Into the Blue

As part of this interactive exhibition, we created Into the Blue, an immersive projection animation designed to reveal the rich diversity and beauty of the world beneath the waves. Projected onto a huge 4mx4m hemisphere dome, the creative technology experience took audiences deep into the Indian Ocean to experience first-hand how tropical reefs are shaped by the interplay of creatures, currents and corals – and how they’re under threat all over the world.

One of the key aspects of Into the Blue was the fact that all our digital models were incredibly accurate to the real-life biology they represented. Using underwater photogrammetry as a base, we worked closely with experts in marine biology and, with painstaking precision, were able to ensure accuracy to life in reefs across the South Pacific. From krill to coral, turtles to whale sharks, the immersive video animation gave audiences a realistic view into the stunning array of life in and around the coral reef.

Creating a spherical animation was not without its challenges. It may not seem like it in the finished animation, but there are hundreds of thousands of fish rendered into the coral scenes. We spent a lot of our time trying to get more fish in so that the reef felt lively and populated. The problem was that in the dome projection, a lot of the fish action we spent so much time on was happening in the peripherals, ultimately overshadowed by what was going on in the centre of the hemisphere.

Into the Blue debuted in late 2019 as part of Animal Planet's 'Living Worlds' interactive exhibition at the Singapore Science Centre. Providing an up-close encounter with the world beneath the waves, the immersive animation invited audiences into a more intimate relationship with underwater creatures than ever before.

The experience was not only a showcase of the spectacular yet fragile beauty of coral reefs across the world, but also a powerful call to action for visitors young and old in the fight against climate change.