Las Vegas—Entertainment troupe Cirque du Soleil is getting its own virtual reality experience, with cinematic VR company Felix & Paul Studios producing a 12-minute video for the long-running aquatic show “O”.
Shown at CES, Dreams of O combines both slow-motion and underwater visuals, using the studio’s proprietary camera technology. The video can be found via the Oculus Store and works with the Samsung Gear VR headset.
“Cirque du Soleil’s ‘O’ is one of the world’s most innovative theatrical productions inspired by the infinity and elegance of water's pure form and delivered by world-class acrobats, synchronized swimmers and divers,” said Sebastian Sylwan, CTO for Felix & Paul Studios. “To immerse viewers in the same ethereal, dreamlike mood in an original VR experience, we combined simultaneous underwater and slow-motion shooting—a feat that required us to significantly modify our proprietary camera technology, merging the two techniques to more poignantly evoke the artistry, surrealism and theatrical romance of ‘O’.”
Cirque du Soleil and Felix & Paul Studios have produced works based on Cirque’s performances before, including the Emmy-winning Inside the Box of Kurios and KÀ The Battle Within, both in 2016.
“We're proud to release Dreams of O to celebrate the success of one of our most popular shows in Vegas,” said Jerry Nadal, senior VP of Cirque du Soleil’s residents shows division. “Our partnership with Felix & Paul Studios highlights Cirque’s leadership in pushing the boundaries of creating outstanding immersive experiences. Virtual reality allows us to explore state-of-the-art platforms to complement our live show experiences.”
