A method is disclosed for videoconferencing in a three-dimensional virtual environment. In the method, a position and direction, a specification of an emote, and a video stream are received. The position and direction specify a location and orientation in the virtual environment and are input by a first user. The specification of the emote is also input by the first user. The video stream is captured from a camera on a device of the first user that is positioned to capture photographic images of the first user. The video stream is mapped onto a three-dimensional model of an avatar. From a perspective of a virtual camera of a second user, the virtual environment is rendering for display to the second user. The rendered environment includes the mapped three-dimensional model of the avatar located at the position and oriented at the direction and the emote attached to the video stream-mapped avatar.