This year’s annual EarthX festival in Dallas, TX will offer participants a special treat: immersive experiences focused on environmental topics. Over 40 such experiences will give the public the chance to discover distant ecosystems of the Earth. Or even go deep inside a sequoia tree and explore it. And all these are possible thanks to EarthxInteractive, the sub-division of the film festival that aims to promote sustainable living.
The immersive experiences will focus on social issues, the world around us and of course how human life impacts the environment. They are in line with the declared purpose of the festival. And that’s to celebrate Earth and make people aware of how it is changing due to human activities.
What Kind of Immersive Experiences Can the Visitors Enjoy?
The lineup of events and programs has something to offer for everyone and covers a wide range of topics. People who enjoy outdoor activities can climb the 3,200-foot face of Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan without a rope. Of course, this will be a virtual climb. Titled Free Solo 360, it’s created by NatGeo in collaboration with Alex Honnold.
For those who are looking for some inspiration from people who are living a sustainable lifestyle, the immersive experiences lineup includes Guardians of the Kingdom. This 360-degree film will take visitors to Tonga, where the locals managed to make the transition from fishing and hunting to eco-tourism. The film is produced by UnderWater Earth and narrated by NatGeo explorer Sylvia Earle.
Other programs worth experiencing during EarthxInteractive 2019 are for example:
- Ghost Fleet VR – this immersive experience shows the world of slavery and illegal fishing and the efforts to stop it;
- The Wild Immersion – in this series of experiences, visitors will join Jane Goodall in adventures with whales, pandas, tigers and other wild animals;
- Wonders of the Sea – this augmented reality experience lets participants explore underwater wonders in Fiji and the Bahamas;
- Ocean Life Motion Tracking Wall – participants can learn how each person’s choices and actions impact the entire ocean ecosystem.
Some of the programs will be also available in Spanish, courtesy of EarthX Mexico and Memoria Virtual Mexico.
Who Is Behind the Immersive Experiences at EarthxInteractive 2019?
To make these immersive programs possible, the organizers partnered with reputable technology companies. Thus, some of the sponsors are big names in the AR/VR industry, such as: HTC VIVE, Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream Impact, and 360 Labs.
Speaking about this year’s festival, Tiffany Kieran, EarthxFilm Director of Interactive Programming and Partnerships, said:
“We want people to fall in love with nature and not just watch conservation efforts for dolphins, turtles and coral reefs, but feel like they are fully immersed and part of the efforts. We have seen how these experiences drive real life action.”
Also, the President of EarthX, Michael Cain, explained the choice for AR/VR experience for this year’s edition:
“Interactive experiences such as virtual reality and augmented reality harness the transformative power to truly permeate the minds of viewers through an unprecedented level of intimacy and immediacy with the content. Viewers are able to educate themselves in a way that truly allows them to put themselves in these environments and oftentimes sparks the drive to affect change.”
Experience World Premieres
The EarthxInteractive 2019 festival will feature six world premieres. One of them, for instance, is Tree Huggers by 360 Labs. It’s an immersive experience that transports viewers to the top of Portland’s tallest tree in order to help them experience and appreciate the forest. Then, there’s also The Elephant Keeper, a VR experience that lets participants feed and care for a baby elephant in order to form a deeper connection. The already mentioned Guardians of the Kingdom are also another world premiere.
If you want to learn more, you can find the entire lineup of the festival here. The EarthxInteractive 2019 will take place at Fair Park in Dallas, TX from April 26 to April 28.
