Creative Media Production students Cate Munt, Hannah Williamson and Thomas Williams (with technical demonstrator Joel Floris) experiment with virtual production techniques in the Immersive Lab at Massey’s Wellington campus.
From next year, students studying the Bachelor of Creative Media Production at Massey’s College of Creative Arts can add immersive technology to their study journey. Immersive Media joins Game Development, Animation, VFX, Film and Television, Producing and Directing and Creative Technologies.
The Immersive Media pathway involves learning the tools to use Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) for creative expression and social impact. Students will learn how to bring their visions to life by creating digital environments that no one has ever seen before, to impact and change the way people see the world.
The introduction of Immersive Media also provides exciting new opportunities for students who are studying across the suite of programmes in the school and college. The technology is already common place in game production and these tools are now being adopted for virtual production in the film and TV industries.
Immersive Technology Lecturer Maddy King.
Maddy King, who is leading the course, says Immersive Media will suit students who are creative hands-on risk-takers, with a passion to innovate and lead in this emerging sector.
“Skills in immersive media will offer students career pathways into sectors that are investing billions into this new technology. Nearly twenty per cent of the entire Facebook team are employed in their Reality Labs – that’s 10,000 people exclusively working in virtual and augmented reality. VR and AR are already fundamentally changing agriculture, healthcare, architecture, crisis management, workplace training, manufacturing and design. It is the perfect time for students to learn the skills to use these tools to tell our stories and add value to our growing entertainment sector.
“We are inviting artists and technologists excited to tackle this medium and develop new experiences. We want imaginative and inventive creatives who are keen to explore and become leaders of tomorrow's creative industries,” she adds.
This new subject area is creative practice-based, and students will need to be keen and interested in working with new technologies. No prior experience of computer coding or electronics is required for entrance into the degree.
The facilities at The School of Music and Creative Media Production are world class, with new and emerging technologies highly resourced.
“As we move forward into the future, there is a need for education to embrace new ways of working and learning. What’s exciting about this new programme is that VR and AR pioneers will have the opportunity to write the rules and shape the direction of that future.
“This is an opportunity to be at the very forefront of innovation and creativity. The School of Music and Creative Media Production at Massey University is excited to be jumping in.”
See our video and learn more about the Immersive Media course here or email cmp@massey.ac.nz for further information.