you’re a filmmaker, spatial creator, or simply curious about what’s next, this is one story you won’t want to miss. Be sure to experience Spatial Storytelling live at SIGGRAPH 2025 in Vancouver 10-14 August.
Rory Mitchell is an XR Director and Producer and founder of MERCANTILE, a Spatial Studio. His XR work has premiered at SXSW and Cannes, and he’s produced branded XR work for Fortune 500 companies including Disney, General Mills and others. His current Augmented Reality narrative, THE TENT, a dark fairy tale about the unhoused crisis in Los Angeles, premiered at SXSW in March 2024 and has toured the world, being translated into French and Korean. His 360° documentary DIVERSE & SUBVERSIVE: THE ANTI-GENTRIFICATION OF BOYLE HEIGHTS (2020) was the result of 3 years of filming with the radical activists of Boyle Heights as they protested art galleries and coffeeshops using black-bloc style tactics. THE VISIGOTHS (2017) a live-action 360° film was an intimate romantic drama that put the viewer feet away from a young couple falling in, and out, of love. A native Angeleno, he lives in Silver Lake with his wife and young daughter.
