Narrated by Susan Sarandon, the film, titled “The Nepal Quake Project,” uses Virtual Reality technology to immerse users in the aftermath of the Nepal earthquake. The film not only marks the first in natural disaster VR, but it represents the future of news and action.
A month after Nepal’s catastrophic April 25 earthquake, aid is beginning to wane, both on the ground and in the media. Today the United States military concluded relief efforts, and service members who had been assisting earthquake rescue efforts began their departure. Meanwhile it has been days nonetheless weeks since Nepal has garnered the attention of mainstream media’s headlines. The disaster has receded to the shadows of Letterman’s finale and each day’s breaking news, as natural disasters do.
Still, more than 8,600 people are estimated to have died. And as RYOT co-founder David Darg warns, the crisis has the potential to get much worse. With monsoon season coming in a matter of weeks, Nepal is facing a potentially devastating explosion of disease and chronic illness.
So while the aftermath of the Nepal earthquake may seem out of sight and out of mind, RYOT’s “Nepal Quake Project” does the exact opposite. One month later, RYOT’s Nepal earthquake virtual reality project will place the rest of the world in the heart of the current state of the disaster. Guided by the voice of Susan Sarandon, for three minutes, users walk through the wreckage, comb through the rubble, and experience firsthand the present reality of the earthquake’s aftermath. The film aims to drive viewers to take action and support direct relief on the ground at NepalQuakeProject.com.
Shot by Darg while leading relief efforts for international aid organization Operation Blessing, the footage is primarily from Bhaktapur and the Sindhupalchowk district, the areas said to be hardest hit by the quake.

Narrator: Susan Sarandon
Director & Editor: David Darg
Producer: Bryn Mooser
Associate Producer: Molly DeWolf Swenson
Camera Op: Christian Stephen
Equipment: 360Heros Pro6 (
Special Thanks: Chadwick Turner, Vrideo
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