Maestro, the famous white-bearded scholar and host of the “Once Upon a Time…” series, is now on BayaM with a new collection of 360° documentaries! This series allows viewers to discover wild animals from every angle by moving their tablet or phone through space. Camille Mougenot, project manager at Wild Immersion, the company behind this ambitious project, tells us more about this playful experience designed to sensitize children to the protection of biodiversity.
Can you tell us about the Wild Immersion project?
Camille Mougenot: Wild Immersion is a company that creates immersive experiences about the wild world for families. Since 2017, we have been using new technologies to educate about biodiversity conservation through experiences that combine virtual reality, augmented reality, and interactivity… Our catalog includes over 200 species from the 5 continents with 25 documentaries on different ecosystems and biomes around the world. We work with a variety of partners: online platforms, as well as places like zoos, aquariums, museums, and science centers…
How do the Maestro 360° experiences work?
C.M.: In the Maestro 360° experiences, our guide Maestro takes viewers on a journey around the world to get up close with wild animals: Savanna, Ocean, Jungle, Ice floe… Both young and old traverse different biomes and regions to discover their specifics, the incredible characteristics of their inhabitants, and also what threatens them. It’s a first awakening to biodiversity and conservation.
How did the idea of partnering with Hello Maestro come about?
C.M.: The “Once Upon a Time…” saga, created by Albert Barillé in 1978, is an iconic reference in French educational animation. With its educational and fun approach, its charismatic character, and the richness of its content, the “Once Upon a Time…” series offers a source of learning and entertainment for all. With these common values, Wild Immersion wanted to partner with this iconic saga to place Maestro as an ambassador of the wild world. Well known by both children and parents, Maestro becomes the guide for this transgenerational experience at the heart of nature.
Why is the young audience particularly important to you?
C.M.: At Wild Immersion, we fully share the mission of Jane Goodall, our patron: “My mission is to create a world where we can live in harmony with nature. And can I do it alone? No. There is a whole army of young people who can do it. So, I guess my mission is to reach as many of these young people as possible by my own efforts. There is a powerful force released when young people resolve to make a change.”
The younger generations are the future of our planet, and must therefore be at the heart of our efforts to protect it.
Behind this awareness mission, Wild Immersion also aims to highlight the positive power that new technologies can have on younger generations when they are used for educational purposes.
Can you tell us about the new BayaM feature that allows viewing without a virtual reality headset?
C.M.: Thanks to technological advancements, 360° is increasingly popular, not just through headsets, but also on other devices like tablets, computers, phones… Being able to enjoy 360° content without a headset also means making it accessible to the youngest who may not be suited for headsets, but also to enjoy it as a family all together! We are thrilled and honored to be the first 360° content hosted on the new BayaM platform, hoping that many more will follow to democratize access to 360° for young audiences!
How does this project fit into a desire to preserve nature and wild animals?
C.M.: At Wild Immersion, we are convinced that preservation comes through education and empathy: by bringing children as close to nature as possible without disturbing it, by promoting a positive message showing how beautiful nature is, by (re)creating this connection with the natural world that is sometimes lost in living in cities, we aim to inspire wonder, and through that, the will to protect and preserve the magnificent biodiversity around us.
What are the next steps for this partnership?
C.M.: Wild Immersion and Hello Maestro plan to create several immersive experiences together, which the public will be able to physically participate in at cultural venues, with virtual and mixed reality, as well as other multisensory and interactive activities. Stay tuned!
Do you have any tips to share with parents who are about to introduce this experience to their children?
C.M.: The principle of “turning within the image” at 360° is quite addictive, let the children play with the screen to discover all the corners of the ecosystems visited. But also take the opportunity to reconnect with Maestro and explore our images: there is no age to marvel at the beauty of nature!
