Project Overview
Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience transports the audience back to the Martian Invasion of 1898. The experience uses a unique combination of technology (VR - including volumetric capture, projection mapping, binaural sound), theatre (movie style sets, actors) and physical sensations (taste, temperature, touch, aroma) to create 2 hours of total immersion. Guests walk, crawl and slide through 24 rooms across a 22,000sq ft site in their attempt to survive the Martian invasion, all to the soundtrack of Jeff Wayne’s iconic 1978 album. In just 9 months it has entertained 43,000 visitors, been recognised as London’s favourite immersive experience and has a 94% ‘good/excellent’ rating on TripAdvisor. In 2020 it was recognised by the global THEA for its Innovation, awards described by the Evening Standard as ‘the Oscars of the industry’.
Organisation
Team
Andrew McGuinness - Founder, Layered Reality
Jon Scott - Co-Founder, Layered Reality
Carl Guyenette - Creative Director / Chief Technologist, Layered Reality
Andrew Cheshire - Technical Director, Layered Reality
Jack Pirie - Director and Writer
Tristan Bernays - Writer
Andy Barnes - Project Director
Matt Towner - General Manager
Emma Williamson - Digital Production Director
Tara Watney - Film Producer
Christopher Milnes - Content Producer
Faye Barber - Senior Digital Producer
Sam Bott - Live Performance Producer
Tim McQuillen-Wright - Production Designer
Susan Kulkarni - Costume Designer
Plazma - 3D Animation Studio
Dimension Studio - Volumetric Capture Studio
Immersive - Projection Mapping
Projection Artworks - Projection Mapping
Megan Stewart - Resident Director
Zoe Woodruff - Casting Director / Production Assistant
Amy Kate Dolan - Casting Director / Assistant Director
Jeff Wayne - Composer / Producer
Doreen Wayne - Writer
Damian Collier - Executive Producer
Theo Holloway - Sound Designer
Lindsay Key - Producer for Jeff Waynes Musical Version of The War of The Worlds
Lizzie Troup - Producer for Jeff Waynes Musical Version of The War of The Worlds
Project Brief
Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience provides a themed, totally immersive, full night out for experience seekers in the heart of London. The 1978 album has become one of the best selling albums of all time, and now audiences have the chance to be at the center of it. For Jeff Wayne and prog rock fans, this is the experience of a lifetime and a chance to live the music they love. For traditional theatre fans, the experience showcases how the latest in entertainment technology can amplify the theatrical experience and tell stories in a new and vibrant way. And for immersive theatre fans, the use of virtual reality and sensory stimulation throughout the experience provides immersion like no other.
The Layered Reality™ signature layering of multimedia elements is what has gained such media and public acclaim for this experience. Live actors, feature quality sets and full sensory stimulation layered with the virtual reality scenes provide the audience with a deeper level of immersion. The audience doesn’t just watch the war between the Martian Fighting Machines and Earth, they’re living through it! As they follow George Herbert on his journey to find his fiancee Carrie, they’ll help bandage wounded soldiers, escape through the trenches, catch a boat to London, and make a daring escape to Mars.
Project Need
The experience is unique in its layering of multimedia elements to amplify the traditional experience of virtual reality and enhance audience immersion. This complex combination of media and tools is only possible through the proprietary Show Control system developed on the Wintermute platform. Smell, touch, taste and physical sensation are layered over the traditional sights and sounds of virtual reality to play on the audience’s every sense. The audience smells the sulfur of the battlefields, feels the spray of the Thames and even gets perilously close to the claw of a Martian Handling Machine...
User Experience
The Layered Reality™ approach is unique in its combination of three multimedia elements to fully immerse the audience. Firstly, the audience’s journey takes them through feature quality sets and interactions with live actors. Secondly, the latest advancements in entertainment technology, virtual reality, volumetric holograms, projection mapping and binaural sound allow the audience to experience the 1898 War of The Worlds all around them. Thirdly, the senses are all simulated through controlled temperature, scents, touch and movement
A crucial part of the Layered Reality™ approach is providing a full package themed night out to the audience. Two bars provide themed food and drinks before, during and after the experience. In the experience’s central London location, the ability to provide the audience with an immersive, themed night out from start to finish is part of what has generated such a positive response to the experience. Steampunk decor, costumes and a giant Martian Fighting Machine in the entrance bar ensure that guests are fully immersed from the moment they enter the building.
Project Marketing
The production offers a truly unique user experience. The best way to measure the depth of the user experience and engagement is to read the audience comments on TripAdvisor (link below). From the moment the audience enters the venue they step inside the time of the Martian invasion. As they sip bespoke themed cocktails, iconic visuals come to life on the walls, 20 foot projection mapped Martian eyes scan the room and a variety of handcrafted Steampunk props surround them. Even the toilets make the ‘ULLLA’ sound as they flush. And all that’s before they enter the 2 hour long immersive experience. A secret bar accessible only to guests is available after an hour where guests are encased in the Red Weed detritus of the Martians.
Within the experience itself the audience is confronted by 150 foot Martian Fighting Machines, have a perilous boat ride down the Thames witnessing the Houses Of Parliament being destroyed before ending up in a “Philias Fogg’ style hot air balloon from which they see the destruction left behind by the invasion before finally beginning an interplanetary journey to the surface of Mars. It truly is an experience like no other.
Tripadvisor reviews - https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186338-d16843969-Reviews-Jeff_Wayne_s_The_War_of_The_Worlds_The_Immersive_Experience-London_England.html.
Project Privacy
Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience does not collect any audience data throughout the experience. Booker data is collected upon booking and guests can opt out of receiving email communication from Layered Reality™ at any time.
Digital - AR / VR - New Experiences
This category relates to AR / VR - New Experiences.
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