The visual effects studio Moonraker VFX is launching its first original film this summer for the planetarium market. Moonbase: The Next Step, an immersive 4K fulldome experience, is set to take viewers on a lunar experience.
Moonbase: The Next Step will place viewers in an immersive environment that realizes the sheer scale of the moon itself and the immense task of working and living in such a hostile environment as humans embark on the next chapter of space exploration.
Moonraker’s decision to take their expertise into the fulldome market was a natural next step after creating for television and large screen formats with photorealistic computer generated imagery. The new film leans on the studio’s experience in immersing audiences in worlds they can’t film on camera or that existed billions of years ago.
Simon Clarke, Co-founder and Creative Director at Moonraker, commented, “As a studio, we’ve thrived on the creative challenge that comes with breaking into a new market. Combining the two elements of cinematic visuals and the dome screen can be incredibly powerful — not only enhancing the storytelling experience but immersing visitors in breathtaking worlds of astronomy and planetary science that feel almost tangible. We’re looking forward to stretching the boundaries of what’s possible in this space.”
While this project will be produced for planetarium audiences, Moonraker is already planning spin-offs in other formats, to include television, augmented reality and flying theaters.
Jon Grafton, Co-founder and Managing Director at Moonraker, said, “This is an incredibly exciting milestone for the business and having the ability to create our own licensable content is a core part of a growth strategy.”
