Category: Felix & Paul Studios

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Felix & Paul to Release Alegría – A Spark of Light for Oculus Go This Week

Alegría - A Spark of Light

Felix & Paul Studios has a long illustrious history creating live-action immersive content, especially when it comes to working with Cirque du Soleil. The studio has now revealed its latest collaboration Alegría – A Spark of Light due for release in a couple of days.

Alegría - A Spark of Light

The sixth virtual reality (VR) production Felix & Paul Studios and Cirque du Soleil have made together Alegría – A Spark of Light promises to be the studios’ most ambitious to date.

Offering a 14-minute experience of Cirque du Soleil’s iconic production, it was created with an elaborate set of over 100 cameras and mirrors; Felix & Paul using its latest camera system and post-production platform. As well as several camera designs custom-built for this experience, its latest camera the Gen4 was employed for the first time on a Cirque du Soleil production.

This is also the first time the pair have used CGI effects in a project, creating objects like the floating crystal seen below to increase the visual spectacle.

Alegría - A Spark of Light

‘’From the mind-bending amount of VR cameras that were used on set to create realistic reflections of the performers and acrobats, to the elaborate post-production process our team devised and forged through to produce the various tableaux of this piece, this project raises the bar for what can
be accomplished through an immersive cinematic experience,” said Paul Raphaël and Félix Lajeunesse, co-founders and creative directors of Felix & Paul Studios in a statement.

Alegría – A Spark of Light will be made available on Thursday 30th April on the U+VR platform in South Korea, while fans around the rest of the world can use Oculus Go or Samsung Gear VR.

As mentioned this is Felix & Paul Studios sixth time working with Cirque du Soleil, the first being Zarkana followed by Inside the Box of Kurios. The studios’ other works include Gymnasia, The People’s House: Inside the White House with Barack and Michelle Obama and Marshall from Detroit.

Check out the trailer below and for further updates from Felix & Paul Studios keep reading VRFocus.

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The VR Job Hub: Beat Games, PwC, MyndVR & More

It’s Easter Sunday here in the UK, with it being a bumper four-day weekend for many workers. And at the same time, the sun is shining for once. So hopefully you’re job hunting and reading this in the fresh Spring air, catching some rays and sipping on a nice glass of your favourite tipple. 

Location Company Role Link
Prague, Czech Republic Beat Games Social Media/Community Manager (Beat Saber) Click Here to Apply
London, UK PwC Marketing Manager Click Here to Apply
London, UK Admix Growth Lead/Digital Marketer Click Here to Apply
Texas, US MyndVR Unity Developer Click Here to Apply
Texas, US MyndVR Android / IOS Engineer Click Here to Apply
Texas, US MyndVR 3D Visual Artist Click Here to Apply
Texas, US MyndVR Content Licensing Click Here to Apply
Texas, US MyndVR Community Relations Click Here to Apply
Texas, US MyndVR Media Relations Click Here to Apply
Texas, US MyndVR 360 Video Cinematography Click Here to Apply
Montreal, Canada Felix & Paul Studios VR Technical Artist Click Here to Apply
Montreal, Canada Felix & Paul Studios Lead Systems Administrator

 

 Click Here to Apply
Montreal, Canada Felix & Paul Studios Senior Generalist Programmer Click Here to Apply
Montreal, Canada Felix & Paul Studios Technical Producer Click Here to Apply

Don’t forget, if there wasn’t anything that took your fancy this week there’s always last week’s listings on The VR Job Hub to check as well.

If you are an employer looking for someone to fill an immersive technology related role – regardless of the industry – don’t forget you can send us the lowdown on the position and we’ll be sure to feature it in that following week’s feature. Details should be sent to Peter Graham (pgraham@vrfocus.com).

We’ll see you next week on VRFocus at the usual time of 3PM (UK) for another selection of jobs from around the world.

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Felix & Paul Studios’ Gymnasia to Premiere at Tribeca

The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival begins next week in New York and prolific virtual reality (VR) content creators Felix & Paul Studios will be premiering their latest short film, Gymnasia to guests.

Gymnasia Felix & Paul Studios

Created in collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada, Gymnasia is a six-minute cinematic VR experience which blends 3D 360-degree video, stop motion animation, miniatures and computer-generated graphics (CGI).

Produced by Felix & Paul Studios‘ Stéphane Rituit and Dana Dansereau (NFB) and directed by the award-winning duo Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski (Clyde Henry Productions), the experience is billed as a weird dark dream, where viewers step into the stillness of an abandoned school and enter a place where the ghostly ephemera of a lost childhood await them.

“We are honoured to once again premiere our work and be part of the official selection at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival,” said Paul Raphaël, co-founder and creative director of Felix & Paul Studios in a statement. “We collaborated with Chris, Maciek and Patrick on our very first VR experience, Strangers with Patrick Watson, so it was both fascinating and rewarding to see how much the medium has evolved in the short five years since our studio produced that inaugural VR piece.”

Gymnasia Felix & Paul Studios

Gymnasia isn’t just about donning a VR headset and watching a film for a few minutes. Being shown in Tribeca’s Virtual Arcade Gymnasia is a theatrical event, designed to distort visitors perception of scale right from the start by integrating life-size puppets into the environment. This was produced and installed by Montreal’s Phi Centre, supported by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute as part of the Niepodległa programme.

“For us, creating VR has always been as much about the neuroscience of this fresh medium as it is about art theory. Indeed, in no other art form are aesthetics and science so aligned,” said Chris Lavis, co-director of Gymnasia. “The Gymnasia installation at Tribeca will be an engaging and surreal experience for festival-goers and our hope is that this unique installation will completely upend their sense of scale and reality.”

Gymnasia might be premiering at Tribeca but VR fans will also be able to watch the film soon, with a release scheduled to take place via the Oculus Store on 26th April. For further Felix & Paul updates, keep reading VRFocus.

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Eminem’s VR Documentary ‘Marshall from Detroit’ Now Available on Rift, Go & Gear VR

VR film production house Felix & Paul Studios debuted Marshall From Detroit at Sundance 2019 last month, a short virtual reality documentary featuring famous rappers Eminem and Sway Calloway. Now Oculus platform users can hop into the limo with Eminem too on his pensive ride through the streets of Motown.

Update (February 22nd, 2019): Oculus has released ‘Marshall from Detroit’ for free on Oculus Rift, Oculus Go, and Gear VR.

The original article announcing the film follows below:

Original Article (January 23rd, 2019): Marshall from Detroit is a 3D, 360-degree video featuring Marshall Mathers (Eminem) and Sway Calloway. Directed by Caleb Slain, the short film takes the viewer on a night ride through Detroit, featuring a candid conversation about the rapper’s thoughts and views on the city.

Created by Felix & Paul in partnership with Oculus, the full 21-minute VR experience is set to premiere at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival’s New Frontier exhibition starting tomorrow. Marshall from Detroit is being shown alongside Traveling While Black, another Felix & Paul production.

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There’s no word on when Marshall from Detroit will land on headsets for home users, however we’re betting it will come to the Oculus platform sometime soon (see update).

The Emmy Award-winning studio has created many original immersive experiences including MIYUBI, the Nomads series, Strangers, The Confessional, and the Space Explorers series. Felix & Paul have also created several productions for existing franchises such as Jurassic World, Cirque du Soleil, Wild, and Isle of Dogs. High-profile collaborations have seen VR experiences created for NASA, SpaceX, President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, LeBron James, President Bill Clinton, Wes Anderson, Brie Larson, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Murray to name a few.

The post Eminem’s VR Documentary ‘Marshall from Detroit’ Now Available on Rift, Go & Gear VR appeared first on Road to VR.

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Felix & Paul Studios’ Jurassic World: Blue Episode 2 Stomps onto Oculus Rift, Oculus Go and Gear VR

You might not believe it but it’s been 25 years since the original Jurassic Park launched in cinemas. And to celebrate Felix & Paul Studios has released Jurassic World: Blue Episode 2 for Oculus Rift, Oculus Go, and Samsung Gear VR. 

Jurassic World Blue Chapter2.1

Having launched Jurassic World: Blue Episode 1 last month, Episode 2 follows the eponymous Velociraptor in her fight for survival scouring for food and searching for signs of life while a volcanic eruption threatens all life on Isla Nublar.

“Integrating live action filmmaking with visual effects and animation to deliver a seamless, immersive experience for the audience was no easy feat,” said Paul Raphaël, co-founder and creative director at Felix & Paul Studios. “Each unique chapter of Jurassic World: Blue highlights how 3D, 360-degree experiences can create a visceral, emotional cinematic experience for users. The new Oculus Go headset is the ideal vehicle to bring this fascinating new form of entertainment to a mass audience.”

Created by Felix & Paul Studios, Universal Pictures and Facebook’s Oculus – with visual effects and animation by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and sound by Headspace Studio, Jurassic World: Blue delivers a single, continuous take, combining live-action and CG in 3D 360° virtual reality (VR).

Jurassic World Blue Chapter2.2

“25 years ago, this franchise broke new ground in cinematic experiences and technical achievements, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to see it realized today in VR with the incredible visuals and immersion that Jurassic World: Blue delivers,” adds Colum Slevin, Head of Experiences, Oculus. “With the recent launch of Oculus Go, and both chapters now available across multiple devices, we’re excited that fans around the world will be able to enjoy this iconic series in a whole new way.”

The follow-up to 2015’s highly acclaimed VR experience Jurassic World: Apatosaurus, Chapter 2 of Jurassic World: Blue is available now for Oculus Go, Oculus Rift and the Gear VR. For any further updates from Felix & Paul Studios, keep reading VRFocus.

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Felix & Paul Studios Expanding Thanks To Government Grant

Felix & Paul Studios, pioneers in cinematic virtual reality (VR) experiences have been awarded $350,000 (CAD) in financial assistance by the Government of Canada to aid the company is expanding its business.

The Confessional

The move is part of the Government of Canada’s plan to help innovative enterprises perform and market their products internationally which in turn would help to stimulate the economic growth of Canada, while ensuring the sustainability of local business. The repayable contribution sees  Felix & Paul Studios able to now expand their business by acquiring new equipment that will be able to meet their production and post-production needs.

The Montréal based company have been the creative minds behind a number of impressive VR content across devices such as the Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream. By combining technological innovations and creative to deliver unique cinematic VR experiences,  Felix & Paul Studios are also able to collaborate on larger productions including Jurassic World.

“I am very pleased about the financial assistance from the Government of Canada, which has chosen to build on the innovation capacity and desire to expand of a business that sets itself apart by its know-how, boldness and innovation. This contribution will help Felix & Paul Studios continue to develop and create highly skilled jobs.” David Lametti, Member of Parliament for LaSalle–Émard–Verdun and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

During the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, Felix & Paul Studios unveiled two new critically acclaimed VR experiences: its Space Explorers series and Isle of Dogs: Behind the Scenes, a VR experience accompanying the latest film by Wes Anderson. Through the funding granted by the Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) the company plan to expand with new servers, computers, specialized software, and production and post-production equipment which, once completed, will create 18 jobs for the business.

“Today we are seeing the results of many years of research and development. We are proud to offer the public here and abroad new avant-garde works that define the potential of this new medium. CED’s support is strengthening our growth prospects.” Stéphane Rituit, Director General, Felix & Paul Studios

For more on Felix & Paul Studios in the future, keep reading VRFocus.

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Five Oculus Experiences Head To Sundance Film Festival

The Sundance Film Festival has now begun – and as we’ve seen throughout the week on VRFocus a number of different experiences have announced their appearance at the event; often backed in some manner by a number of studios and creators. And when it comes to the hardware stakeholders it’s not just StarVR’s Starbreeze Studios, Oculus are also involved.

In fact, off the back of their recent announcement of Oculus Start, the Facebook owned company have revealed they are bringing five virtual reality (VR) experiences to the showcase which is taking place in Utah. “We’re excited to highlight five Oculus-supported experiences pushing the medium forward and celebrate their debuts at Sundance 2018.” Said the company in an entry on its blog where it also listed the five experiences, several of which we have featured here before on VRFocus.  You can find these below:

Dispatch

Written and directed by Edward Robles of Here Be Dragons, Dispatch follows a small-town police dispatcher (Martin Starr, Silicon Valley) as he faces an all-night crime spree. The experience takes you inside the dispatcher’s perspective in this episodic, audio-based miniseries. The first three episodes launched on Rift and Gear VR in November, and the finale will launch on the Oculus Store January 25 following its world premiere at Sundance.

Masters of the Sun

Launching today for Gear VR, Masters of the Sun is presented by will.i.am and The Black Eyed Peas. It takes place during the ’80s when ancient and modern forces of evil started destroying black communities. Vocal talent including Rakim, Queen Latifah, KRS-One, Jason Isaacs, Slick Rick, and comics industry legend Stan Lee tell the story of mobilization and reclaiming their city, fighting back against the evils of drugs, crime, and discrimination.

Space Explorers

The latest project from Felix & Paul Studios, Space Explorers lets you reach new heights through the power of VR. Created in partnership with NASA, the experience follows their astronauts as they prepare to launch into space. Space Explorers is coming to Oculus in 2018.

SPHERES

The first chapter of SPHERES, called Songs Of Spacetime, is debuting at Sundance. SPHERES is a three-part series that transports viewers into the deepest pockets of the Universe, bringing to life future worlds and exploring oneness with the cosmos. SPHERES is created by Eliza McNitt and will launch on Rift in 2018.

Wolves in the Walls

From the team behind the Emmy Award-winning project Henry comes Wolves in the Walls, a gorgeous, interactive adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean’s haunting work brought to life in VR. Wolves in the Walls is coming to Oculus in 2018.

VRFocus will have more news for you regarding The Sundance Film Festival next week.

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Felix & Paul Studios Launch The Confessional VR Comedy Series on Daydream

Award-winning creator of cinematic virtual reality (VR) experiences Felix & Paul Studios has announced the launch of a new  comedy series called The Confessional, available on Google Daydream and YouTube.

Created in collaboration with comedy festival Just for Laughs, The Confessional is a seven-episode series featuring  comedians and YouTube stars, including Lilly Singh, Trevor Noah, Judd Apatow, Howie Mandel, Jim Norton, Moshe Kasher, Natasha Leggero, and Grace Helbig & Mamrie Hart.

The Confessional Lilly Singh

Filmed over the course of 2017’s Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal, the series puts viewers in a confessional booth, face to face with one or two comedians, who then ‘confess’ their most awkward, humorous and embarrassing stories.

“When we approached Just For Laughs about creating VR’s first premium short comedy show, it was amazing how quickly we realised we had a shared creative vision – to create a new form of comedic experience by fusing VR’s capacity to create a strong sense of proximity and intimacy between viewer and talent, with the extraordinary quality of presence and performance of the best comedians. Think of ‘Comedians in Cars’ or ‘Between Two Ferns’, but in the highly immersive, intimate and personal medium of virtual reality where the viewer essentially becomes the host,” said Paul Raphaël, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Felix & Paul Studios in a statement. “We are thrilled to launch our first VR experiences on the Daydream platform and look forward to future collaborations with both Google and Just For Laughs.”

“We’re really excited to be partnering closely with talented creators like Felix & Paul Studios and Just For Laughs to bring innovative VR content to YouTube and Daydream. The Confessional series pairs their VR expertise with popular comedians like Lilly Singh and Trevor Noah, resulting in a fun, compelling new VR format for comedy. It’s an opportunity for viewers to connect with their favorite comedians like never before,”  said Julia Hamilton Trost, Business Development Manager, Daydream.

Available to stream for free on YouTube, and YouTube VR on Daydream, you can check out the trailer and first episode featuring Lilly Singh below. For any further updates from Felix & Paul Studios, keep reading VRFocus.

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Felix & Paul Show What Having The Right Stuff Involves

For anyone who has ever had the dream of becoming an astronaut and exploring space, an upcoming 360-degree film from acclaimed filmmakers Felix & Paul will soon be showing what it takes to be one of the privileged few who make it into space.

Felix & Paul are continuing their partnership with Oculus, who have funded the creation of the film, called Space Explorers, which is scheduled for release some time in 2018. The film was made with cooperation from NASA, Space X and even the Russian Space Program so the filmmakers could capture the process that creates and astronaut or cosmonaut.

The 30 minute film will show images of NASA’s Johnson Space Centre, including the specially constructed pool where trainee astronauts practice working in the kind of microgravity they can expect when in space. There will also be footage of the Mars Rover testing grounds at White Sands In Mexico.

There will, of course, be numerous interviews with astronauts and NASA scientists on the challenges, goals and triumphs of space exploration, showing a glimpse of what the future could hole for the current generation of trainees, who my one day be on their way to Mars.

A 3-minute trailer for the film is available to view below, and can also be seen in 360-degrees by using a Samsung Gear VR headset. Felix & Paul are hoping to show Space Explorers at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. If Space Explorers is successful, there are even tentative plans to do some further filming aboard the International Space Station.

VRFocus will bring you further news on Felix & Paul’s VR projects as it becomes available.

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Felix & Paul Win Emmy for The People’s House: Inside the White House

Earlier this year 360-degree content creators Felix & Paul Studios unveiled The People’s House: Inside the White House with Barack and Michelle Obama, with the then president taking viewers on a tour of the historic house. In recognition of its work, the studio has recently been awarded an Emmy for Outstanding Original Interactive Program.

Filmed over five days during November and December 2016, the documentary is 22-minutes in length as the former President and First Lady talk about their time in the White House, guiding viewers through the halls and rooms also includes scenes in the private residence.

The Peoples House Inside the White House with Barack and Michelle Obama_1

Felix & Paul Studios’ The People’s House beat out competition from Oculus Story Studios’ Dear Angelica and Oculus/Magnopus’ Mission: ISS to claim the top prize.

The People’s House: Inside the White House with Barack and Michelle Obama can be seen below or viewed on Facebook. For the full experience you’ll need either the Samsung Gear VR or Oculus Rift then download the content through Oculus Video.

For the latest 360-degree video coverage, keep reading VRFocus.