ISMANING, Germany: AlphaTauri, Red Bull’s premium fashion brand, has launched a campaign using hybrid production for the first time, in which virtual and real elements merge to create a striking visual experience.
The campaign was realized in PLAZAMEDIA’s mixed reality studio in Ismaning near Munich.
The campaign, produced in the mixed reality studio, is being launched in three parts over the course of the year, is an important step in the strategic positioning of Red Bull’s premium fashion brand and is designed to firmly underline the brand’s focus on innovation and technology in the world of fashion. The campaign will be on display on social media, including behind-the-scenes content and material, and will also be shown in retail stores.
How the hybrid campaign with AlphaTauri was staged in PLAZAMEDIA’s mixed reality studio
The hybrid virtual production of the AlphaTauri campaign was provided using the so-called XR technology. This involves creating completely digital 3D worlds and displaying them on a LED wall in a studio. This virtual background is combined with actual physical objects, uniting the physical and digital layers and creating a new kind of visual experience. Until now, this technology has primarily been used in the film and gaming industry.
In PLAZAMEDIA’s Studio 6, a ROE Visual Diamond 2.6 LED wall was installed for the campaign. The campaign was shot with an ARRI-ALEXA-Mini-LF camera on a camera crane and with Mo-Sys Star Tracker System, which can determine the exact position of the camera in the room through tracking points attached to the ceiling. This information is passed to the Unreal Engine and as the camera moves, the parallaxes of the content on the LED wall shift and the image is recorded in the correct perspective in the camera. AlphaTauri supplied a total of three 3D worlds, which were adapted and enhanced by PLAZAMEDIA’s graphics department. To match the three 3D worlds, PLAZAMEDIA created three different sets with elaborate floor surfaces in front of the LED Wall.
Pilot project with focus on sustainable green production
PLAZAMEDIA and ARRI cooperated in the area of mixed reality for the first time last year, setting up an “LED Volume Studio” in Studio 6 at PLAZAMEDIA in Ismaning, which has set new standards for virtual applications. It was the goal of the collaboration, to adapt and optimize the complex mixed reality technology, which is becoming increasingly important in the film industry, in a way that is practical for TV and corporate productions. This resulted in new applications, innovative graphic content, forward-looking lighting concepts and technical integrations.
In this pilot project, too, PLAZAMEDIA, together with ARRI, is consistently pursuing its path toward sustainable green production: By using mixed reality, the real and digital worlds are mixed together in one studio. Instead of various locations around the globe, complex productions can be realized in a single studio, with significantly lower expenditures for resources and transportation – and a significantly better CO₂ balance to protect the environment even better.
From broadcasts to commercials to digital events: Mixed Reality Studio offers a wide range of possibilities for customers from different sectors
The use of mixed reality is ideal for media companies as well as for the advertising industry and the event and culture sector. In Ismaning, they can realize their productions and events in a state-of-the-art environment. In the broadcast area, both live and non-live formats can be realized, such as talk shows, magazines, sports broadcasts, esports shows, game and quiz shows, as well as TV links and moderation for various formats. In addition, classic film production and TV series/soaps as well as commercial film productions and on-air promotions can be implemented. An innovative mixed reality studio also provides an optimal stage for music videos and concert livestreams, digital events, press conferences, photo shoots and social media content.
Jens Friedrichs, chairman of the management board of PLAZAMEDIA GmbH, said: “Right from the start last year, our pilot project generated a great deal of interest in the media and among the general public as well as interested customers – especially thanks to the pioneering green production approach, which has already become a strong focus of numerous productions. The fact that AlphaTauri, a well-known international brand, has implemented its new campaign in our mixed reality studio, which explicitly stands for innovative brand experiences, underlines the high attractiveness of our new offering at the media capital Munich.”
