Google Spotlight Stories, the experimental unit of Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects group (ATAP) that explores immersive and interactive 360 storytelling, is shutting down after six years.
The news of the division’s shutdown became known this evening when Karen Dufilho, the executive producer of Google Spotlight Stories, sent out the following emailed statement:
As many of you know, Google Spotlight Stories is shutting its doors after over six years of making stories and putting them on phones, on screens, in vr, and anywhere else we could get away with it. The opportunity to contribute to story, animation, and tech has been like winning the lottery. You’ve all played a part and I’m so so proud of the work we’ve done together. Congratulations! My deepest gratitude to all of you.
The studio had released 16 shorts to date, including projects from filmmakers like Glen Keane (Duet), Jorge Gutierrez (Son of Jaguar), Aardman (Special Delivery), and Jan Pinkava (Windy Day, Piggy). Its last released production, John Kahrs’ Age of Sail, premiered last August at the Venice Film Festival.