DEFROST A Virtual Reality Short Movie

Tanna Frederick, award-winning actress of film and theater has produced a state of the art 360-degree Virtual Reality movie, Defrost, that pulls the viewer into an emotional immersive experience, unlike seeing a movie on the big screen. With the use of Samsung Gear VR goggles, Defrost is one of the first attempts in the industry to tell a narrative story with the 360-degree technology. Frederick said, “Producing this project with the new technology is an attempt to create an emotional experience. The audience follows the first person point of view of Joan Garrison who wakes up after 30 years of being frozen for medical reasons. She feels trapped. She is just seeing life again for first time. We go on the journey through her awakening by following her perspective as she is being wheeled down the hallway.”

Frederick joined forces with the film director, Randal Kleiser, who has been on the forefront of experimenting with technology since featuring the first use of digital morphing in the film Flight of the Navigator (1986). When Kleiser filmed Red Riding Hood (2004) he broke new ground in digital cinematography through the extensive use of interactive virtual sets. Kleiser directed and wrote Defrost. Also on the creative team was John Pattyson, Executive Producer of Immersive Media (IM 360), the company that provided the filming equipment and post production.

Frederick, Kleiser and Pattyson all commented on the fact that Mark Zuckerberg bought the Oculus Technology (virtual reality goggles and sound system) for two billion dollars and will make the product available to the general public at the beginning of next year. In this way, Defrost will be brought into everyone’s homes.

“We are ready to produce twelve more episodes that follow the psychological drama of Joan Garrison’s family as they each deal with having back a mother, wife and grandmother, who still looks only 35,” Frederick revealed.

Frederick plays Beverly Perez, the daughter of Joan Garrison. She is the now married with a child and is the same age as her mother.

Frederick just completed a successful run of Train to Zakopane at the Edgemar Theater in Santa Monica and Dutchman at the National Black Theater Festival. The other cast members of Defrost are Academy Award nominated and Golden Globe winner, Bruce Davison who plays the husband Michael Garrison; The Blue Lagoon actor Chris Atkins who plays George Garrison, the son; film and television actor Carl Weathers who plays the doctor; Ethan Rains who plays the son-in-law, Brian Perez, acted in The Penis Chronicles, and Clinton Valencia who plays the grandson. This is his first film credit. Kelly DeSarla, who plays Joan Garrison, also co-starred in Train to Zakopane.

Defrost was screened at the SIGGRAPH conference and will be screened at the VRLA Expo August 29th at the LA Convention Center.

For more information about Defrost go to: www.tannafrederick.com and www.defrostvr.com