Passion Animation Studios and Gorillaz continue their groundbreaking partnership in collaboration with Google Spotlight Stories with the release of a six-minute Jamie Hewlett-directed epic animated VR film, featuring four tracks from the animated outfit's upcoming album, “Humanz.” The experience, which features the track “Saturnz Barz” in full, plus highlights of “Ascension,” “Andromeda” and “We Got The Power.” The film, titled “Saturnz Barz (Spirit House),” utilises cutting-edge VR video and will also be released in interactive form via Daydream in April. It's rather fitting that the world's first 'virtual' band (at least the first globally successful virtual band) would find a natural fit in VR. The production was handled by British producer Cara Speller, who already collaborated with Google Spotlight Stories in the past as the executive producer of “Pearl,” the first ever VR short nominated for an Academy Award.
In another exciting VR activation this week, GuiltFree has teamed up with content studio Whitecoat to bring to life a VR tour of Old Trafford, in a joint venture between Manchester United and Chevrolet. The Soho based audio post and music facility also provided the sound design on a pair of legend films promoting Chevrolet’s sponsorship of the football club, starring former United heroes Dwight Yorke and Dennis Irwin. Combining the latest equipment and techniques available in 360 VR production, Whitecoat and GuiltFree created a fully immersive experience in which you’re transported down the players tunnel and out onto the hallowed Old Trafford turf, where you can relive the moments that truly make the stadium the Theatre of Dreams. Developed for handheld devices and utilising the latest in Facebook’s 360 video technology, GuiltFree were tasked with making the sound as rich as possible. As well as the VR film, GuiltFree were briefed with providing the audio post on the two legend films, including some impromptu VO. The films star Dennis Irwin and Dwight Yorke, who both talk about the number of goals they’ve scored for Manchester United.
