Connecting taitamariki to the land
A Waxeye case study
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Dive into Karanga a Tāne Mahuta, a cutting-edge VR experience linking taitamariki to their environment. Developed in te reo Māori with English options, this award winning immersive VR project explores unique species, fostering a deep understanding of environmental impacts.
360 video trailer for VR experience
Our proof of concept gave Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research the confidence they needed to expand the experience to three stages of prehistoric, present and future Aotearoa, which would take viewers on a 2000-year journey of our natural environment.
From meteor strikes to waka arrivals to today, our narrative explores significant changes to our environment, including the decline of forests and many native species that are iconic to Māori culture. Then it offers a glimpse at where we could be heading in the next 2,000 years, depending on the impact of decisions made now.
Our team of dedicated artists and developers toiled for 15 months to create 7 epic minutes of virtual reality. Everything from previsualization to high-resolution stereoscopic 360 rendering had to be engineered from scratch.
Making Of Video - behind the scenes of the VR experience
Through the hyper-realistic CG visuals and the dramatic 360 drone footage that lifts the user above the forest canopy as it is today, we've pushed the boundaries of traditional narrative and portrayed local history, heritage and geography in a new and innovative way. This project explores pioneering ways of intergenerational knowledge transfer, which is an urgent concern for many iwi, especially Te Rarawa.
