White Spark Pictures to develop three new VR films thanks to a crucial funding partnership

A week before its second VR film, "Beyond the Milky Way" premiered at the Royal Institution in London, White Spark Pictures has confirmed three immersive documentaries in development, courtesy of investment from a ground-breaking partnership between three leading museums: the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, the Western Australian Museum in Perth and the TāmakiPaenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museumin New Zealand.

In what is believed to be a content funding world-first, AUD$1 million will be invested over a three-year period, resulting in the delivery of three new immersive VR films which will see museum visitors uniquely transported to difficult to reach places and able to fly over waterfalls, swim with humpback whales and visit remote islands.

"The Kimberley VR Experience" is a spectacular 360° documentary flying over the edges of waterfalls, magical coastlines, and venturing into the heart of this ancient landscape unlike anywhere else on the planet.

"Journey of the Giants" from outback to ocean, a deep 360° dive into the incredible world of whales, including following their migration, exploring the long history of these ancient creatures and creating the feeling of swimming with humpbacks.

"The Kermadec Islands", a chance to experience a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in a remote and pristine marine wonderland deep in the South Pacific Ocean.

The first of the VR films, which will enable audiences to explore the unique Kimberley region of Western Australia, is due to launch in the second half of 2024. Over time, each film will also be made available to a wide range of international venues.

Briege Whitehead from White Spark Pictures comments: “We are thrilled that our earlier VR films are the catalyst for this game-changing, world-first content partnership and are incredibly excited to be working with these exceptional museums for many years to come. These venues are visionary in the way that they have embraced the opportunity VR presents. With technology improving all the time, and with venues and attractions constantly looking for unique new experiences to offer their visitors, demand for world-class, cost-effective and scalable offerings like ours, which are the perfect fit for any site, will only increase. At present, lack of available content is a major barrier, so it is very astute of these museums to invest in their own pipeline."

She continues, “For my part, I hope this partnership also inspires TV and film producers to look into VR production. We are proving there is a demand for great immersive content and this in turn should provide a lot of opportunity for some of the amazing production talent out there to expand their capabilities. And with production slowing down in many parts of the world, now might be a great time to investigate. We started out in TV production and continue to make factual programming. What we’re now seeing is a bridging of these worlds where traditional cinema experiences, television and new technology-led formats are coming together to become a driving force in the future of entertainment.”