<p><em><a href="https://venturebeat.com/2018/11/15/baobabs-crow-the-legend-debuts-as-a-free-short-film-on-oculus-and-youtube/">Crow: The Legend</a></em>&nbsp;debuted last week as a new animated film for both 2D viewing on YouTube and Facebook, as well as an interactive virtual reality experience. The creator,&nbsp;<a href="https://venturebeat.com/2015/12/03/baobab-studios-aims-to-tell-animated-stories-in-vr-with-6m-in-funding/">Baobab Studios</a>, <a href="https://baobabstudios.com/crow-the-legend">released the film</a> for free as part of an effort to pioneer entertainment in the new medium.</p>

<p>In part because the film tells a meaningful story about a Native American origin legend, Baobab leaders Maureen Fan (CEO) and Eric Darnell (chief creative officer and creator of the <em>Madagascar</em> animated film series) were able to cast entertainers John Legend, Oprah Winfrey, and Constance Wu.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The interactive VR experience can last about 25 minutes, and it enables viewers to interact with the world — like using their hand controllers to touch stars and make music happen. Darnell and Fan hope that the VR users will linger longer in the environment of the world they have created.</p>

<p>To bring the story of <em>Crow: The Legend</em> to life, Baobab partnered with Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP). Sarah Eagle Heart, CEO of NAP, voices the character of Luna.</p>

<p>Coming on the heels of the back-to-back Emmy Award-winning releases <em><a href="https://venturebeat.com/2016/10/10/how-the-creators-of-the-vr-film-invasion-came-up-with-asteroids/">Asteroids!</a></em> and <em><a href="https://venturebeat.com/2015/12/03/baobab-studios-aims-to-tell-animated-stories-in-vr-with-6m-in-funding/">Invasion!</a></em>, <em>Crow: The Legend</em> is Baobab Studios’ most ambitious project to date. It took 15 people about a year to create, but Fan said it is an important story about indigenous peoples that was overlooked or stifled in the past.</p>
