Immersive audio and sound imagery

Thursday 16th December: 1pm

CHAMPIONS: CTOiC, ORF, MuseumTV, Twickenham Studios, Kings College London, The Audio Engineering Society (AES), University of Surrey, University of Lethbridge, Audible, BBC

PARTICIPANTS: Omnilive, Magic Beans

The exploration of Immersive Audio and Sound Imagery was the focus of this IBC Accelerator, where the diversified team experimented with new, ground-breaking audio software tools (6DoF, room simulation, 360degrees) and off the shelf visual production kits. Workflows were created for spoken word and classical music, using original, specifically commissioned content that moved the audience from being passive listeners to interactive spectators, immersed in rich, eclectic soundscapes.

Check out their Final POC Results below, including Omnilive’s multiview demo, and to hear Magic Bean’s 6DoF demo, click below. [NOTE: please use headphones for the best audio experience]

And, to watch their Final POC Showcase session, register for IBC Digital here.

Magic Bean’s 6DoF demo

IBC Accelerators 2021 Immersive Audio and Sound Imagery Final Showcase Highlight

The Challenge Objective?

This unique IBC Accelerator Challenge explored Immersive Audio and Sound Imagery, bridging the audio-visual gap between the artist and viewer/listener, and expanded audio engineering rules by creating rich, spatialised, ‘six degrees of freedom’ audio, room simulation, 360 visuals and ground-breaking spoken word content.

The consortium experimented with new, audio software tools and visual production expertise, as well as utilising the exclusively assembled professional engineering skills and R&D experience, the POC aimed to fulfil the artist’s intent of creating rich sounds with various creative outputs, for the audience to move from passive listeners to interactive spectators, and truly immersed in eclectic soundscapes.

The aim of the POC?

The original aim of this POC was to bring a unique sensory live experience to call the days of ‘Being There’ at a live concert or theatre play. Bespoke audio and visuals were created within a full, 360-degree spatialised studio environment, remotely and collaboratively, and showcased a variety of workflows with live, original material via orchestral music and spoken word via a drama-based performance.

The Innovation?

Innovation was prominent via binaural, spatialised audio and room simulation, state of the art audio engineering which explored high-quality production brought this POC to life, experimenting and improving along the way towards the final output using live music filmed in Paris, mixed and configured into 360VR in Canada and the UK, and spoken word via an original commission from Amazon Audible and recorded at the world-famous Twickenham Studios, and experienced via the Omnilive platform.