The annual Microsoft Build conference began yesterday with CEO Satya Nadella hosting a keynote address revealing some of the company’s plans for the future. But there’s more to Build 2017 than the keynote with plenty of session and demos taking place. Viacom NEXT, the emerging entertainment technology arm of Viacom, is there premiering a virtual reality (VR) music experience by Atlantic Records recording artist Max Frost for his song Withdrawal.
Using Microsoft Mixed Reality Capture technology, the video enables fans to watch photorealistic holographs of Frost whilst he sings and plays multiple instruments simultaneously in an immersive, underwater environment.
About the experience Frost said in a statement: “It was fun to work with Viacom and Microsoft to create this interactive fan experience for Withdrawal. Microsoft’s Mixed Reality Capture technology allowed us to blow past current 360˚ videos to produce an awesome VR music experience.”
“Withdrawal opens the door to a new medium of music and performance; it’s a first look at the future of music-based VR content. Using Microsoft technology we can now create even more immersive worlds for audiences to explore and enjoy. Withdrawal is one more milestone in Viacom’s continued collaboration with pioneering artists and innovators to produce a new generation of personalized experiences for audiences around the world,” added Chaki Ng, senior vice president, Viacom NEXT.
Withdrawal is the latest immersive experience from Viacom NEXT. In February the company showcased Hot Sugar’s The Melody of Dust at the SXSW Film Festival. During 2016 other productions include Chocolate by animator Tyler Hurd and a collaboration with animation studio Titmouse on Smash Party VR, a videogame released for the HTC Vive headset.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of Viacom NEXT, reporting back with the latest updates.