I’ve worked on The Voice UK from the very start and every year we’re looking for new ways to immerse the fans in the show. The was our first companion experience, a play along experience allowing fans to press their own red button from the comfort of their sofas, pick their own team and rate performances, mirroring the experience of being a real Coach. With over a million downloads the app has proved massively successful especially among younger audiences.
And this year we wanted to take audience immersion to a new level, giving fans the feeling of being in the studio hanging out with the coaches and what better way to do this than Virtual Reality? So, for the first time ever, The Voice UK will be plunging it’s award-nominated digital production into the future - literally, and virtually - with the Virtual Voice, a series of exclusive, totally immersive, 360° videos that give fans unprecedented access to our four superstar coaches, behind-the-scenes antics and VIP Voice experiences.
The first 360° clip is a , giving fans the chance to go behind scenes, feel the pre-audition tension and take a deep breath before walking up to the mic on our iconic Voice UK stage.
Other clips due to arrive in January will include hanging out with Paloma, Ricky, will.i.am and Boy George during the official press photo shoot, meeting the band during rehearsals, getting an exclusive VIP vocal warm-up and most excitingly a chance to dance in the mosh pit during the Coaches’ opening performance.
Co-produced with and filmed within Dock10 Studios, these clips are being showcased on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Taster, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ’s experimental space allowing our production and digital teams to try out new technology and content formats and get immediate feedback from fans – so please do tell us what think. The idea of being able to try something new and experimental on such a big brand was hugely exciting. The digital team and the TV team worked together seamlessly to integrate the VR cameras into the studio around the main shoot, and the result gives fans a truly VIP viewpoint.
The most immersive way of experiencing the clips is through a virtual reality headset. As the technology is in its early stages, there are no standalone virtual reality headsets available in shops (yet) but there are several that turn your smartphone into one, including ones made of Cardboard. But you can also experience them via YouTube within our , allowing fans to use their smartphones or tablets to explore the 360° scenes simply by moving their devices around them, and via a desktop or laptop PC.
I’m really impressed with the potential of these kinds of experiences, giving fans a way of experiencing and enjoying their favourite shows like never before, and I can’t wait to find out what the fans make of it.
Sarah Clay is Commissioning Editor for iPlayer and Entertainment.