US zoo deal for Greater Manchester VR company
Immotion, the Salford-based immersive entertainment group, has signed a three-year agreement for the installation of a 24-seat Gorilla Trek VR Theatre at Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.
Working in association with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, the world’s oldest gorilla conservation organisation, Immotion filmed this ground breaking content on location in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
Capturing a family of mountain gorillas in stereoscopic VR for a motion-platform experience is a world’s first and the directors believe a truly remarkable achievement.
The installation of the 24-seat VR theatre is due to open later this spring. With around one million annual visitors, Pittsburgh Zoo is the pre-eminent zoo in the region and will offer a first class venue for the cutting edge experience, said the company.
Talks with other USA zoos are at an advanced stage and Immotion will soon update the market on additional zoo partner deals.
Rod Findley, president, LBE (location-based entertainment) & group commercial director – Immotion, said: “We are thrilled to have partnered with Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium for our first zoo-based theatre. We’re confident the partnership will be a huge win for the zoo, its patrons and for Immotion.
“Working hand in hand with Tara Stoinski, lead primatologist and CEO of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, was a dream come true for our documentary team. Tara’s insight into the conservation issues and the intricacies of gorilla behavior provided us with an intimate and up-close understanding of mountain gorillas in the wild.
“The result is a programme that will engage, entertain and inspire visitors in a whole new way.”
He added: “We look forward to signing up more zoo partners in the coming weeks and months as we roll-out this seminal experience.”
Yesterday, Immotion announced its annual results, including a 230% increase in revenues of £9.4m, and plans to spin out both its home-based entertainment (HBE) and Uvisan divisions. Pre-tax losses halved from £4.818m to £2.037m as markets recovered from the coronavirus pandemic.
