The NZVRARA (New Zealand VR/AR Association Inc.) and M Theory have signed a strategic partnership aimed to drive greater collaboration and export growth of VR and AR solutions.
Co-Founder of M Theory and Managing Director, Sam Ramlu will join the NZVRARA Board and is pledging to advocate for greater engagement between those New Zealand VR and AR companies producing marketing communications solutions, to build the scale necessary to secure international projects.
“We need to come together to showcase our work internally, work on our compatibility and capability, and work together to present a consortium of VR/AR skills to the outside world,” enthuses Sam.
In May 2017, Auckland-based creative agency, Method, launched a specialist augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) arm, M Theory, to increase capacity and to further invest in creative solutions using these digital technologies.
Despite the technology being new, Sam and her team delivered their first commercial VR experience in 2015 for Unitec and have already produced a wide range of brand experiences since, including an immersive tour of the digital advertising sites for QMS’ commuter network, and virtual and augmented reality experiences for Contact Energy, NZ Post, Panuku Development Auckland, and Torrens University Australia. They also partnered with other NZVRARA members, Staples Productions and AR/VR Garage to deliver an interactive tour of the Kumeu Film Studios.
Their AR and VR retelling of James Hurman’s ‘The Boy and the Lemon’ has been invited to exhibit at ‘The Future of Storytelling’, the world’s leading immersive storytelling event, to be held in New York in October 2017. Sam will be visiting New York and Los Angeles during October and will post field reports for NZVRARA members. We’re looking forward to a report from THE VOID (https://www.thevoid.com/) in New York, Sam!
For the NZVRARA, this strategic partnership formalises the roles of both organisations to work closer together to speed up the growth of the VR/AR sector for the benefit of New Zealand – a key objective of the Association.
NZVRARA Chair, Michael Gregg comments that the work has already begun, “With the support of M Theory, we have committed to presenting on the VR/AR sector and its members at the November Auckland ad:tech, and to hosting an Auckland summer speaker series to bring the industry closer to the sector. I encourage our members and industry participants to make the most of these opportunities to work together more closely to build the scale needed to engage meaningfully offshore.”
The New Zealand VR/AR Association is the official New Zealand chapter of the global VRARA (www.thevrara.com) and celebrated its first anniversary in September ’17. Current strategic partners of the NZVRARA include M Theory, AR/VR Garage, Blackeye VR and PROJECTR.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
For more on M Theory:
Samantha Ramlu
Managing Director, M Theory
Mobile +64 21 605 510 or [email protected]
www.mtheoryvr.com
For NZVRARA information, or to arrange member access to the AR/VR Garage:
Courteney Lomas
Executive Director, NZVRARA
Mobile 027 738 9340 or [email protected]
www.nzvrara.nz
For more on the NZVRARA:
Michael Gregg
Chair, NZVRARA
Mobile 021 838 583 or [email protected]