Article Written by CNC
Read the French article here
The Wild Immersion is a VR experience that brings viewers up close with wild animals. Its creator, Adrien Moisson, explains how he envisioned this “virtual reserve” supported by scientist Jane Goodall.
Flying with flamingos, encountering jaguars, and being surrounded by giraffes is the experience offered by Adrien Moisson in The Wild Immersion. This summer, the films were featured on VR Saturdays at the Forum des Images and at the Oceanopolis in Brest, and are now viewable at Pathé Beaugrenelle and Pathé La Villette in Paris, and since February 23 at the Jardin d’Acclimatation in Paris.
It all started with a realization. A former advertiser who studied veterinary science and a lover of animals, Moisson grew tired of using his energy to promote overconsumption: “We are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction. 50% of animal species have disappeared in less than 40 years. I had to do something.” His idea: to teleport people into nature. He explains, “The Lumière brothers invented cinema to offer the world to the world. Our goal with 360 VR movies is to take people to nature reserves so they can see that nature is beautiful and that animals possess absolute grace.” Indeed, Moisson’s ultimate desire is to make every viewer a citizen concerned with saving the planet: “I wanted to use new technologies, especially VR which offers a 360-degree view, to highlight the beauty of nature, to amaze people and create empathy to make viewers want to protect the animals they encounter.”
100 animals on 5 continents with VR movies
Moisson then approached a helmet manufacturer and found a favorable response at Lenovo. He set off around the world with director Raphaël Aupy, armed with 360-degree cameras, GoPros, Insta360s, and drones. Six months of filming were necessary to patiently gather images of whales, lions, or elephants. Four twelve-minute films are now available. Viewers can admire over 100 animals filmed in 30 different countries. Terra presents animals from the savannah and the jungle. There, one encounters a jaguar, is surrounded by elephants that gently touch them with their trunks, stands between the long legs of a giraffe, and finds themselves on the ground next to a tarantula. Aqua immerses viewers in the deep blue sea where they follow schools of multicolored fish and a whale shark. Alba takes them to cold regions where they levitate over a frozen lake and a herd of elk. Finally, The Cutest Film in the World is a tour of baby animals from around the world.
Support from Jane Goodall
Alongside the filming, M.Moisson gained the support of scientist Jane Goodall, a primatologist who has dedicated her life to combating the dangers of extinction facing great apes. The director notes, “She put on a VR headset, loved the project, and wanted to participate in the films to reinforce the preservation message.” Indeed, the primatologist’s motto is that “Every individual has an impact on the planet. Everyone can do something.” This is absolutely crucial in the approach of The Wild Immersion, which gives a new impulse to the animal documentary genre. It also helps those who fight on the ground, as a part of the cinema ticket price is allocated to the creation of natural reserves. Five are expected to open in the next three years, notably in Tanzania and India.
