AIRBAG launches new VR facility

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damo-Oculus2.jpgAIRBAG has launched a brand new VR research and production facility, in line with its vision to be a full service next-generation production house.

VR and related technologies have dominated the discussion space in recent months, and AIRBAG’s collective of film directors, visual effects artists and technologists collide to bring a humanity to the tech. This offering is for interactive VR and 360 filmic content.

DSC01662.jpgSays Adrian Bosich, managing partner, AIRBAG: “We are passionate about film, tech and visual effects. When our storytellers work together with our geeks, the approach to technology is viewed through a narrative lens. And that’s how we move an audience – regardless of the medium. VR is interesting, but not when it’s a DSC01700.jpggimmick…when it actually engages people, and elicits an emotional response.”

AIRBAG has invested heavily in equipment, cameras and know-how in the exploding field of 360 panoramic film, and upgrading its post pipeline to service 360 VFX and colour grading. But they’re particularly excited to be bringing the filmic values and visual effects they’ve been offering to high end TVC production for years – into the world of VR.

All this builds on the work of the internationally lauded creative technology arm of AIRBAG, who just took out the Grand Prix in Interactive at AdFest for its work on the MIFF Emotional Trailer, via McCann Melbourne. The team living and breathing cars for the last few months has translated to technology projects for the Beijing Motorshow and beyond.

Meanwhile the R&D team have taken a step back to focus on VR for the last couple of months. Untethering the VR user to allow them to move around large scale spaces has been one of many key areas of research lately.

Says Steven Nicholson, chief geek, AIRBAG: “Every week we’re trying something new. Currently we’re excited by the mashup of our full body, large scale motion capture & finger tracking systems. Next week we’re looking to translate the work we’ve been doing with brainwave sensors and anatomy to explore entirely new experiences.”

Recently one of Airbag’s interactive directors, Aramique, created the art piece ‘Huit Phases de L’Illumination’ for Palais de Tokyo. It’s a VR piece that uses sensory overload and sensory deprivation to disconnect the participant from reality, and take them through eight virtual realities.

To chat VR, or one of the many tech spec ideas in play at any one time, contact Adrian Bosich on adrian@AIRBAG.co.