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Virtual Reality, Projection Mapping, and Augmented Reality, Oh My! 

September 12, 2019

A few too many syllables, but we love a good Wizard of Oz reference.  And, what is the Wizard of Oz if not a great big, classic film mash-up of our experiential services?

You’ve got Dorothy, transported via tornado to a brave new world.  She’s immersed in all the sights, sounds, and smells of Oz, from Munchkin Land to the Emerald City.  That’s a virtual reality experience if we ever saw one. And Oz himself? What an absolute Projection Mapping master!  

You’ve got limited time in your day, so we’ll cut this extended Oz metaphor short and get right to the point. 

The Tin Man and the Scarecrow walk with Dorothy through the dark forest

Traditional storytelling is one-dimensional.  People simply don’t learn and engage the same way they did 50 years ago (or even 5 years ago).  You know you need video in your communications strategy, but you might need to take it to the next level. 

Video is everywhere now, which means it’s becoming less and less effective.  (Did you know over 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute?  That’s 432,000 hours per day!) So much content is out there, vying for your attention, your time, your money.  If you want to compete, sometimes you’ve got to step it up.  

You don’t want to make a video just for the sake of making a video.  But, how do you make a splash? How do you bring your visual content to the next level? 

Answer: You don’t just make a video, you create an experience (using our services, of course.) 

Here at Launch Media, we believe in creating engaging visual content with tools like virtual reality and projection mapping.  With our Experiential Services, not only do you create amazing visual content, but you can create opportunities for your key publics to engage with your narrative in a meaningful way.  

These approaches are going to yield a greater impact because you’re making your audience part of your story.  You’re inviting them to participate with your brand message and engage with it. In this way, your audience is going to better understand your message.  They’ll feel more invested in your narrative.

So, what are your options?  What are Experiential services and what do they look like in practice for your business?  

Here are a few of the experiential services we offer: 

360 Video: Literal Multi-Dimensional Storytelling

Most videos you watch are pretty straightforward, right?  You pull up your preferred video platform, you pick your poison, and you press play.

But sometimes, you stop on a video and something is different.  The perspective changes. You can see new angles just with the click of your mouse or the drag of your finger.  You get way more freedom in your viewing experience. That’s what 360 video is.  

It’s a whole new way to watch.  Unlike regular videos, 360 video records every direction, every angle, so you get a full 360 view of everything.  It’s just like being there. You can control the viewing direction (as you do with your body in real life) and choose your own perspective.  

Just like with regular footage, 360 video still gives you room to add all the bells and whistles.  You can layer animation, text, and graphics to better emphasize parts of your narrative and drive home your message.  Viewers can explore new worlds from your mobile device or your desktop.  

Check out our project with MESH/Coast 360.  We integrated images, maps, and other elements to give their outreach teams a powerful tool to fight coastal erosion.  While watching the video, use your mouse (or your finger if you’re using a phone or tablet) to explore left, right, above and below!  

If you want to go a step further, you can completely immerse your audience with one of the many—and growing—options of Virtual Reality headsets. (Pro-Tip: It’s the standout addition to expo booths and product launches.) 

Virtual Reality: Building a World to Enhance an Experience

Carr….pe…… Di…..em….. 

Robin Williams in Dead Poet's Society Carpe Diem Gif
RIP Robin Williams

Carpe Diem!  Seize the day and the opportunity to immerse!  

Virtual Reality (affectionately known as VR) is a technology that creates a simulated environment.  And, it’s not just for gaming. VR gives the user an inside take that allows for total immersion and even interaction in the visual experience.  

There’s incredible potential for immersive video as a tool to aid or grow your business.  You want to tell your story, but imagine if your audience could see ALL sides to the story.

If you can imagine it, then we can build it.  The most common applications include training, tutorials, and tours—but since entire worlds can be created, there are no limits!  Everyone, everywhere can get on board. Viewers can experience the magic of VR on a phone or a tablet, in a browser, or on a headset.

FAQ: What’s the difference between 360 video and a complete virtual reality (VR) experience?  Check out our short example here to see. It moves the viewer from a simple 360 video application to a complete 3D VR environment. This video also uses composited stereoscopic graphics and an animated character, so you can see a few of the endless possibilities that this new technology brings to your digital communications toolbox.  

Using your mouse or finger, click and drag to explore left, right, above, and below!

Projection Mapping: It’s that unexpected, Instagram-worthy, still-talking-about-it-a-week-later, WOW factor to elevate any event

Anything can be a canvas.  Projection Mapping is another way to bring your visual story to life.  It’s truly an art that allows you to project video onto unexpected surfaces, like buildings or mountainsides.  From music festivals to product launches, project mapping is a useful and beautiful way to display your creativity and share your narrative.  

Using a sophisticated system of maps, we can tell projectors where and where not to project animations, video, and shapes—you’re only limited by your imagination!  

Its versatility is its strength.  We’ve done projection mapping for everything from film festivals to TEDXLSU.   It’s high-tech, high impact, custom made for your business needs at the event you create.  Use it for: 

    • Fundraisers and Galas
    • Annual Meetings
    • Award Banquets 
    • Art Installations 
    • Grand Openings
    • Anniversary and Milestone Events
    • Trade Shows
    • Conventions

Check out some of our favorite moments of Projection Mapping Magic.  

Augmented Reality: Bring Your Story to Life 

Pokemon Go examples in different outdoor scenes gif

Where virtual reality is about putting you into a whole new world, augmented reality is about adding to the experience of your current surroundings.  Essentially, augmented reality superimposes text, animation, graphics, or sounds through our devices into the world around us. It’s how Pokemon Go works.  

You can make your print or 2D collateral explode off the page.  Anything has the potential to become an immersive experience – print ads, product labels, billboards, and more.  

With current technology, augmented reality is more accessible than ever. It’s become a real option to uniquely reach and engage with your audience. By engaging with capabilities already on their phones, you can bridge traditional and new media to reach new engagement levels.

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Here at Launch Media, we’re not just a video company—we’re a media production company. We’re here to help you become a more accomplished communicator and grow your business with visual content. If you want to see it on a screen, we can create it. 

Unsure how these might work for you? Contact us and Schedule a free, 30 minute consultation with us. 

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