Creating a Hologram of Jim Lovell
Behind the scenes with producer Christine Selby-Regan, Apollo legend Jim Lovell, and Exhibitry founder Tracy Evans
In 2020, we had the extraordinary opportunity to film a life-size hologram of astronaut Jim Lovell — best known as the commander of Apollo 13. The experience became one of the most memorable sessions in our company’s history, and one of the most meaningful holograms we’ve ever produced.
We had already captured the three other living Apollo astronauts at our Houston-based holographic capture studio, part of our ongoing development of the HoloTube platform. But Jim wasn’t able to travel at the time, so we brought our portable holographic studio to him. We ended up setting up in a much-too-small back room of a library near his home — a far cry from a Hollywood soundstage, but just enough space to make it work. It’s proof that great work doesn’t always require the perfect environment — just the right tech, the right team, and the right story to tell.
At 92 years old, Jim brought a level of warmth, professionalism, and remarkable stamina that left all of us in awe. For the capture, he stood in one place for nearly two hours — often a challenge for actors a quarter his age. And he nailed it in one take. Eventually, he turned to me and said,
“Tracy, can I sit down for a bit? My legs are asleep.”
Of course, Commander Lovell.
It’s easy to forget that he and the other Apollo astronauts weren’t just veterans of spaceflight — they were veterans of decades of public appearances, interviews, and media shoots. Back in the 1960s, they called it “being in the barrel.” And here he was, more than 60 years later, still doing the job, still telling the story.
As we reviewed the footage that day, we knew we had captured something rare. Not just a visual record, but a legacy — rendered in light. A true holographic tribute to an Apollo hero, now preserved for future generations through the Exhibitry HoloTube platform, the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex, and NASA
Rest in peace, Jim. It was our honor to help preserve your story.