About the Project
The Hawthorne Job (working title) is an ambitious new short film that blends classic British storytelling and traditional filmmaking techniques with the cutting edge of immersive technology. Directed by Grace Moore, a PhD Researcher at the University of York, this project experiments with how traditional film directing methods can be reimagined in Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR): a 360° format viewed through a VR headset that transports viewers inside the story.
(image of a Meta Quest 2 VR headset in use)
Set in the 1900s in Northern England, the film follows a heist crew attempting a high-stakes manor house robbery gone wrong. But as the story unfolds, viewers discover it wasn’t greed or bad luck that caused the heist to fail, it was betrayal from within. Told partly as a flashback, the film draws audiences into a mystery where every glance, sound, and movement guides them toward uncovering the truth.
Genre: Cinematic Virtual Reality Heist Drama
Setting: 1900s Northern England
Length: 5-7 Minutes
Filming Locations: Historical listed buildings and heritage sites across the Yorkshire area
Crew: University of York filmmaking specialists
Inspirations: Rififi (1955); Le Cercle Rouge (1970); The Killing (1956); The Asphalt Jungle (1950); Lavender Hill Mob (1951); Reservoir Dogs (1992); Inside Man (2006), The Bank Job (2008)
About the Characters (in development)
Connor - a dual faced character: nervous rookie on the heist, but an undercover cop in truth.
Stanley - the ringleader: charming, confident and in love with the thrill of the crime.
George - the muscle: loyal but greedy, impulsive and always ready for a fight.
Louis - the lockpicker: smart and skilled, but a little full of himself.
'The Visitor' - a mysterious femme fatale who knows more than she reveals.
Who We ARE
My name is Grace Moore, I'm a PhD by Creative Practice Researcher in the School of ACT, TFTI Department at the University of York, and I'll be leading this project with some colleagues and creative professionals from the University of York. I've been making films for the past 11 years and my interests surround the possibilities of immersive and interactive storytelling with new and innovative technologies, including Virtual Reality, Virtual Production and Motion Capture. I'm passionate about what the future might hold for Film and TV Production, and the potential capabilities for storytelling through these new mediums. Through my experience in industry I've worked across various R&D Virtual Production projects for Imminent XR, SIGN and XR Stories, and various R&D Virtual Reality projects including 'Behind the Screen: The ITV Emmerdale Immersive VR Experience'. Please find more information about my research at my researcher profile page on the School of ACT website.
(image of Grace holding a VR Headset)
WHY This Project Matters
This isn’t just a film: it’s a research experiment exploring how filmmakers can tell rich, emotional stories in a 360° environment.
Through The Hawthorne Job (working title), Grace is testing how elements like dialogue, sound design, directional lighting, camera movement, and character blocking can direct a viewer’s attention naturally in CVR. The results from this research will contribute to assisting the definition of a new visual grammar for immersive cinema, helping filmmakers worldwide understand how to create powerful narrative experiences in virtual reality.
This project builds on Grace's previous research and production experience, and the work of Grace’s academic supervisors, Professor John Mateer and Dr Guy Schofield, leading researchers in the field of CVR. It will form part of Grace’s doctoral thesis, screened to participants in a formal viewer study before being submitted to VR festivals and academic research conferences.
How the Funding will help
We’re aiming to raise £1,500 through YuStart, in addition to Grace’s existing research fund, to reach a total project budget of £3,400.
The funds will help support an independent crew, cover essential production costs and bring this innovative research to life.
Your support will help cover:
- Location fees for historical listed buildings and heritage sites (such as: York Castle Museum)
- Costume, makeup and props authentic to the setting (including building a victorian style prop safe)
- Travel and catering expenses for all cast, crew & extras
- Camera, lighting and sound equipment for 360-degree film production
- Post-production and sound design for the CVR environment (including backing up 8K footage, and VR specific stitching & editing software)
- A 20% contingency fee to cover the less predictable nature of VR production
Project Expenses based on a £3,400 Project Budget:
Support the Future of Immersive storytelling
By supporting The Hawthorne Job (working title), you’re not just funding a Virtual Reality film, you’re helping advance research that could shape the next generation of filmmakers.
Every contribution helps bring this ambitious research film to life: merging historical storytelling with the future of cinematic technology.
We have some fab rewards to thank everyone who donates, whatever the amount you might give.
Every pound counts, no matter the size, and helps us move one step closer to bringing this project to life.
Help us succeed!
Whether you donate, share, or simply follow the journey, your support helps turn this groundbreaking vision into reality.
Please share this project with anyone you think would support us – on Bluesky, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, by email, telephone, on a personal blog or via an informal chat with friends!
We’d be thrilled if you could share it with everyone you know as we think it's a great idea, and the more people who know about it, the more likely we are to be able to turn this vision into reality.
And we know we said you don't need to give money to help us, but we'd love it if you did!
Please help us to make this project happen!
* "Please note: To comply with university research ethics, backers selecting the £100 reward will be asked to read a quick project info sheet and sign a standard VR safety/consent form before viewing.
