Park City – Cache Valley Information

Sundance Institute Announces 2019 Recipients of Merata Mita Fellowship for Indigenous Artists

ALE — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 22:29:14 +0000

Fellowship Honors Artistic Contributions of Late Māori Filmmaker

Park City, Utah — Co-Directors Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace-Smith are the 2019 recipients of the Sundance Institute Merata Mita Fellowship, an annual fellowship named in honor of the late Māori filmmaker Merata Mita (1942-2010). The announcement was delivered today at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.

Sundance Institute selected the two filmmakers from a global call for applicants. They will be awarded cash grants and a yearlong continuum of support with activities, including a trip to the Sundance Film Festival, access to strategic and creative services offered by Sundance Institute artist programs, and mentorship opportunities.

Ainsley Gardiner (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pikiao and Te-Whānau-ā-Apanui) has produced television,shortsand features, including Two Cars, One Night and Tama Tu by Taika Waititi, and Waititi’s features, Eagle vs Shark and BOY. She directed Mokopuna, winning at Dreamspeakers International Film Festival.

Briar Grace-Smith (Ngā Puhi descent) is a filmmaker and writer of stage plays, screenplays,fictionand television scripts. She attended the Sundance Institute Screenwriters lab with The Strength of Water. Her short film Charm was part ofWaru, a feature made up of eight parts.

“Now in its fourth consecutive award year, this special Fellowship pays tribute to the immense artistic contributions and memory of our beloved colleague and friend Merata Mita, who was an activist, documentarian and the first and only Māori woman to write and direct a dramatic feature,” said N. Bird Runningwater (Cheyenne/Mescalero Apache), director, Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program. “The Merata Mita Fellowship reflects Sundance Institute’s ongoing commitment to supporting Indigenous artists around the world. The selection of Ainsley and Briar as the 2019 recipients exemplifies the creative work and the efforts that Merata championed throughout her life.”

Merata Mita (Ngāi Te Rangi/Ngāti Pikiao) was New Zealand’s first Indigenous female filmmaker. She served as an advisor and artistic director of the Sundance Institute Native Lab from 2000 to 2009, where she championed emerging Indigenous talent.

Mita’s memory will be honored at this year’s Festival with the International Premiere of MERATA: How Mum Decolonized the Screen. The documentary — an intimate portrayal of Mita told through the eyes of her children — includes hours of never-before-seen archival footage. Hepi Mita, Merata’s youngest child and the film’s director and screenwriter, discovers the filmmaker he never knew and shares with the world the mother he lost. The Merata Mita Fellowship is supported by New Zealand Film Commission, Indigenous Media Initiatives, Felix Culpa, Sarah Luther, Pacific Islanders in Communications, and Susan Shilliday.

Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program
This month, Sundance Institute’s Native American and Indigenous Film Program has officially changed its name to the Indigenous Program. The Indigenous Program champions Indigenous independent storytelling artists through residency Labs, Fellowships, public programming, and a year-round continuum of creative, financial, and tactical support. The Program conducts outreach and education to identify a new generation of Indigenous voices, connecting them with opportunities to develop theirstorytellingprojects, and bringing them and their work back to Indigenous lands. At its core, the Program seeks to inspire self-determination among Indigenous filmmakers and communities by centering Indigenous people in telling their own stories. “The program name change is both appropriate and timely, especially in light of our increasingly global Indigenous reach, which transcends borders,” said Runningwater.

Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute’s signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Sorry to Bother You, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Eighth Grade, Blindspotting, The Tale, Get Out, The Big Sick, Strong Island, Blackfish, Top of the Lake, Winter’s Bone, The Wolfpack, Dear White People, Trapped, Brooklyn, Little Miss Sunshine, 20 Feet From Stardom, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Final Additions to 2019 Sundance Film Festival Lineup

ALE — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 15:24:54 +0000

Documentary Premiere and Special Event Features Join Robust Slate of Independent Work

Park City, UT — Sundance Institute rounds out this year’s 2019 Sundance Film Festival program with today’s additions to the Documentary Premieres and Special Events sections. The Festival will take place in Park City, Salt Lake City and at Sundance Mountain Resort January 24-February 4, 2019.

DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES CATEGORY

The Brink / U.S.A. (Director: Alison Klayman, Producer: Marie Therese Guirgis) — Now unconstrained by an official White House post, Steve Bannon is free to peddle influence as a perceived kingmaker with a direct line to the President. After anointing himself leader of the “populist movement,” he travels around the U.S. and the world spreading his hard-line anti-immigration message. World Premiere

SPECIAL EVENTS CATEGORY

Leaving Neverland / U.S.A, United Kingdom (Producer and Director: Dan Reed) — At the height of his stardom Michael Jackson began long-running relationships with two boys, aged 7 and 10, and their families. Now in their 30s, they tell the story of how they were sexually abused by Jackson, and how they came to terms with it years later. World Premiere

The 2019 Sundance Film Festival has selected a total of 241 projects, from 49 countries. Of these, 47%, or 113, of all films and projects were directed or created by one or more women; 41%, or 100, were directed or created by one or more filmmaker of color; 17% or 41 by one or more people who identify as LGBTQ+. 169 works in the Festival’s program, or 70% of the program lineup, will be World Premieres.

The Sundance Film Festival®
The Sundance Film Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most groundbreaking films of the past three decades, including Sorry to Bother You, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Eighth Grade, Get Out, The Big Sick, Mudbound, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Whiplash, Brooklyn, Precious, The Cove, Little Miss Sunshine, An Inconvenient Truth, Napoleon Dynamite, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Reservoir Dogs and sex, lies, and videotape. The Festival is a program of the non-profit Sundance Institute®. The Festival is a program of the non-profit Sundance Institute®. 2019 Festival sponsors include: Presenting Sponsors – Acura, SundanceTV, Chase Sapphire, YouTube; Leadership Sponsors – Adobe, Amazon Studios, Ancestry, AT&T, DIRECTV, Dropbox, Netflix, Omnicom, Stella Artois; Sustaining Sponsors – Ancestry, Canada Goose, Canon, Dell, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, GEICO, High West Distillery, IMDbPro, Lyft, RIMOWA, Unity Technologies, University of Utah Health; Media Sponsors – The Atlantic, IndieWire, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, VARIETY, The Wall Street Journal. Sundance Institute recognizes critical support from the Utah Governor’s Office of EconomicDevelopment, and the State of Utah as Festival Host State. The support of these organizations helps offset the Festival’s costs and sustain the Institute’s year-round programs for independent artists. Look for the Official Partner seal at their venues at the Festival. sundance.org/festival

Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and media to create and thrive. The Institute’s signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Sorry to Bother You, Eighth Grade, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Hereditary, RBG, Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, The Big Sick, Top of the Lake, Winter’s Bone, Dear White People, Brooklyn, Little Miss Sunshine, 20 Feet From Stardom, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, I’m Poppy, America to Me, Leimert Park, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
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17 October, 2018 09:11

ALE — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 15:11:24 +0000

Sundance Institute and Science Sandbox Celebrate

Innovative, Nonfiction Storytelling With Tailored Financial and Creative Support

Park City — Sundance Institute, in collaboration with Science Sandbox, an initiative of the Simons Foundation, announced the inaugural five filmmakers and projects being supported by the Science Sandbox Nonfiction Initiative, a new program aiding innovative artists in creating science-focused works and in connecting those projects with audiences. The program aims to elevate the voices of independent artists who are working at the intersection of science and nonfiction storytelling, encourage critical thinking, promote educated discourse and highlight the overlap of science and art.

The five selected artists will receive non-recoupable grants and access to Sundance Institute’s year round continuum of support, which can help address creative, financial and production issues. In addition to this tailored project support, the grantees will receive opportunities for engagement events where they can connect with Sundance’s network of alumni and creative advisors and Science Sandbox’s roster of renowned scientists, as well as enthusiastic audiences.

Hajnal Molnar-Szakacs, Sundance Institute Documentary Film Fund Director, said, “We’re proud to spotlight these innovators, and can’t wait to see where the creative, multidisciplinary melding of arts and science takes their work. This initiative’s meaningful support is especially crucial in a time when both independent storytelling and scientific thinking need to be championed.”

The five grantees selected for support in the pilot year of this program include one artist and four projects at various stages of production and audience engagement. Theo Anthony, a writer, photographer and filmmaker, was awarded the artist grant to support his creative process. The recipients of the project grants are The Most Unknown, directed by Ian Cheney, which connects nine scientists through a chain of encounters which explore some of humanity’s biggest unanswered questions; The Quiet Zone,directed by Katie DellaMaggiore, which explores the only town in America where cell phones and all wireless technology are banned; Untitled Artificial Intelligence Documentary, directed by Shalini Kantayya, which examines the bias programmed into computer algorithms and how they affect our civil liberties; and Inventing Tomorrow, directed by Laura Nix, which tells the stories of teenage scientists across the globe working to solve our most pressing environmental challenges. More in-depth summaries of the grantees appear below.

Greg Boustead, Program Director of Science Sandbox, said, "We value the power of artistry and rich narrative in helping make science relevant to more people. Sundance Institute is a tremendous partner for uncovering and supporting independent artists seeking to tell creative and more inclusive stories about science."

Artist Grant:

Theo Anthony
Theo Anthony is a writer, photographer, and filmmaker based in Baltimore, MD. In 2015, he was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film”. His first feature, Rat Film, was released in 2017 to critical acclaim, with Richard Brody of the New Yorker calling it “one of the most extraordinary, visionary inspirations in the recent cinema”. In 2018, he was named a Sundance Art of Non-Fiction Fellow and is currently in post-production on his second documentary feature, All Light, Everywhere.

Project Grants:

Untitled Artificial Intelligence Documentary
Director and Producer: Shalini Kantayya
Untitled Artificial Intelligence Documentaryfollows data scientists and mathematicians who uncover bias encoded in computer algorithms that impact us all, and their journey to sound the alarm about how biased artificial intelligence threatens civil liberties. Director and Producer: Shalini Kantayya

Inventing Tomorrow
Director: Laura Nix
Producers: Diane Becker, Melanie Miller, Laura Nix
Meet passionate teenage innovators from around the globe who are creating cutting-edge solutions to confront the world’s environmental threats – found right in their own backyards – while navigating the doubts and insecurities that mark adolescence. Take a journey with these inspiring teens as they prepare their projects for the largest convening of high school scientists in the world, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), a program of the Society for Science & the Public.

The Most Unknown
Director and Producer: Ian Cheney
The Most Unknown connects nine scientists in a chain of encounters around the world to explore some of humanity’s biggest unanswered questions.

The Quiet Zone
Director: Katie DellaMaggiore
Producer: Nelson DellaMaggiore, Tracie Holder
Welcome to Green Bank, West Virginia, the only town in America where, by federal decree, the use of cell phones, WiFi and other wireless technology is banned. Ironically, Green Bank is also home to one of the world’s most powerful radio telescopes, a place where astronomers search for clues to unlock the mysteries of our galaxy. The Quiet Zone follows this close-knit community whose 143 residents live with one foot in two worlds, past & present, at the very moment when the telescope — the town’s economic engine — is threatened with closure

For more information about the partnership go to sundance.org/science-sandbox-nonfiction-project. For more information about Science Sandbox go to simonsfoundation.org/science-sandbox.

Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute’s signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Mudbound, Get Out, The Big Sick, Strong Island, Blackfish, Top of the Lake, Winter’s Bone, The Wolfpack, Dear White People, Trapped, Brooklyn, Little Miss Sunshine, 20 Feet From Stardom, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Science Sandbox
Science Sandbox is dedicated to inspiring a deeper interest in science, especially among those who don’t think of themselves as science enthusiasts. We support and collaborate with programs that unlock scientific thinking in everyone. Our partnerships invite a wide audience to engage in the scientific process — a process defined by curiosity, contingent upon asking questions, and informed by reliable evidence — to find solutions to everyday problems. Funded projects include film and other media productions, informal education experiences, live science events and awareness campaigns. Our funding criteria reflect our belief in the positive effects of infusing the culture with scientific thinking. We seek grantees who bring science to the people, tell science stories in innovative ways, and make science relevant to everyday life. Science Sandbox is an initiative of the Simons Foundation.

CELEBRATE OLYMPIC DAY ON JUNE 23 AT UTAH OLYMPIC PARK

ALE — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 22:44:46 +0000

1 of 2,000+ nationwide events celebrating the birth of the
modern Olympic Games

Park City, Utah (June 19, 2018) – On Saturday, June 23, Utah Olympic Park in Park City is hosting a special afternoon of Olympic-themed activities from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.

This afternoon celebration includes appearances by local Olympians, music, food, and activities. Complimentary activities include bounce houses, face painting, Olympic-themed crafts, and interactive adaptive sport demonstrations from the National Abilities Center. The athlete autograph and meet and greet area will be open from noon to 1:00 pm during the event.

Also taking place during the festivities will be the first Flying Ace All-Stars show of the season. Tickets for that event are $12 for adults and $7 for youth ages 12 and under. Tickets for Flying Ace All-Stars freestyle shows can be found online at utaholympiclegacy.org.

"We are always pleased to take part in Olympic Day and inspire kids from all over Utah," said Colin Hilton, CEO of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. "Utah Olympic Park is proud to support the Olympic movement and encourage children to lead healthy, active lifestyles."

The Utah Olympic Park’s Olympic Day celebration is one of more than 2,000 events taking place nationwide during the month of June. The events, designed to engage youth and promote the ideals of the Olympic movement, feature athlete appearances, family-friendly activities and interactive learning experiences.

Around the world, more than 160 countries take part in the annual celebration. Olympic Day, created in 1948 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games, focuses on the Olympic values and ideals such as fair play, perseverance, respect and sportsmanship. In the U.S., Olympic Day events range from small gatherings to large, city-wide events.

Media Contact: Kole Nordmann, knordmann

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About Utah Olympic Park
Built for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Utah Olympic Park is located 28 miles east of Salt Lake City in Park City, Utah. Today, Utah Olympic Park is a vibrant multi-use facility focused on developing and growing winter sport participation in the state of Utah. Designated an Official U.S. Olympic Training Site by the United States Olympic Committee, the venue provides year-round competition and training facilities for Olympic and development level athletes. For the public, the venue features a variety of adventure activities including bobsled rides, zip lines, alpine slide, ropes courses as well as Olympic-heritage exhibits in the Alf Engen Ski Museum and Eccles 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum. For more information about the venue, please visit UtahOlympicLegacy.org or call 435-658-4200.

About Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation
The Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation is a Utah nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization responsible for managing and maintaining world-class facilities and providing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to participate and excel in winter sport. Inspired by the success and momentum of the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games -considered by many the most successful Winter Games ever staged -the Foundation has placed a focus on embracing, engaging and involving Utah’s youth in winter sport. The Foundation supports national sport organizations and community recreational winter sport programs, as well as subsidizes the operation of three Olympic venues: Utah Olympic Oval, Utah Olympic Park, and Soldier Hollow. For more information, please visit UtahOlympicLegacy.org or call 435-658-4200.

DEER VALLEY RESORT READIES FOR ENDLESS SUMMER FUN

ALE — Mon, 07 May 2018 15:31:04 +0000

DEER VALLEY RESORT; PARK CITY, UTAH (May 3, 2018) – Alpine adventures continue at Deer Valley Resort with the summer season launching June 15 and running through September 3, 2018, then weekends through September 16, weather and conditions permitting. The resort is a mecca of endless activity for summer vacations with lift-served mountain biking, hiking and scenic chairlift rides, Summer Adventure Camp for children, award-winning dining, standup paddleboarding, horseback riding, fly fishing and music-filled evenings at the renowned Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater.

“Deer Valley proudly brings the same commitment to guest service for our summer activities as we do during our winter season,” said Coleen Reardon, director of marketing for Deer Valley Resort. “We provide an unbeatable setting to enjoy the outdoors and rejuvenate the senses in mild mountainous temperatures.”

The last few summers, Deer Valley Resort embarked on its largest-ever summer investment to modernize and update its existing mountain biking and hiking trail inventory. To take full advantage of this investment, the resort features a Mountain Bike School that includes several bike clinics and programs with passionate, knowledgeable mountain bike coaches teaching the ins and outs of navigating Deer Valley’s thrilling trails. The Kids Downhill/Freeride Program is held Tuesday afternoons from 2 to 5 p.m., June 19 through August 21. This special program is for children nine to 14 years old who possess intermediate level mountain biking skills and above. With a maximum of five children per coach, kids receive personalized instruction and coaching on downhill and freeride skills, as well as a weekly report card to share their progression. A Punch Card may be purchased for five to 10 sessions and includes a full-day, all-lifts Gold Pass.

Also available is an Afternoon Beginner Package for ages nine and up to learn basic downhill mountain biking skills, such as stance, braking and cornering, led by professionally trained coaches. For intermediate riders above 14 years old, the resort offers Men’s and Women’s Twilight Clinics that take place during the Wednesday evening Twilight Ride Series from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Coaches will share techniques to help improve mountain biking skills, as well as knowledge to navigate Deer Valley’s diverse trails.

The resort’s popular Summer Adventure Camp offers creative and challenging activities that promote learning and a connection with nature for campers up to 12 years old. Surrounded by incredible mountains with hiking trails, hillside playgrounds and duck ponds, this state-licensed center provides a separate ‘home base’ for each age group. The center has built-in nooks for entertainment and performances, a bouldering rock climbing wall and a full supply of craft projects, games, puzzles, videos and books to compliment outdoor play. Summer Adventure Camp is based out of the Children’s Center at Snow Park Lodge and runs Mondaythrough Friday, June 11 through August 22 (no camp held July 4 and July 24). Due to the popularity of this program, camper capacity is often reached, so advance reservations are essential.

Resort activities that enhance any summer vacation include horseback rides, standup paddleboarding and fly fishing. The Snow Park Ponds in the base area are home to paddleboarding and Jans Mountain Outfitters free fly fishing clinics, while several horseback ride options are available from the resort’s mid-mountain area.

The return of summer also means the return of outdoor concerts at the beautiful Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater. With a full calendar of shows performing on Deer Valley’s stage multiple times a week, it is the perfect way to conclude a fun-filled day in Park City. World-renowned artists, headlining musicians and local bands regularly take to the stage during the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera’s Deer Valley® Music Festival and the Grand Valley Bank Free Community Concert Series. Soon to be announced for summer 2018 is a Deer Valley Concert Series. To compliment any evening concert, Deer Valley features Gourmet Picnic Bags filled with delicious epicurean items from Deer Valley’s kitchens, with options for children, single bags and gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian meals.

At Deer Valley Resort, dining is an integral part of a complete vacation experience. From casual, family friendly cafés and grills to elegantly rustic restaurants, every Deer Valley dining experience features quality ingredients and creative, fresh preparations with an emphasis on locally sourced products. Summer dining options include The Brass Tag, Silver Lake Snack Shack and Royal Street Café. The Snow Park Bakerywelcomes individual, banquet and custom orders of your favorite Deer Valley cakes, pies, cookies and breads year-round.

To fully experience summer in the mountains, Deer Valley Resort offers a variety of summer vacation packages through Deer Valley Resort Lodging and Reservations. The various package options include such amenities and events as mountain activity cards, concert tickets, dining credit, the Kimball Arts Festival, Savor the Summit and Autumn Aloft. Deer Valley Resort Lodging and Reservations offers the largest selection of accommodations in the Deer Valley Resort area, as well as select properties in the surrounding Park City area.

For more information on Deer Valley Resort’s endless summer vacation offerings, please contact the resort’s Senior Communications Manager, Emily Summers at 435-645-6522 or visit deervalley.com. To follow summer happenings at the resort on social media, search #deervalleymoment.

Jaybird Honors Open Lands With Special Edition Earth Day Jaybird RUN

ALE — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 16:04:18 +0000

Ten Percent of Jaybird Sales Will Go Towards The Conservation Alliance to Preserve Open Spaces

April 17, 2018 01:01 AM Mountain Daylight Time

PARK CITY, Utah–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In celebration of Earth Day, sports audio and technology pioneer, Jaybird announced today its commitment to preserving our open spaces by donating 10 percent of the proceeds from a new, special edition Earth Day Jaybird RUN headphone to The Conservation Alliance. Additionally, 10 percent of all Jaybird website sales on Earth Day will be donated to the organization.

.@Jaybirdsport releases special #EarthDay edition RUN; teams up with @conservationall to protect America’s open spaces. Learn more: https://jaybird.co/earthday

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Tweet now: .@Jaybirdsport releases special #EarthDay edition RUN; teams up with @conservationall to protect America’s open spaces. Learn more:

“With our home base in Park City, we are extremely fortunate to have access to open spaces in our backyard,” said Jamie Parker, global general manager of Jaybird. “Earth Day is an important moment globally to celebrate open spaces, and we feel very fortunate to be working with The Conservation Alliance to help protect this precious resource for generations to come.”

The mission of The Conservation Alliance, to protect America’s wild places where outdoor enthusiasts recreate, is completely aligned with that of Jaybird.

“Jaybird is going above-and-beyond to support The Conservation Alliance’s efforts to protect wild places throughout North America,” said John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance. “We are thrilled to work with Jaybird as they continue to integrate conservation values into their business.”

On a global level, Jaybird will also be donating a portion of proceeds to 2 Minute Beach Clean and ABC Charity in the United Kingdom, Mirai no Mori in Japan and Wings for Life in Australia.

Designed for athletes, built for adventure, the true wireless Jaybird RUN earbuds deliver a secure, run-specific comfort-fit, sweat proofing, water resistance and rich, drop-free customizable sound in a low-profile design. When used with the Jaybird App, users can customize the sound profile of their RUNS for the perfect sound experience and find and share playlists on Spotify®.

The special edition Earth Day RUN buds feature a unique color scheme (charge green with a forest green charging case) inspired by the colors and landscapes of the open spaces of Jaybird’s home in Park City, Utah. Also included in the special edition box is a small, beautiful print of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park by renowned outdoor sports photographer and Jaybird Ambassador, Tim Kemple.

Jaybird RUN received a 2018 CES Innovation by Design award that celebrates outstanding product design and engineering in brand-new consumer technology products.

Availability

The Earth DaySpecial Edition Jaybird RUN True Wireless Sport Headphones is available for pre-order now and will be available only at https://jaybird.co/earthday through April 30, 2018, while supplies last. The suggested retail price of the Special Edition RUN is $179.99. For more information, please visit jaybirdsport.com. The Jaybird app is free and available through the iOS® and Android app stores.

About Jaybird

Established in 2006 in the mountains of Utah, Jaybird is a pioneer of wireless sports headphones and technology for runners, outdoor athletes and fitness enthusiasts. We believe that music empowers people to push beyond their limits and elevate their performance to new levels. Our products are developed with insights from some of the world’s best endurance athletes like Rory Bosio and Timothy Olson. Jaybird’s focus on secure and comfort fit, adventure-proof design, and incredibly rich and customizable sound means that athletes everywhere can focus on their passion without wires, or anything else, getting in their way. We continue to evolve and define what it means to motivate people to get outdoors and push themselves with music. For more information, please visit www.jaybirdsport.com or #PowerYourPassion with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About The Conservation Alliance

The Conservation Alliance is an organization of like-minded businesses whose collective contributions support grassroots environmental organizations and their efforts to protect wild places where outdoor enthusiasts recreate. Alliance funds have played a key role in protecting rivers, trails, wildlands and climbing areas. Membership in the Alliance is open to all companies who care about protecting our most threatened wild places for habitat and outdoor recreation. Since its inception in 1989, The Conservation Alliance has contributed more than $20 million, awarded 580 grants, helped to protect more than 50 million acres of wildlands; protect 3,102 miles of rivers; stop or remove 30 dams; designate five marine reserves; and purchase 13 climbing areas. For complete information on The Conservation Alliance, see www.conservationalliance.com.

Jaybird, the Jaybird logo, and other marks are registered in Switzerland and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information about Jaybird and its products, visit the company’s website at http://www.jaybirdsport.com.

Contacts

Jaybird
Eric Wynn, 801-803-5705
eric

Voyager, World’s First Cinematic VR Chair, to Debut at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival®

Lee Everton — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 21:45:13 +0000

January 19, 2017 02:00 PM Mountain Standard Time

PARK CITY, Utah–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Positron, a virtual reality technology studio in Los Angeles, announced today that it will mark its Festival debut with Voyager, the first cinematic, full-motion VR chair platform, at the 2017 edition of New Frontier at the Sundance Film Festival, January 19-29 in Park City. Select VR works from the New Frontier program will be available to screen in Voyager at New Frontier VR Palace, including If Not Love and Orbital Vanitas.

Sundance Debuts Voyager, 1st Cinematic VR Chair

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“Positron is thrilled to offer cinema lovers at the Sundance Film Festival the opportunity to experience a completely new level of immersion in VR storytelling with Voyager,” said Jeffrey Travis, creator of the chair and CEO of Positron. “New Frontier is the ideal forum to share groundbreaking technology that provides filmgoers with a completely relaxed VR motion experience while empowering filmmakers to direct the viewer’s attention to points of interest in the story.”

“We’re truly excited to be presenting our VR experience, Orbital Vanitas, to Sundance Film Festival audiences through Voyager and the revolutionary motion it provides for cinematic VR,” said Shaun Gladwell, Lead Artist. Leo Faber, Key Collaborator on the surreal sci-fi mystery film elaborates, “To have the technological tools that enable us to further deepen the narrative through Voyager’s gentle motion and haptics is now a very happy reality for VR storytellers.”

Industry reactions from those who have experienced Voyager underscore its distinctive capabilities. “This is f****** awesome!” exclaimed Nonny de La Peña, “Godmother of VR” and filmmaker in the New Frontier category at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Ran Tao from Google VR added, “There is absolutely no motion sickness.”

“We discovered after gathering data from over 1,500 people, that Voyager solves the critically important problem of discomfort and motion sickness,” observed Jennifer Rundell, COO & Co-Founder, Positron. “Voyager is an exceptional seated VR solution that offers gentle motion that’s organically connected to the storytelling, and users who previously experienced motion sickness with VR report they no longer suffer from it in our chair. Voyager takes into account how our bodies need to be involved while allowing people to experience VR with more of their senses, to relax and go magical places, leaving the current physical space behind.”

Voyager will also have a presence at the “Cinematic VR and the Future of Storytelling” panel on Thursday, January 26, 2017, 12:00pm -1:30pm at Cinetransformer, located at 500 Main Street. A Hosted Presentation by Ribbow Media Group, the panel discussion will explore the future of cinematic VR and storytelling possibilities for content creators and audiences. Panelists will include Maxwell Planck, Technical Director at Oculus Story Studio, Brad Becker, CEO of Sentient Play, Sundance alumni and VR director Milica Zec (Giant), Brian Furano, Co-Founder of Riot.House and Positron CEO Jeffrey Travis. Roy Taylor, Corporate Vice President and Head of Alliances at Radeon Technologies Group, AMD, will moderate the panel. Voyager will be available to demo as time permits.

For Voyager images please visit Positron Media.

About the Creators

Jeffrey Travis and Jennifer Rundell are the CEO and COO respectively of Positron, a creative technology studio based in Los Angeles. Jeffrey is a filmmaker and engineer, and Jennifer has a background in product development and human-computer interaction. They began working on the idea for Voyager together when looking for a way to elevate the virtual reality experience for both creators and audiences.

Founded in 2014, Positron combines creative design, engineering, storytelling and brilliant coding to create interactive experiences that have never been done before. The team includes mechatronics engineers, designers, software developers and artists collaborating together to create magic.

About Voyager

Voyager is the first full-motion chair platform designed for cinematic VR. Integrating beautiful design and engineering magic, it reflects a passion for VR storytelling. Voyager delivers a completely new level of immersion in VR by providing a comfortable, fully integrated personal VR theater that incorporates gentle motorized yaw and pitch motion, haptic feedback (powered by Subpac), and specialized seating. Its unique software and hardware technology integration enables nuanced motion and haptic tracks to be encoded along the featured content’s visual and spatial audio tracks. The chair precisely guides the viewers’ attention to points of interest in the experience, while also allowing a viewer-controlled motion mode. Voyager units will be available Q1 2017 to select theaters, hotels, concerts, and events that desire to provide a premium VR experience.

Contacts

Positron
Jennifer Rundell, 310-866-0991
voyager@gopositron.com