At the forefront of immersive storytelling and accessibility innovation, Dimension, a premier real-time production studio, has recently partnered with the iconic Glastonbury Festival to enhance the experience of Terminal 1, an emotionally charged installation spreading the message “No Human is Illegal.” This collaboration has birthed a groundbreaking VR walkthrough that allows visitors, including those with mobility needs, to engage deeply with the installation’s powerful narrative through cutting-edge virtual reality technology. The project is notable not only for its social message but for its remarkable use of real-time immersive media, expanding how inclusive storytelling can unfold in festival and event spaces.
Terminal 1 itself is a uniquely crafted space made up of five artist-designed cabins constructed from salvaged materials from Heathrow Terminal 1. The installation confronts contemporary migration issues with raw, poignant performances and interactive elements, such as a UK Government Citizenship Test question at the entrance that sets the tone for the experience. To extend access, especially for guests with physical limitations, Dimension Studio created a VR 180 immersive walkthrough of Terminal 1, integrating spatial audio for a fully enveloping encounter. This VR experience was made available via Meta Quest 3 headsets to festival attendees with accessibility wristbands, ensuring that the installation’s message could be shared widely and inclusively.
Mark Bustard, Executive Producer at Dimension Studio, encapsulates the significance of the project: “We’re hugely proud to have been invited to support Terminal 1 at this year’s festival and to provide such an important contribution in making this year’s Glastonbury Festival the most accessible ever.” He points to the studio’s expertise in crafting virtual experiences designed to transcend physical boundaries, underlining the potential for technology to democratize access to meaningful cultural experiences. Andrew Lansbury, Glastonbury’s access consultant, echoes this sentiment, noting, “Dimension created the most incredible VR experience for T1… there were some ways in which the VR experience was even more intense than the physical one.” This highlights the potential of VR not just as a substitute but as an amplifier of emotional and narrative impact.
The technical foundation of this immersive VR experience showcases Dimension’s commitment to pushing the limits of real-time content creation. Captured using a Canon R5ii paired with a VR 180 fisheye lens, the footage was shot in stunning 8K resolution at 60fps, delivering an incredibly high-fidelity point-of-view experience. Capturing at 8K ensures that every detail of the intricate cabin environments and live performance nuances are preserved with exceptional clarity, while the 60 frames per second frame rate provides smooth, natural motion essential for comfort in VR environments. To further enhance immersion, spatial audio is integrated, enveloping viewers in soundscapes that align seamlessly with their visual experience, which is critical in fostering an emotional connection.
Beyond the raw capture quality, Dimension’s real-time production workflow allows the VR experience to be edited, processed, and made available rapidly—in this case, from day one of the festival. This rapid turnaround is particularly impressive given the complexity of working with VR 180 formats and high-resolution content, which typically demand extensive post-production. The VR walkthrough is powered by Dimension Live, a newly launched division specializing in real-time visualization, technical design, and immersive event implementation. Their ability to blend live-action capture with real-time rendering and spatial audio integration represents the cutting edge of immersive production, and signals new standards in how interactive environments can be digitally recreated and shared.
In terms of its broader impact on the immersive media landscape, this VR walkthrough of Terminal 1 exemplifies how real-time VR experiences can magnify the reach and inclusivity of fulldome and immersive installations. For creators and venues, the ability to quickly transform a physical installation into a high-fidelity digital twin broadens audience access, including those who face physical or geographic barriers. Educationally, such immersive experiences can bring challenging societal issues, like migration, directly into classrooms or remote community settings, enabling empathy and engagement through experiential learning. Technologically, this approach encourages the integration of high-res, real-time captured content, spatial audio, and user-guided interaction in ways that can enrich fulldome and VR exhibitions alike.
However, adoption still faces hurdles such as the need for specialized capture equipment, real-time processing expertise, and accessibility-compliant hardware. Yet, as studios like Dimension demonstrate the powerful synergy between live storytelling and advanced VR tech, the immersive industry is poised for transformative growth. This shift promises not only more profound emotional storytelling but also a future where meaningful content is truly accessible to all, regardless of physical constraints. With developments like these, immersive media stands at an exciting crossroads of creativity, technology, and social impact.
Originally reported by Charlotte Coates via blooloop.com on 2025-07-14 02:29:00.
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