London, 30th September 2020
For the first time, Oculus users will be able to experience live-action virtual reality in 8K 3D at 60fps as they discover a hidden world with Natural History Legend, David Attenborough. In a continuation of his landmark production, Micro Monsters, comes this awe-inspiring five-part immersive series that promises to reveal the real-life superpowers of arthropods, from a completely unique perspective.
Over five episodes, experience the conflicts, courtships, and communities of this micro world. Witness a scorpion and a centipede fight to the death; experience the process of an aphid miraculously cloning itself; and an army of green ants building incredible structures. Narrowly avoid the deadly ambush of a Trapdoor spider and become transfixed by the Portia spider’s deadly musical lullaby. Combining spectacular live-action close-ups with the power of computer graphics, watch a caterpillar’s transformation from inside its cocoon and discover a beetle’s secret chemical weapon.
Anthony Geffen, CEO of Atlantic Productions says “We are delighted that Micro Monsters’ captivating stories have been extended and transformed into the immersive space. Working in partnership with Alchemy and Oculus, this series will continue to entertain international audiences as it educates them about these unique creatures and their rarely seen worlds.”
Erich Cheng, Head of Immersive Media at Oculus From Facebook said, “Micro Monsters pioneers the next generation of immersive storytelling. The series’ combination of incredible narratives, best-in-class 3D quality and spatial sound, sets a new quality bar for immersive-video experiences in VR.”
Produced using a combination of specially developed 3D stereoscopic camera rigs, 180° live-action capture, and newly developed VFX compositing techniques, Micro Monsters showcases the best in immersive media production pipelines. Every detail is revealed, for example, the beat of a butterfly wing, through the incredibly high frame rate (60fps) elevated with spatial sound design. This state-of-the-art storytelling is delivered to users thanks to high resolution streaming and caching support on Oculus TV, allowing users to enjoy the incredible stories of Micro Monsters at 8K resolution on the latest Quest headsets.
“We’re so excited to share this breathtaking and education-enriching experience that demonstrates the true potential of live-action VR. The genuine sense of presence you’ll feel inside these micro worlds couldn’t be achieved through any other story-telling medium.” says Elliot Graves, Director of Alchemy Immersive.
Micro Monsters with David Attenborough is an Alchemy Immersive production, co-produced by Oculus From Facebook and produced by Atlantic Productions’ immersive division Alchemy Immersive in collaboration with ZOO VFX and 1.618 Digital. The experience will be available via Oculus TV in 8K on Oculus Quest 2, and in 5K on Quest.
Join David Attenborough to discover the world of bugs from an entirely new perspective, only possible in Virtual Reality. These real-life superpowers need to be seen to be believed. Episodes are exclusively available on Oculus TV in Oculus Quest headsets on the 6th of October at: alchemyimmersive.com/micromonsters
About Alchemy Immersive
Alchemy Immersive is an award-winning immersive production studio. Their mission is to create compelling, immersive experiences like no one else. They create breathtaking experiences through a combination of storytelling and technical innovation covering Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality, Projection Mapping, App Development and even AI. Their groundbreaking work was recognised with the first BAFTA awarded to a VR production for David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef. Alchemy’s potential is reinforced by its extraordinary access to IP that includes Stephen Hawking, RMS Titanic and Sir David Attenborough. Alchemy’s work has been displayed on a diverse range of globally established platforms; from famous cultural institutions such as London’s Science Museum and Sydney’s Australian Museum to platforms such as Sony Playstation VR.
About Atlantic Productions
Founded in 1992, Atlantic is respected for its unparalleled access and world-class storytelling. Their diverse output includes history, science, natural history, current affairs, observational, music, arts and drama content. They create outstanding cross-platform content across four dedicated companies, recognised by over 50 international awards, including multiple British Academy Awards and Emmy Awards for projects such as Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough. Seen by over a billion people in 150 countries across the globe, their productions are varied both in platform and in scope. Their output includes eleven projects with David Attenborough such as BAFTA award-winning Natural History projects, Flying Monsters & Museum Alive (Sky/IMAX). The Great Barrier Reef; Inside the Commons (BBC), Time Scanners (NatGeo), Apollo 11 (Discovery), Jerusalem, City of Heaven (Discovery) and the acclaimed theatrical film The Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest. Recent projects include the critically acclaimed Judi Dench: My Passion for Trees (BBC) and The Coronation with Queen Elizabeth (BBC/Smithsonian).
About Oculus
The Oculus team at Facebook Reality Labs is helping more people around the world collapse physical distance, come together, and connect through world-class VR hardware, software, and content. With global departments dedicated to cutting-edge research, computer vision, haptics, social interaction, and more, Oculus is committed to driving the state of the art forward through relentless innovation. Founded in 2012 and acquired by Facebook in 2014, Oculus has grown from the idea of a single headset to a powerful platform with a thriving ecosystem. Our developer community has built more than 1,000 games, apps, and experiences, all available on the Oculus Store. As we continue to push the boundaries of new technologies, we’re partnering with global communities and nonprofits to drive social change and foster a positive impact. VR’s potential to connect us to each other and our world is immense—and we’re just getting started.
