February 2021

For most, virtual production came as a necessary pivot: with physicality on a forced hiatus, brands could only communicate virtually. And since we were all craving what we could not have, most virtual experiences were replacing and replicating the physical world we knew for a virtual world as close to reality as possible. Yet as we see the light at the end of the tunnel with vaccines rolling out and physical activations confirmed for late Spring, how do we foresee virtual evolving? First, we do not see it going away. Every client has confirmed that their new normal will include virtual and hybrid. Many of their clients will expect to have the flexibility to attend in person or virtually. Brands have also tasted the benefits of wider audiences and exciting video content created from virtual. Yet how will it evolve from here? We expect to see a reinforcement of the surreal over the real. We believe virtual technologies will allow brands to create and innovate instead of just replicate. What do we mean? Take the innovative concert of Travis Scott on Fortnite. The technology was impressive, the sound system perfect and the audience curated for the experience. Yet the most memorable aspect for us was the surreal environment that transported the audience out of their current physical worlds, and into a cloud-world of beauty. And why not? Why does a virtual concert need to be in a dark field with a stage in front? In the same way, why does a branded experience need to be in a space that replicates a store? Why not make it on the back of a cloud or at the top of Mount Everest if that is brand adapted? Or looking at Prada and their integration of sensorial elements into their virtual runway, we cannot imagine this textural extravaganza going away. Evolving certainly, but the Prada creative team has just unlocked a new avenue to kindle emotion. Why would they ever go back to plain video-casting? A new world of creativity is opening. We are excited by the possibilities.