ABOUT DOUBLE EYE STUDIOS

Our award-winning XR studio is known for its ground-breaking work in interactive storytelling and live Virtual Reality Arts. We are the founders of the Virtual Repertory Theatre and have led some of the world’s first live hybrid and virtual theatre productions. Our productions are grounded in the design principles of embodiment, interactivity, branching narratives and complex character development, with a focus on collaboration and connection.

The Double Eye team pulls from a variety of specialized skill sets including live theater, AR, VR, UX design, 360˚ film production, full post-production, software development and game design.

Founded in 2009 by Kiira Benzing, we take pride in being a woman-owned business (WBE), ensuring many departments are helmed by women, as well as mentoring women to grow new skillsets on our productions. We believe strongly that diverse viewpoints lead to a richer, more meaningful experience for our audiences. We integrate mentorship programs to ensure that more women and POC can build new skills, envision themselves in the industry and begin to seed the XR industry with their perspectives.

Merging Live Performance with VR is our passion and we care deeply about this emerging new form of storytelling. We love risk taking and embracing all the challenges and surprises that come from working on the cutting edge of interactive, VR, and live performance. We are dedicated to writing new mythologies and new narratives.

Welcome to the #mythaverse.

"The technologies we see emerging today are a new frontier waiting to be explored and allow for an almost limitless capacity to create experiences that reconnect us with a sense of wonder. But it is only when we harness the power of those technologies to a strong, vibrant story that we truly create magic."

- Kiira Benzing

MEET THE TEAM

Kiira Benzing

Founder & Executive Creative Director

Kiira is a multi-dimensional director crossing the mediums of theatre, hybrid cinema and virtual reality. VR credits include: Cardboard City which won the Samsung Gear VR contest (2016) and premiered at the NYFF in 2016. For her interactive VR experience Runnin’ starring Reggie Watts, she was the first VR director to film on the Intel Studios volumetric capture stage (Sundance 2019, Jury Award for Interactive at SXSW 2019). Loveseat, (VR Theatre - Venice Film Festival 2019) was performed simultaneously before live and virtual audiences. Her latest VR Theatre production Finding Pandora X featured Broadway actors and was recently performed virtually at the Venice Film Festival 2020. She is the founder of Double Eye Studios which specializes in VR Theatre, live events and virtual production.

Alyssa Landry

Narrative Director

Alyssa is an award-winning writer and narrative director with extensive experience in creating XR narratives and in writing and directing interactive theme park entertainment. Credits include: Double Eye Studios - Finding Pandora X (VR Theater – Winner Best VR Immersive User Experience, Venice Film Festival 2020, Audience Award, SXSW 2021), Loveseat (VR Theater - Venice Film Festival 2019), Cardboard City (XR Documentary, NYFF 2016) and Metropoles (multiplayer VR); Incarna Studios –The Trial (multiplayer LBEVR), R-AI-D (VR), Dimensional Break (multiplayer LBEVR); Disneyland Paris: The Jedi Training Academy, Frozen Sing-Along, The Forest of Enchantment, among others; Original musical theater: Baba Yaga, Élémentaire, mon cher!, Énooormes, Bons Baisers de Broadway, Jusqu’aux Dents and #Hashtags!.

Erika Barraza

Program Manager & Producer

Erika is an award winning producer of immersive experiences. She is a SAG-AFTRA actor with a Masters in Business, Social Entrepreneurship. Her work blends real world social impact with technical innovation, affecting global audiences, inspiring international NGOs, and collaborating with corporations to take action for social and environmental injustice.

Justine Katerenchuk

Stage Manager & Production Coordinator

Justine specializes in Stage and Production Management of XR performances & events. She is currently based in Toronto where she recently got her degree in Performance Production & Design. Working remotely and managing shows through a variety of social VR platforms, she hopes to continue to explore and uplift digital art.

Beth Kates

Lighting Designer

Beth (MFA, University of Calgary) is an award-winning, lighting, set, projection, and mixed-reality designer. A leader in new forms of performance creation with emerging digital tools, Beth and Neil Christensen co-created 'Bury The Wren', an Augmented/Virtual Reality/live (Carbon Reality) performance. She was the virtual lighting designer for DoubleEye Studios groundbreaking VR performance 'Finding PandoraX’, and a proud member of the DoubleEye team. In 2021, Beth will lead Canada’s first artist residency for VR Performance Creation. Founder of Playground Studios and Digital Alchemy Creation Lab. She has presented at the Prague Quadrennial, Laval VR, and many others. Beth is a three-time nominee for the Siminovitch Prize. Her best production to date is her son, Aaron.

Christopher Toppino

Technical Producer / Virtual Cinematographer

Chris is an XR producer and director based in Brooklyn, New York. He is the co-founder of Passenger, an immersive arts and technology company focused on warehouse-scale, free-roam XR installations and events. Even before diving head-on into the world of virtual and extended reality, his career and passions always revolved around technology, film and theater. Previously, Christopher founded and sold a successful fintech company and operated a boutique commercial production company. His personal work includes live immersive dance productions and short films that have shown at festivals around the world.

ABOUT DOUBLE EYE STUDIOS

- Kiira Benzing

MEET THE TEAM

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