Reflections after 3 years exploring & creating VR experiences in the “metaverse"

Hi all... my name is Celeste Lear, I am an entertainment industry specialist & VR experience & event producer/designer who has been actively working & creating in the "metaverse" since 2019. Since I have been directly involved with various communities for the last 3 years in the underground entertainment, arts, music & events scene on a few different platforms, I feel like I can offer some unique insider perspective to anyone who is curious. I identify with the term "futurist" also, as a person who is excited by the possibilities of the uses of new technologies for the betterment of life... I will state, I let technology into my life, I am also adamant about balancing my time spent online with essential time spent in nature. 

Firstly, I am NOT referring to Zuckerberg’s new “Meta” necessarily here, as there have been MANY different & vibrant VR platforms, even since 2003, with Second Life leading the way with a lot of diverse meta-cultures already established. SO many of my friends and family generally have developed a negative, fearful reaction around what is happening with this new technology & understandably so, as we have all probably watched too many Black Mirror Episodes right?! 

One of my favorite fundamentally simple past quotes on immersive tech is, “VR is for Artists”. I am a believer & proponent of using this incredible & efficient new space enabled by #web3 as literal #worlds like #artgalleries & #publicplaces we can hang out inside of, socialize, exchange information, do business & express ourselves in VERY fascinating new ways… some riveting, some bizarre, some revolutionary… #humanpsychology  But as always,  #technology progresses on, it is OURS to have fun with, to use to advance society … AND SERIOUSLY PEOPLE - to be RESPONSIBLE with. We need to WORK to keep it integral, communal, fair, functional for both business & pleasure & enrichment - I do want to assure you that there ARE people in here working to keep these sparks alive & well.

We are making this up as we go along. If you love it or hate VR, you should not judge it entirely until you give the social, educational & arts side of the metaverse a fair chance & spend time exploring & meeting various community leaders. You will probably simultaneously enjoy, trip out & rebel against having an avatar as you will against the entire concept of existing in two parallel realities one real & one a “simulation” but, honestly, you just have to surrender to the novelty factor & the efficiency factor a bit…It will simply appeal more to others – probably to more open minded, adventurous or enterprising people (or people who don’t want to battle real life #trafficjams as much). 

Virtual Reality will NEVER EVER EVER EVER and should NEVER EVER TRY to replace REAL, physical gatherings or #humaninteraction but CAN & Should be used as an occasional tool for #escape #entertainment #creativity #fun #business - I would remind parents that your kids probably will get addicted to using it at first & I think personally the novelty factor will naturally ware off… if it does not, then be concerned. My partner said he never even saw me in 2019 except for the headset glued to my head while I was trying not to bump into walls learning how to navigate new platforms UIs, design exciting 3D art & DJ as an avatar... Now I use in moderation more, but I am still excited about where this is all going.

 

I personally think the metaverse has potential to #revolutionize the world in some very beneficial ways. I am admittedly very concerned about our planet’s last remaining #naturalresources including, #deforestation #virginforests & urgent need to reduce global #waste #fashionindustry #pollution #trashproblem Moving into the #metaverse a bit more, even 1-2 days a week for #virtualwork  #virtualconferences & entertainment CAN potentially slow down mass consumption of certain precious scarce #resources #logging #fossilfuels #mining #actnow #actnowvr #sustainabledevelopmentgoals #sdgs #UNESCO #UN  I realize this is potentially a controversial statement, but this topic should start being discussed more. 

 

To put metaverse efficiency concepts into concrete terms, our team @DreamlandXR (a CES Partner) & #chickenwaffleVR designed & produced 1 day of Consumer Electronics Show (CES) as a fully immersive interactive VR on Microsoft’s social platform #AltspaceVR  - Over the course of 18 hours, we had over 5000 people from around the world attend as avatars from their computers or VR goggles. If these people had traveled to Las Vegas physically, they would have on average created 2008 tons of CO2, as well as consumed on average 30,000-40,000 plastic water bottles over 3 days time. Based on the elimination of need to travel and consume, another way to look at this pollution decrease is equivalent to saving the need to plant 110,000 trees per year to have offset carbon. (I am working on an entire presentation around this topic.) 

AND by the way, we need more artists in here to help be #futurearchitects If you have #unity3D #UE4 #unrealengine #blender3d skills – you can & will be employed & paid well into the future. Worldbuilders are a growing demand and for film/videogame Hollywood is paying top dollar $ especially since #virtualproduction with #LEDstage technology is rapidly progressing. 

So, in short form, there are some of my thoughts on all this madness! Please follow me for more metaverse antics & philosophizing: 

@celestelear  
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/celestelear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/celeste.lear

Partying In The Metaverse: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCua9FtRUVg0SE18aWFZzkUA

Next Aid Fundraiser: LADIES OF THE HOUSE @ Public Works S.F.

Hello all you Do-Gooders, I have helped organize a couple fundraisers for NextAid over the years, and now I am digging in with a few other volunteers to put on "Ladies Of The House" in Sanfrancisco on March 31st at the trendy nightclub "Public Works".

For over 7 years NextAid has rallied music industry leaders and enthusiasts from the electronic dance music community to action, channeling the positive energy from the dance floor to sustainable development projects that support orphans and women in Africa.

This March 31st, Digital Bliss Productions and Boutique Electronique Records, 2 unique San Francisco based music production and promotions companies, are honored to collaborate with NextAid in a San Francisco based fundraising event in honor of National Women’s History Month this March. This event is geared towards raising awareness and money for NextAid’s work in Kenya and Sierra Leone. This event is also tied in a month-long campaign, kicking off on March 8th (100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day), called “Beauty and the Beats” in conscious and hip hair salons in NYC, L,A. Miami and S.F..

“Ladies of the House” will be THE featured event in San Francisco on Thursday March 31st, where NextAid, Digital Bliss, Boutique Electronique Records, and a plethora of promotional partners, including: Space Cowboys, Opel Productions, Nitevibe, Angels Of Bass, Green Galactic P.R., The Women’s Recording Mission, sexyvisuals, Illeven Eleven Records, each with its own strong following, will join forces to ensure that this event will have massive reach to a diverse and sophisticated audience. We will have a second room upstairs dedicated to a projected footage on NextAid's sustainable development projects for women and youth in Africa, craft tables and a few other DJs.

CELESTE LEAR BAND LIVE AT HOTEL UTAH APRIL 7TH 9:00

Digital Bliss Record Release Party and NextAid fundraiser in Los Angeles - Nov. 1st @ ZANZIBAR

Celeste's label Boutique Electronique has released DIGITAL BLISS Volume 2 - featuring 14 phenomenal women in electronic music!!

Hello friends, family and fans of cutting edge electronic music everywhere...

Celeste's Lear's Boutique Electronique Records has just released it's 4th CD, a gorgeous new compilation project called: "DIGITAL BLISS VOLUME 2" featuring talented, prominent female electronic music producers, programmers and vocalists from across the world. The CD is available at all digital retailers and CD Baby. Please pick up your copy today and feel inspired by the emotion stirring words and worlds of these amazing musicians.



Kiss kiss!!