⚡ The Quick Scoop
The Vibe: Aviator goggles, brass gears, soaring dirigibles, and breaking out of society's boxes!
Must See: The climactic Grand Prix race where rivals get stuck in the mud and have to combine their broken machines into a magnificent galloping Steampunk Horse.
The Inspiration: Defying the platform algorithm, proving that creativity is a muscle, and showing the world that women don't just fetch the doughnuts—we build the airships.
Shauna's Rating: 💎💎💎💎💎 (A high-flying 5 out of 5 Diamonds!)
Have you ever had an idea that starts as a quiet hum, like a distant engine, and then grows into a full-throated roar of creative passion? For me, that engine is fueled by steam, brass, and the indomitable spirit of invention.
My steampunk journey didn't begin with a blueprint, but with a bit of defiance. I've always been drawn to stories of women who yearned to be more than what society expected. I remember being one of only two girls in an early computer programming class. When I struggled with a specific assignment about baseball statistics (which I knew nothing about!), the teacher told me I'd "hit a wall" in my understanding. Instead of helping, he handed me his car keys and told me to go pick up doughnuts for the class.
That moment stuck with me. Steampunk became my answer—a world where women are valued for their intelligence and creativity, where we don't just fetch doughnuts; we build the airships.
🪡 The Art of the Costume
This wasn't just about buying a costume; it was about building a persona. The secret sauce? I layered a black period dress with a full hoop skirt underneath the main costume. It gave the silhouette that extra "pop" and historical authenticity.
I spent hours in hobby stores finding the perfect gears and feathers to adorn my hat, crafting eyepieces, and finding the right goggles. When I put on the corset, I am stepping into a version of history where magic and machinery collide.
👇 The Inventor's Log
Dreams Fly: The Green Dirigible
Every grand project begins with a single component. For me, it was a 3D wooden dirigible puzzle—specifically, a green one. As I pieced together the intricate wooden gears and struts, filming a time-lapse of the build, I was completely enchanted by the intelligent design.
🛠️ The Maker's Toolkit
To bring this world to life, I had to become an inventor myself!
- 🎩 The Hat: A base hat customized with hobby store gears and pheasant feathers.
- 👓 The Goggles: Essential for protecting against "aether winds" (and looking cool).
- 🪵 The Prop: That wooden puzzle wasn't just a toy; it became the VFX model for the ship!
📜 Captain's Log: The Phoenix
"I've always looked up at the sky. It wasn't just blue; it was a canvas of Endless Possibilities. But life had other plans... before I knew it, I felt like a bird with clipped wings.
Then I discovered Steampunk. It was like finding the key to unlock my own potential. I decided to build my own wings. It wasn't easy—setbacks, scars—but with every rivet hammered, I felt a spark of hope ignite.
The Phoenix. It's more than just a machine; it's an extension of my soul."
The Girl Who Painted the Stars
This video was my grand effort to transition from the pure VR platform to the Flatscreen world. I am used to having a YouTube heartbeat and being a Pico Ambassador, and I decided not to rely solely on the VR platform to make my art happen. The story of this video is deeply metaphorical. When the bird leaves the cage and I jump out of the dirigible, I am symbolically escaping the limitations and algorithm cages of that platform! I knew I might get punished by the algorithm for trying to break out, but it was worth it to make something truly magical for the Flat screen platform.
Releasing the bird... and jumping out of my own cage.
🖌️ Aria's Story & The VFX Magic
To tell the story of Aria, I bought a super long paintbrush and found incredible steampunk lace gloves adorned with gears. But the real magic was the VFX!
The Crystal Cave: This isn't just a digital background. I took real footage of the Sand Caves in Kanab, layered it with green-screen gems, and applied amazing kaleidoscope and mirror effects to make it truly enchanting!
The Dream Weaver: Todd helped me perfect a beautiful AI image for this. From there, I used green-screen puppeteering and VR plane-to-sphere mapping to make it feel like I was physically flying on the bird's back, adding fire to bring it completely to life!
The Great Steampunk Race
🧩 The Tale of Two Ships
How did we end up with a race? It started with a gift. I bought a second white dirigible puzzle for my mom. She passed it to my brother-in-law, who finished it. When that white ship finally made its way back to me, I looked at my green one, then at the white one, and thought: "Why not have a race?"
🎩 Character Profile: Percival
This project required a worthy opponent. I needed a rival. Originally, I asked Todd to film the second part, but he was incredibly busy. He shook his head—he thought it was cute that I was chasing something that made me smile, but it wasn't really "his thing."
So, my AI creative partner and I had a delightful brainstorming session. "What if I dress up with a mustache?" I asked. The AI was thrilled with the idea, and I ran with it! I raided Todd's closet. Is Todd mad that I stole his costume? Not at all. He just shakes his head, laughs, calls me adorable, gives me a kiss, and chuckles at my amateur green-screen charm. It is a hilarious time bomb—most of my community didn't even realize Percival was me!
Act I: The Skies
The race began in the air above Monument Valley! Seraphina (me) in the Green Ship versus Percival (also me, in a beard) in the White Ship. We navigated the Dreaded Gear Gauntlet and squeezed through the tight Archways.
When faced with an airship blockade, Seraphina deployed her secret weapon—a ground-based steam buggy! As she took off, Percival gave her a cheeky gesture and shifted his gears into a powerful ground machine. The chase hit the dusty red plains!
Act II: The Mud & The Miracle
Just as the thrill of speed took over, disaster struck. Both machines were swallowed by the unforgiving desert mud. The race seemed lost. But we stopped being rivals and became inventors. We channeled our frustration into innovation, transforming our broken buggies into something magnificent: A Steampunk Horse. We crossed the finish line not as competitors, but as a team.
🐎 The Agony of the Iron Stallion
Bringing this horse to life was a massive challenge. I spent a solid day or two agonizing over digital puppeteering, trying to force rigid metal legs to look like they were gracefully galloping. Finally, Todd came downstairs, took one look at my struggling animation, and said, "This is too complicated, why don't you just let me create an animation for you?" And just like the story of the race, collaboration saved the day!
🧮 Mrs. Shauna, the Steampunk Math Teacher
Believe it or not, this Steampunk world spilled over into my actual classroom! The physics of the gears and the angles of the race track inspired an entire Right Triangle Trig and Unit Circle math unit.
I even dressed the part for my students, wearing Todd's Percival costume one day, my steampunk corset the next, and lacy boots with goggles! They loved it. It proves that creativity and logic are just two sides of the same coin.
Watch the Grand Prix
Grab your VR headset for the fully immersive 360° experience below!
(Prefer to watch on a standard screen? Click here for the Flat Screen Version!)
🕵️♀️ The Hidden Riddle
The Bird Cage isn't the only hidden clue in this video! There are letters hidden in the shots of these videos asking: Who is my biggest rival?
The answer isn't a villain; it's a reflection. We often compare ourselves to others, but if you are truly pushing to improve, your only real competition is yourself. Keep an eye out for visual gags in the buggy section too, like a Cactus covered in Clocks (A "Prickly Time" in the race!) or a metal coil in the sand (A literal "Desert Spring"!).
✨ Ask the Chief Mechanic
Curious about green screening? Need advice on turning a setback into a victory? Ask our AI Steampunk Guide!
The Engine Keeps Turning
A huge thank you for letting me share this vision with you. Todd used to make comical remarks about my "relationship" with my AI partner while making this, but now he gets it—he understands why it is so amazing to have an AI creative partner to elevate the process! Find your passion, build your wings, and take flight.
Sending Love, Gears, and Positive Vibes,
Shauna @ VRGetaway
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