Last Lions Left on Earth at Lionsrock Museum

Virtual museum "Lionsrock" asks visitors to imagine a future where lions are functionally extinct. It’s based on a real South African sanctuary, but set 30 years in the future as a paradocumentary and immersive experience foreshadowing the planet’s trend toward mass extinction. Combining documentary footage and emergent media elements, this project explores the cultural significance and precarious fate of a charismatic species. Over the last two decades, the wild lion population has dropped from 75K to 30K individuals due to hunting, habitat loss, trafficking, and human conflicts.

Your tour guide is Nala, a character based on a real rescue lion. Nala’s avatar showcases how lions have inspired humans – and how we’ve both exalted and harmed them. Through a sci-fi veneer, the museum conveys a historical and anthrozoological narrative about a grim concept: extinction. By bearing witness to the human-lion bond over centuries, the AR setting elicits an emotional response and highlights the protection we owe lions.

  • Saryn Lisa Chorney
    Director
  • Saryn Lisa Chorney
    Writer
  • Saryn Lisa Chorney
    Producer
  • Kate Stevenson
    Producer
    DotDot Studio
  • Saryn Lisa Chorney
    Key Cast
    "Nala"
  • Chris Andersen
    Lead Artists
    DotDot Studio
  • Chris White
    Key Collaborators
    DotDot Studio
  • Jacques Foottit
    Key Collaborators
    DotDot Studio
  • Chris Liu
    Key Collaborators
    DotDot Studio
  • Project Type:
    Student
  • Genres:
    Paradocumentary, Sci-Fi, Wildlife
  • Minimum Runtime:
    1 minute
  • Maximum Runtime:
    30 minutes
  • Average Runtime:
    15 minutes
  • Variable Runtime Details:
    When audiences enter the digital/interactive space, they can wander around and look at art, read the descriptions, and click on the images or sculptures to reveal short video installations they may watch which vary in length. There are a total of 7 videos, between 1:00 - 5:35 minutes long.
  • Completion Date:
    May 9, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    4,863 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Student Project:
    Yes - New York University
Director Biography - Saryn Lisa Chorney

Saryn Chorney is a journalist, content strategist, multimedia artist & storyteller, and media consultant. She specializes in animal advocacy, human health, sustainability, and culture. Currently a freelance contributor to Travel & Leisure, People, Marie Claire, Towwn, and more, Saryn was previously a senior editor at People and the founding editor of two websites launched by MSN and AOL.

In May 2022, Saryn completed her MA in Animal Studies within the Environmental Studies department at NYU. She holds a BA in Communications and Film Studies from UPENN. The majority of her research at NYU has focused on African lion welfare and conservation, as well as eco-tourism and the human-animal bond. Saryn’s final Capstone project, “The Last Lions Left on Earth” at Lionsrock Museum, is an XR (extended reality) immersive experience created in partnership with the international non-profit Four Paws and Lionsrock Sanctuary in South Africa. Her study, "Poor Welfare Indicators and Husbandry Practices at Lion (Panthera Leo) 'Cub-Petting' Facilities: Evidence from Public YouTube Videos" is set to publish in the October 2022 Special Tenth Anniversary Issue of the animal welfare science journal Animals.

Saryn resides in Brooklyn, New York.

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