Starstruck
A Smithsonian Experience
The Experience
Starstruck is a shared walkthrough VR experience that explores how the stars helped create us and nearly everything in our universe.
Based on astronomic research and data from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, visitors explore and interact with a star-forming nebula, a supermassive black hole, and the remnants of a supernova – all with the help of the powerful telescopes we’ve used to study them. This is an experience that takes us to the farthest reaches of our galaxy to help us understand where we really came from.
Client
Smithsonian in partnership with Fever
Awards
Venice Film Festival 2026 – Best Immersive Nominee
The Work
As Narrative Designer and Scriptwriter, I worked directly with Smithsonian Enterprises and scientists from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) to craft a story about humanity’s relationship with the stars.
The goal was to create an experience that was educational, emotionally resonant, and exciting for all audiences – accessible and engaging for both astronomers and families with young kids.
Guided by the latest research from SAO, we used the lives and deaths of stars as our narrative framework, then focused on specific moments that leveraged the power of VR to show stories at scale. To keep the main story clear and straightforward, we devised tools like virtual overlays and interactive images to provide additional layers of information and even encourage repeat viewership.
My Role
Concept development
Content development workshops
Subject matter research
Engagement with Subject Matter Experts
Treatment development
Storyboarding
Scriptwriting