Toward the end of the Civil Rights Era, Beale Street was a bustling center of business and entertainment heavily divided along the lines of race and class. This division was felt by none more than the Sanitation Workers who, by March 28, 1968, had submerged Memphis under more than 10,000 tons of trash, as their strike for better working conditions, health benefits, and union recognition entered its 57th day.

Animating businesses such as A. Schwab and the Memphis Meat Company alongside historic landmarks such as W.C. Handy Park and the statue erected in his honor, were important to creating an authentic interactive experience. Additionally, each building is textured with the color palette, stone lined/brick façade, awnings, signage, and grime accurate to the period.

Music

The music in THE CALLING replicates the sonic experience of walking down Beale Street as you pass by clubs and street performers, each with their own distinctive sound, combining to create a symphony dripping with history and culture. In VR, the viewer can have that same experience, encountering distinctive sounds at specific locations in the environment fusing together to create a score.