Immotion Group, the virtual reality entertainment specialist, has won a major award for its nature-inspired VR experience for zoos and attractions.
The company has won the 2023 Lumiere Award in the Best Use of VR category for its innovative GORILLA TREK documentary experience. The award was accepted at Beverly Hills Hotel by Immotion LBE president Rod Findley, writer/producer/Director Ken Musen, and editor/writer Howard Vu were on hand to accept the award on 10 February.
Other big-name winners this year included James Cameron, Baz Luhrmann, and Damien Chazelle, who collected accolades at the Advanced Imaging Society-organised event.
This accomplishment for Immotion serves as evidence of its fruitful partnership with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. The two-week trip into Rwanda’s Virunga Mountains was meticulously planned over six months by Immotion’s VR team under the direction of Dr Tara Stoinski, CEO and chief scientific officer of the Fossey Fund. They observed the complex social and family dynamics of a family of mountain gorillas there by visiting them every day.
The outcome is Immotion’s GORILLA TREK, a 7-minute motion-based VR experience that brings viewers to the Rwandan mountains where they journey alongside a famous primatologist and essentially blend in with the gorilla family.
On accepting the award Musen said: “With virtual reality, viewers are magically transported to exotic locations that normally they would never visit on their own, and interact with animals that they would normally never get to see. It is why VR is the perfect tool to spotlight conservation issues around the world.”
Education through entertainment
With over 30 locations worldwide, Immotion’s goal is to spread the word about conservation by integrating multi-seat virtual reality theatres into zoos and aquariums. Immotion collaborated with Habitat XR to provide production services and logistical support in Africa, as well as cutting-edge VR cameras for the creation of the 3D, 360-degree VR experience.
Findley adds: “Gorilla Trek is the crown jewel in our zoo offering and we are honoured to be recognised by the AIS. We look forward to sharing this amazing experience with new zoo partners around the world.”
Dr Stoinski and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund staff put in a continuous effort to save the gorillas of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is devoted to the conservation, protection, and study of gorillas and their African habitats. The Fossey Fund works together with local governments, communities, and partners from all around the world as part of its integrated approach to conservation.
