Short Film
Boorais and Smoke Don't Mix
Monkeystack
Monkeystack were engaged by the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service to produce an impactful VR
experience to accompany their health and wellbeing campaign ‘Boorais and Smoke Don’t Mix’ (Boorais meaning babies or children), dedicated to their vision of a community free from the harmful effects of smoking, vaping and nicotine addiction.
The Boorais and Smoke Don’t Mix VR experience is passive-immersive 3D animated interactive journey that lasts approximately 10 minutes. The user travels through four individual environments, each with unique interactive characters. Interaction is achieved through a ‘focus to activate’ method, removing the need for users to use a remote or remove the headset to select options on the device touchscreen. This method creates a completely user controlled immersive experience.
Boorais and Smoke Don’t Mix VR was designed for mobile app distribution on Cardboard headsets, and then optimised for Quest headsets.
The experience was designed to connect to young people with voices and visual images that are familiar to them and that they respect, and to deliver the important message in an engaging and unique way by using technology to capture imaginations and retain attention.
As soon as they begin the experience, they are taken on virtual Country, ‘removing’ them from
whatever physical location and surroundings they are in to immerse them in the story.
The design is clear and concise, with bold contrasting colours of warm yellows and oranges against cooler greens and blues, artwork provided by aboriginal artists for the project and a star-filled sky that stretches above the scene. There is subtle animations that bring each environment to life such as birds and fire smoke, without detracting from the character that is addressing the user.
Knowledge is shared through progressive stages of the experience by ‘Auntie Julie’, an elder who guides the user throughout the journey, and the people from the community the user engages with, listening as they share their lived experience stories of how nicotine effects the body, as well as its negative impacts on loved ones and community at large.
A brief interactive questionnaire presented before and after the experience asks the user their opinions and knowledge of smoking, providing insight on any knowledge shift and prompting the young person to reflect and bring their new knowledge home.
CREW
Art Director & Producer: Troy Bellchambers
Senior 3D Artist: Christopher Hopgood
Senior Animator: Christopher Spencer
Senior Artist: Christopher
Green Developer: William Grimes
Senior Developer: Benjamin Crawford
Digital Artist: Anna Bailes
Production Coordinator: Chad Molyneux
Studio Executive: Rhys Sandery
Marketing Executive: Fi Kievenaar