Extended reality (XR) entertainment company Shocap Entertainment has been pushing the envelope on XR entertainment and has been working with Canadian artist collective The 7 Fingers since 2019 to develop mixed reality experiences using real-time visual effects technology and on-stage human performances.
First up will be the Live and Virtual Circus, or “LiViCi,” which combines dynamic circus, musical storytelling, and visual effects and will be debuting later this year. Each performance in the series will be unique and will feature acrobats from The 7 Fingers.
As the ambitious project inches closer to its premiere, Shocap has announced a new partnership with video streaming company LiveSwitch to help power the real-time streaming of LiViCi. The two companies are working to scale the LiViCi platform to enable the live XR performances to be experienced simultaneously by both the in-person audience and those tuning in remotely via the online livestream or virtual reality.
Viewers will also be able to access the experience through a 3D multiplayer game, while the in-person performance will take place at Animatrik’s motion capture studio in Vancouver.
“What Shocap is accomplishing with the production of ‘LiViCi’ is truly cutting-edge. Innovation in both livestreamed productions and virtual reality experiences has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years but no one has quite combined them in the way Shocap is with their 4-Audience Model,” said Jerod Venema, CEO and Co-Founder of LiveSwitch, in a statement.
Athomas Goldberg, Executive Director of Shocap Entertainment, added, “By partnering with LiveSwitch and with the flexibility of their engine, it provides our high-end XR live entertainment projects with advanced livestream capabilities to enable a smooth digital experience for the enjoyment of global audiences.
“Their teams’ expertise in simplifying the intricacies involved in handling real-time motion capture data taken from the performances of live actors into the Unreal Engine is paramount in delivering synchronized believable virtual characters and shows. We’re thrilled to augment our events to new audiences and into the metaverse, and LiveSwitch is helping us achieve that.”