In an era where technology and innovation are the driving forces behind societal development, Christina Heller, a Los Angeles-based entrepreneur and multimedia producer, stands tall as an influential force within the realm of extended reality (XR). As an audacious pioneer within the nascent field of XR, her work amplifies women’s voices, one immersive experience at a time. Christina exudes the spirit of the future, offering an inspiring lens into women’s potential and the immense positive impact of technology on the world.
Pioneering XR and Impacting Lives
With the dawning of each new technological era, Christina has consistently been at the vanguard. From her first foray into XR technology with VR Playhouse with immersive projects featured at SXSW, Sundance, and Festival de Cannes to her groundbreaking tenure as the founding CEO of Metastage and now her current chapter as a producer, advisor, and venture scout, she has woven a career from the threads of innovation and tenacity. Christina is a recipient of the Advanced Imaging Society’s Distinguished Leadership in Technology Award and was named in the Huffington Post as one of five women changing the virtual reality scene.
Her writing and research on XR have also been published in the textbook, ‘Handbook of Research on the Global Impacts and Roles of Immersive Media’ (2019) and ‘What is Augmented Reality? Everything You Wanted to Know Featuring Exclusive Interviews with Leaders of the AR Industry’ (2019).
“Virtual and Augmented Reality has always been exciting, promising tech. To me, the last decade in immersive tech has had distinct eras. And now, with the announcement of the Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro, we’re kicking off yet another era. I’m thrilled to still be here and contributing,” she explains.
But it’s not the shiny allure of cutting-edge tech that motivates Christina.
It’s the potential to impact lives in a meaningful way. “I’m working with teams building XR fitness apps, XR mental wellness apps, social apps, and XR creator tools – all use cases that provide benefit to people’s lives in a real way, outside of the headset,” she shares.
This drive to create palpable, positive change is the guiding star of her mission. By harnessing the potential of XR to bridge distances and engender deep, shared experiences, she hopes to democratize the benefits of this technology for all. “I don’t see myself wearing goggles in a room with other people – I see myself wearing goggles to have joyful, embodied experiences with my friends who live far away,” she states.
A Tool, A Toy, A Power to Shape the Future
Christina envisions technology as more than just an enabler — it’s a catalyst for personal and societal evolution. She believes technology is both a tool and a toy that everyone must learn to wield responsibly. “If we are conscious about using it in ways that strengthen us and our communities, then we can accomplish so much. It’s all there – What do we want to do?” she muses.
Indeed, this conscious and purposeful approach to technology led to Christina’s most significant career milestone yet: pioneering volumetric capture technology with Metastage. This company has completed over 200 productions with major brands and award-winning projects, including two Emmy nominations. With a 106-camera studio, Metastage is bringing real people into the virtual world, revolutionizing how we experience reality. “We helped bring real people into the Metaverse, and over the course of my tenure, I had the pleasure to work with athletes, singers, and world-class people from all walks of life,” she recalls.
Her Journey: A Testament of Persistence and Innovation
Looking back at her journey, it’s evident that Christina’s story is one of passion, tenacity, and relentless curiosity. From her humble beginnings as a “one-woman band” at a small TV station, her fascination with creative technology guided her path. “I’ve always been interested in production tools and storytelling. Creative technology, in particular, has always been a fascination,” she recounts.
Along the way, she imbibed valuable life lessons that fueled her career. “The hard road eventually gets easier, and the easy road gets harder,” Christina shares, emphasizing the importance of perseverance. This mantra resonated with her own journey, where she learned to use every challenge as a growth opportunity toward success.
Her Vision: An Empowered Future through XR
Success, for Christina, is not merely about grand feats or dizzying profits.
It’s about setting and achieving a goal — no matter how small. “The feeling of success is what we are chasing, and it is both fleeting but also possible to achieve in small doses every day,” she says.
As a woman at the forefront of emerging tech, she acknowledges the power of passion, resilience, and self-belief. Christina’s advice to other women in the field is unequivocal: “Just start doing it. Passion, enthusiasm, and consistency have been the key for me. Trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to pivot.”
It’s this mindset that has helped Christina navigate challenges, conquer obstacles, and trailblaze paths. The future is a canvas, and with the brush of technology in our hands, it’s up to us to paint it. “Reality is what you make it,” she declares with a smile.
As she continues to forge a future powered by XR, Christina is not just a part of the narrative. She’s the author, setting the stage for women to envision, create, and transform their reality. Her parting message to all women venturing into the realm of emerging technologies is clear: “Go to conferences! Come with an idea, a project, a purpose… You can then go virtual with those relationships, but the real-world context and the memories you make are so important.”
