BY KAJOL BHATIA
South by Southwest 2023
A highlight of my early career was my contribution to Canada's first-ever virtual-reality music video, presented as an Official Selection in the XR Experience category.
As the Publicity and Media Lead for Departure Lounge's client work, The Dark VR, I organized our official participation at South by Southwest (SXSW) 2023.
Planned over a couple of months and executed within days, our interactive, on-theme booth hosted live demonstrations, artist meet and greet, audience Q&A sessions, and media and government promotional interviews.
With the support of other stakeholders in the organization such as the producer, graphic artists and management, I successfully applied for and received funding from key Canadian media institutions, including Telefilm Canada, Canada Media Fund and offices of Trade Commissioner of Canada. To increase support for experimental technology, we developed compelling proposals strengthened by comprehensive supporting materials to ensure alignment with each funder's mandates.
My responsibilities ranged from:
representing company on-site in Austin to amplify awareness for relevant projects
identifying media opportunities and organizing press events to maximize coverage
creating marketing and promotional materials such as website, videos, press releases, social media content, flyers and merchandise
participating in high-level meetings to engage new investors and clients with tailored proposals
planning and executing sponsored live events with curated VIP guest lists
increasing foot traffic at the booth through guerrilla marketing initiatives to generate organic buzz
Vancouver take over SXSW
working at the booth and running the VR experience for attendees
conceptualizing booth design and sourcing elements with timely delivery for flawless setup
coordinating with on-ground service providers and booth volunteers
managing the logistics of 10+ team members across various organizations including accommodations, staffing schedules and conference access
At the end of three days, we had run more than 350 VR experiences at the booth and interacted with over 1500 conference attendees. The creative energy in the conference environment and all of Austin, Texas was infectious, and unlocked my mind to limitless possibilities.
Created by Departure Lounge and produced by Monstercat for artist WHIPPED CREAM featuring Jasiah and Crimson Child, we utilized volumetric capture technology as a licensed Microsoft Mixed Reality Capture Studio to generate life-like digital avatars of the artists that were then placed into 3D environments, made on game engine, to create the complete music video. Two versions were delivered to the clients — a 2D music video, The Dark, and an interactive experience, The Dark VR — both of which required separate campaigns. These projects also received accolades at the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) Awards.
Beyond our work with The Dark music video and VR experience, our team at Departure Lounge was also involved in the creation and development of Shib the Metaverse by Shiba Inu, a cryptocurrency organization. To promote our collaboration and successful launch of Shib the Metaverse under the same XR Experience category at SXSW 2023, we hosted a joint happy hour — open to invited VIP guests and conference attendees.
Creating a widespread buzz over social media and news outlets, the event offered a perfect environment to carry the momentum forward from the beta version of Shib The Metaverse, and meet and mingle with the top leaders in the tech industry.
I created a Project Reel (7 mins) with digital interviews, behind-the-scenes content and tour of Departure Lounge's volumetric capture studio in Vancouver, where the artists were captured in a 360-degrees green screen fully configured with 106 machine-vision cameras.
This reel was played on-screen at the SXSW booth in Austin, for passersby and guests to understand how the experience and music video was developed.
What Was It Like Wearing Multiple Hats at AMPD Ventures
A whirlwind of a role, working at AMPD was the perfect description of the "startup life" and every project came with its own exercise in adaptability. In between leading the marketing and comms strategy, juggling priorities across three different organizations, namely, Ventures, AMPD Technologies and Departure Lounge, while navigating strict deadlines and limited resources, I was helping shape the story of our evolving tech ecosystem.
It was a healthy mix of chaos and creativity, and I thrived in that mix. The experience taught me how to lead with clarity under pressure. From tech and fashion to immersive media and cultural storytelling, I got to contribute to an incredibly diverse mix of initiatives such as the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) Signals, Immerse Global Summit, and Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week (VIFW) plus collaborate on projects with partners like Frontier Collective and Woodlands Cultural Centre.
Each organization had its own audience, message, and impact. Because of this, I learned to move fast, think creatively, and show up ready for anything. It was a rewarding chapter that pushed me to grow as a strategist, communicator, and team leader.
https://schedule.sxsw.com/2023/films/2078972 https://rdvcanada.ca/en/product/the-dark-vr/
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