Filming VR in a War Zone: Inside the Chernobyl Reactor

About this episode

Henry Stuart discusses his journey in XR technology and the challenges of filming VR in Chernobyl.

In this episode of the Amata World podcast, Henry Stuart, Co-founder of Visualise and Meta Camera, shares his incredible journey through the evolving landscape of XR technology. Exploring the evolution of immersive media from early 360-degree photography to high-stakes virtual reality filmmaking, the conversation traces his path from a biology graduate to an industry leader. He discusses capturing monumental events like the 2011 Royal Wedding and the 2012 Olympics, highlighting how the advent of Oculus headsets transformed his agency, Visualise, into a powerhouse for VR and AR innovation. The conversation turns to one of Henry’s most challenging projects: a high-stakes VR production for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development inside the Chernobyl exclusion zone. He recounts the intense logistical and physical challenges of filming in a heavily militarized, radioactive environment during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. They also explore how Henry leverages VR for profound social impact, detailing his work with Mission Rabies in Malawi to build donor empathy, and with St. John Ambulance's Young Responders program, which uses choice-driven VR scenarios to teach disengaged…

People in this episode

Guest: Henry Stuart

Topics covered

• VR filmmaking
• XR technology
• Chernobyl
• social impact
• immersive storytelling

Keywords

• VR
• AR
• Chernobyl
• immersive media
• 360-degree photography
• social impact
• filmmaking

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Visualise, Meta Camera, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, St. John Ambulance

Products: Oculus

Places: Chernobyl, Malawi

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