Thread by @JesseDamiani

Many friends have expressed interest in learning more about the VR/AR landscape, but don’t know where to start. As an active member of this community for 4+ years, I thought I’d kick off a recurring #FF thread of the people you need to pay attention in XR.

Keep an eye out for new names every Friday 💪 NOTE: this is not a comprehensive/ranked list. These are people who I have known to be valuable sources in #VR, #AR, & #MR.

KENT BYE
You have to start with the Voice of VR himself: @KentBye. Armed with his trusty microphone, he’s become a fixture at conferences—not just for his expansive knowledge in emerging technologies (check out his new @voicesofai podcast), but for his killer dance moves.

MALIA PROBST
Bringing it home to @VRScout: podcaster, journo, emcee, influencer, activist, advocate, VC, culture-changer @TheMalia is the Renaissance Woman of VR, & we’re all better for it. Keep an eye out for her weekly roundups and podcasts, and be sure to follow @WXRfund.

JESSICA BRILLHART
My VR writing owes a serious debt to @brillhart—& there are hordes of VR heads who’d echo that sentiment. She laid the foundation for modern VR storytelling technique and analysis as we know it. medium.com/the-language-o…

MIKE MURDOCK
Nobody has had a bigger influence on my VR trajectory than @mjmurdoc—he introduced me to it! Since then he’s made games, hardware, tutorials, and some of the most expansive, detailed socialVR worlds in the metaverse.

TONY PARISI
He’s more than just a pretty face; as one of the inventors of VRML, @auradeluxe is a true VR OG—anyone who champions #WebVR and #WebAR owes Tony a debt of gratitude. Understandably, he’s one of our most trusted thinkers.

EVA HOERTH
@downtohoerth is one of the most active communicators and community builders in VR, able to spark discussions that echo throughout the community. If you’re looking for thoughtful discussions about the big (and little) ideas, she’s who to follow. bit.ly/2vtd9Ja

ESTELLA TSE
Don’t let that smile fool you: @estellatse is one of the most rigorous & talented living immersive artists. Go take a look at her @TiltBrush masterpieces and her 101 guide—the de facto resource for aspiring artists. estellatse.com/blog/2017/7/28…

DANNY BITTMAN
@DannyBittman is a pioneer of spatial art—not just for his work on immersive/#AI music videos and creative autopsies, but for his pop-locking #VR performances. His upcoming tutorial series is bound to become an industry staple.

MATT MIESNIEKS
As a VC, entrepreneur, and early adopter of AR, @mattmiesnieks brings an invaluable perspective to AR industry news and analysis that has made him one of the most sought-after voices in the biz.

LUCAS MATNEY
Seen an article about VR/AR in @TechCrunch? Probably the tireless boy wonder @lucasmtny, who’s as willing to tackle the hard stories as he is share news on the startups to watch.

JOSH CONSTINE
For more @TechCrunch VR/AR wisdoms, there’s @JoshConstine—whose curl game is the uncontested best in tech #tipshat

HELEN SITU
@HelenSitu was an early innovator in VR at @NextVR, & now runs @vrpopmag, an amazing technical resource for aspiring creators. virtualrealitypop.com/the-email-i-se…

PETER RUBIN
Whether it’s iconic cover stories on Palmer Luckey or deep dives on eye tracking in VR, @provenself has the scoop on topics you need to know, weaving them with a remarkable narrative voice rarely found in tech coverage. Don’t miss his book, which drops next month.

LIV ERICKSON
@misslivirose managed to write a book about VR amid gigs at @Microsoft & @HighFidelityInc—giving us all ample evidence she’s concocted a machine that lets her cram extra hours into her days. (Seriously, don't put it past her). #superhuman

ISAAC COHEN ‘CABBIBO’
Artist/mad-scientist @Cabbibo pushes the boundaries of convergence, incorporating VR/AR, reaction diffusion systems, data, & more to create some of the most innovative art on the planet. He also shares the love, showcasing other great creative technologists.

M EIFLER
@blinkpopshift has already produced source texts for immersive design, embodiment, and general research—and with the recent launch of their Patreon, we can only expect to see more. medium.com/@blinkpop/your…

GUNTER
@guntersuniverse has his own universe in VR—I’m just thankful he shares it with the rest of us with live shows every Tuesday at 7pm in @VRChatNet, where he interviews knowledgeable guests from across the metaverse.

CHRIS MADSEN
@deep_rifter, the Magellan of the metaverse, is an intrepid explorer of immersive worlds—he’s my go-to resource for knowing what’s what in socialVR and education. Also one of the most generous and thoughtful people you’ll ever meet.

CAS AND CHARY VR
Dutch YouTubers @CasandChary share their passion for VR through snappy gameplay reviews and explainers. Subscribe to their channel to stay up-to-date with all their work, including their latest:

ARMANDO KIRWIN
Already one of our most accomplished content creators, @ArmandoKirwin is now establishing himself as a thought leader, notably in automated characters and #AI—which he claims is the next wave of spatial storytelling. roadtovr.com/360-film-indus…

RACHEL METZ
@rachelmetz has a way of distilling high-level topics into intensely readable pieces in @techreview. Add to that the depth of insight she brings to her work and you get why she’s emerged as a must-follow for AR news.

CHARLIE FINK
Best known for his tireless coverage on Forbes, @CharlieFink also recently launched 'Charlie Fink’s Metaverse,' an AR-enabled industry guide, and his forthcoming vlog is sure to introduce many more to the wide world of XR. finkmetaverse.com

ELA DARLING
Building one of the most effective live-streaming solutions in VR, @ElaDarling made an early name for herself as the queen of VR porn—her insights on intimacy and connection through immersive media are reshaping the industry. voicesofvr.com/634-vr-porn-li…

KARL KRANTZ
We owe @karlkrantz a debt of gratitude for creating @SVVRLIVE, the 1st ever #VR community (of the new wave) wayyy back in 2013—something like a lifetime in VR years. For so many in the community, he’s the reason we came together & bonded over VR…IRL

BEN LANG
@benz145 co-founded @RtoVR in 2011, well before @Oculus and the VR renaissance we’ve seen the past half-decade. In all of his work, he brings a shrewd eye, thoughtful approach, & untouchable journalistic ethics—making him one of the most trustworthy names in the industry

SARAH HILL
@SarahMidMO pushes the boundaries of what immersive experiences can do for us, from speaking on the future of immersive journalism to her incredible work with @StoryUpStudios, using positive brainwaves to power immersive experiences.
vrscout.com/news/vr-experi…

AZ BALABANIAN
Photogrammetry wizard @Azadux is also behind @ResearchVRcast, which highlights the often undersung research and topics emerging behind academy walls.

SUZANNE LEIBRICK
Artist, designer, and educator, @inannamute keeps us honest. With expertise in 3D art and UX Design—along with an unrelenting commitment to broadening the tech landscape—there’s always an important discussion to be found in her feed.

LYDIA CHOY
If you want a grasp of how VR is revolutionizing 3D art, follow @choy. Not only can you chart how she’s sculpting the future as Lead Designer/Cofounder of @OculusMedium, she’s also a go-to for discovering up-and-coming 3D/VR artists.

‘CYMATIC’ BRUCE WOODEN
He may have lopped off his signature locks, but SVVR & @AltspaceVR co-founder @CymaticBruce is still the same old wizard. His tenure in the community makes him a top source for need-to-know industry happenings.

PHILIP ROSEDALE
@PhilipRosedale earned the title of Godfather of the Metaverse by creating @SecondLife. Now he’s taking those chops into @highfidelityinc, where he’s currently integrating HFC token to address issues of security and identity in the metaverse.

TARYN SOUTHERN
Artist-technologist @TarynSouthern uses her platform to continually innovate through art and technology. Her latest album was composed by AI, and now she’s started launching VR music videos for it.

STEPHANIE HURLBURT
If you want to get deep in the weeds of high-level dev topics, follow @sehurlburt. In addition to her own work, she’s an active community builder, sharing important discussions around graphics, entrepreneurship, & ethics.

DEAN TAKAHASHI
Fact: @deantak wrote 13,986 stories in 9 years at @VentureBeat. And that was as of a year ago. As the lead writer for @GamesBeat, he’s penned thousands of stories on immersive games, news, and experiences. Need I say more? venturebeat.com/2017/03/31/the…

LUCAS RIZZOTTO
@LucasRizzotto is best known as the creator of @WhereThoughts—a groundbreaking asynchronous socialVR world. But he’s also one of our sharpest philosophers—writing about everything from eye-tracking to UX to ethics in immersive spaces.

RESH SIDHU
She’s not the Queen of VR for nothing: @webkitten is behind some of the biggest cinematic experiences in the industry, so when she encourages you to pay attention to something...you take heed.

JULIE YOUNG
@juliey4 has established a name as a champion of diverse voices in VR/AR. Her latest work with @Microsoft through @SHIIFTSpotlight is testament to her importance in our industry. goo.gl/ATqiwH

CHET FALISZEK
Writer, developer, and advocate: @chetfaliszek is an industry leader and community builder to know. Don’t miss his latest work in storytelling & AI. bossastudios.com/ai/

AMY LAMEYER
A veteran corporate development professional in exponential technologies, @amylameyer has a keen eye for highlighting topics and trends before they’re cool. Or maybe she makes them cool. Either way: follow her.

JASON ODOM
To understand the AR/MR landscape, look to editor & developer extraordinaire @jasonodom23, the ninja behind @NextRealityNews & the 'HoloLens Beginner's Guide' amazon.com/HoloLens-Begin…

ROBERT MCGREGOR
@ID_R_McGregor dives deep on pressing industry topics—whether it’s WebVR, notable demos and experiences, ray tracing, or investigations, like his recent look at @magicleap’s work culture

LISA KOTECKI
If @readyplayerone is any indication, SocialVR is going to be (even more) massive (than it already is). Which makes community builders like @LisaKotecki so vital—bringing positivity and insight to the wild west of socializing.

DRUE KATAOKA
Not only one of our most talented working artists, @DrueKataoka is also an innovative thinker, sharing her vision of the immersive future at panels and events all over the world.

JOSH CARPENTER
Co-creator of @AframeVR and current UX Lead of Web VR/AR @google, @joshcarpenter is not only changing the shape of the web through his work, but he’s also a thought leader, community builder, and active conversation-sparker.

CHARITY EVERETT
Artist, creator, and philosopher @charitythesheha’s thoughts on the future of AR—and how that dovetails with society and culture—are not to be missed. A rising star.

Phew! That’s all for today, but there’s a whole lot more where that came from. Check back next week for more of my favorite sources in VR/AR.