DARK SLOPE STUDIOS PUSHES VIRTUAL PRODUCTION TO ITS LIMITS WITH HYPERREALITY TV

The Hyperreality Initiative aims to produce a brand new form of reality television that allows participants to seamlessly travel between real and virtual worlds

The new technology will help create new formats for established concepts such as competition, dating, and other challenge shows

2nd December 2021 (TORONTO, ON) – Dark Slope Studios, the Toronto-based virtual production and metaverse gaming company, reveals its “Hyperreality Initiative,” the next step in blurring the lines between the real world and virtual worlds for reality television production.

Every production under the Hyperreality Initiative incorporates game-engine workflows, game mechanics and motion capture to create formats where participants can be immersed in boundaryless virtual worlds for key elements of the show’s narrative. Unscripted television will never be the same as those in any given show travel seamlessly from the real to the virtual world and are empowered to explore relationships, navigate adventures, and endure challenges that they would never otherwise have the chance to experience.

“Virtual production is the next logical step in entertainment and we’re taking it further with a highly skilled game-engine team armed with tools to apply the Hyperreality Initiative’s core concepts to a truly broad list of television show genres, especially in the unscripted category,” said Dan Fill, President, Dark Slope Studios. “We view the Hyperreality Initiative as a nearly limitless opportunity for bringing audiences highly engaging television that breaches creative boundaries previously limited by traditional production techniques – our technology completely melts away those boundaries and leaves us wide open to do just about anything in television production.”

Dark Slope is positioned to drive the new Hyperreality genre to the next level utilizing its expertise and advanced technology including:

Virtual Production Studio – Dark Slope works out of its virtual production studio in Toronto, Canada, equipped with warehouse-scale inertial and optical motion tracking, greenscreens, game-engine pipeline and more
Flex KS © Pipeline – Our Flex Kitchen Synch pipeline allows for remote direction, real time pre-viz, unlimited camera positions and more.
Virtual Avatar Creator – Participants or producers can choose or create a virtual avatar with endless possibilities. Avatars are a blank slate for creativity that let participants express themselves for others on-screen and viewers at home.
Camera, hand, object and face tracking – Dark Slope’s integrated tracking technology allows our creatives more control to manipulate and recreate real-world movement and produce authentic interactions within the digital world.
Advanced Haptics – Show participants can “feel” real feedback while in the digital world via torso, hand and environmental haptic feedback. This feedback adds to realism and creates authentic participant reactions.
Combining all of these virtual production tools with unscripted television brings countless creative opportunities and opens Hyperreality production up to as many genres as possible.

More info https://darkslopestudios.com/

DARK SLOPE STUDIOS ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF A VIRTUAL PRODUCTION FELLOWSHIP FOR FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT - Deadline is July 19!

Dark Slope Studios, the Toronto-based virtual production and metaverse gaming company, today announces the launch of their virtual production fellowship. Announced by CEO Raja Khanna at the Banff World Media Festival, the studio will be open to accepting format pitches for the next technology-driven prime time reality show obsession. Applications will be accepted starting Monday July 19th 2021.

Applicants are invited to submit a brief proposal with a series idea that balances innovative production techniques with compelling storytelling; visionary concepts that blur the line between the real world and the digital world. Dark Slope Studios will be looking for concepts that introduce virtual reality experiences into conventional linear television shows, make use of deep fake facial tracking elements, or combine the use of LED screens and virtual production workflows into a unique, highly original new format of factual entertainment.

The company will review all the applications and select one to three finalists. All proposals will be considered and each finalist will be awarded $5000 CAD and a chance to negotiate a development deal with Dark Slope Studios. Development deals will include mentorship sessions, travel to the RealScreen conference, and investments into concept development, concept art, prototypes and more.

The prizes awarded are for the best original ideas as judged by Dark Slope and their evaluators. A minimum of one prize will be awarded. The finalist will retain all rights. Dark Slope Studios will secure an exclusive right of negotiation with the finalist for 6 months, the finalists are under no obligation to work with Dark Slope. Interested applicants are encouraged to sign up here and submit their full application once submissions open on July 19th.

“We are looking for ideas that appeal to a global audience. We’re a nimble, ever evolving company with strong industry roots and are looking to support the next generation of talent by providing seasoned guidance in an environment that encourages experimentation.” Dan Fill, President, Dark Slope Studios.

Dark Slope Studios balances technical innovation with world-class storytelling in factual entertainment. The company is on the vanguard of innovative production techniques with its proprietary Flex KS production pipeline that integrates full body and facial motion tracking with the use of LED screens, green screens and real-time rendering to create animation, FX, real time integrated live action, and gaming content.



ABOUT DARK SLOPE STUDIOS
Founded in 2018, Dark Slope Studios pushes the boundaries of multi-sensory entertainment center spectacles, virtual reality experiences, immersive games, and motion capture-driven virtual production for television. From it’s 8000 square foot studio, Dark Slope Studios leverages its warehouse-scale virtual production stage with proprietary pipeline, tools, workflows and game-engine technology in order to bring world class creative properties to life. Based in Toronto, and with a global workforce, Dark Slope Studios combines advanced technologies with compelling storytelling to reimagine the future of entertainment. Visit https://darkslopestudios.com/ to learn more.

Dark Slope Studios Sees 300% Increase In Booked Entertainment Revenue In 2021

02 MARCH 2021 (TORONTO, ON) – Dark Slope Studios, the Toronto-based virtual production and metaverse gaming company, today announces the tripling of its entertainment revenue going into 2021. The growth is driven by strong demand for its products in services across all three of Dark Slope’s entertainment divisions - virtual production, metaverse development and location-based VR and AR attractions.  

Covid-19 has had an accelerating effect on the virtual production industry as a whole, with Dark Slope Studios being able to leverage the company’s long-standing game-engine expertise, proprietary remote production technologies, and its warehouse-scale virtual production and motion capture stage in Toronto. The division is producing and co-producing animation content with top tier brands and streaming services globally. 

Over the course of 2020 The company invested resources into expanding its work on multiplayer home experiences and metaverse development, a sector that has experienced massive growth over the last year. Dark Slope Studios is on the forefront of creating new in-home gaming experiences using its evolving persistent world technologies, and is in development on its first major title built on its metaverse framework, to be announced later in 2021. 

As with most hospitality industries, Dark Slope Studios’ location-based entertainment division had to contend with massive shifts following the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. As an encouraging harbinger of the post-Covid times ahead, the company is currently experiencing an unprecedented level of demand for its expertise in large-scale immersive attraction development. New titles, to be announced at a later date, will be released in late 2021 and early 2022, adding to the more than 450 locations worldwide where Dark Slope content is already featured. 

The driver of this early 2021 success has come from the global expansion of the Dark Slope team, now with more than 45 spatial computing and content experts working from Toronto and locations spanning the globe. The company is now proud to boast team members on every continent other than Antarctica.  With clients and partners from a similarly diverse geographic footprint. 

“During the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, we decided to invest in R&D to refine our virtual production and metaverse development capabilities. It helped us to become more efficient and automated in our production processes, to be bold, and push the window on innovation. All while laying the foundation for a global production pipeline. By introducing new global workflows, and hiring world-class practitioners we have grown in ways we couldn’t have previously imagined. ” Dan Fill, President, Dark Slope Studios.

In 2020, Dark Slope Studios introduced Flex RDS, a remote directing platform and service, shipped the four person Slugterra Slugslinger VR available on Hologate as well as the eight player Scarygirl Mission Maybee title to Zero Latency’s 2000 sq ft game space, a multiplayer Magic Leap shipping container exhibition in conjunction Pukeko Pictures and The Canadian Media Fund  and produced over three hundred minutes of linear animation for Nickelodeon International, TVOntario, Secret Location (eOne) and Viacom International amongst others.  Dark Slope is actively looking for partners interested in innovative solutions to television production, multiplayer game development and location based attractions. 

ABOUT DARK SLOPE STUDIOS 

Dark Slope Studios is an entertainment company specializing in the creation of games, multiplayer experiences and linear television production using virtual production techniques. Founded in 2018, Dark Slope Studios has continued to push the boundaries of multi-sensory out of home entertainment center spectacles, game engine led virtual reality experiences, and motion capture driven television production. From it's 8000 square foot studio, Dark Slope Studios leverages its warehouse scale virtual production stage with proprietary pipeline, tools, workflows and game-engine technology in order to bring world class creative properties to life. Alongside virtual production, the company has honed expertise in persistent community platform development. Based in Toronto, Dark Slope Studios balances innovative technology with compelling storytelling to reimagine the future of entertainment. Visit http://darkslopestudios.com/ to learn more.  

 
Contact:

Rakhee Sapra

Director of Marketing and Communications

DARK SLOPE
rakhee.sapra@darkslope.com

Dark Slope Studios Adds New Team to Support Company Growth Across Virtual Production in 2021

DANA WARE, PREVIOUSLY WITH THE VOID, JOINS IN NEWLY CREATED ROLE OF CREATIVE DIRECTOR

25 JANUARY 2021 (TORONTO, ON) - Dark Slope Studios, the Toronto based virtual production company, today announces four new team members to support its rapid growth. 

Dark Slope Studios enters 2021 busier than ever before despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the company introduced Flex RDS, a remote directing platform and service, shipped the four person Slugterra Slugslinger VR available on Hologate as well as the eight player Scarygirl Mission Maybee title to Zero Latency’s 20x20 game space, and produced over three hundred minutes of linear animation for Nickelodeon International, TVO, Secret Location (eOne) and Viacom International amongst others.

Maintaining this momentum, Dark Slope Studios has expanded its team and project slate across each of virtual production, interactive entertainment, location-based experience development and linear television. 

To support the growth Dark Slope Studios is pleased to announce the appointment of Dana Ware in the newly created role of Creative Director. Previously a Creative Designer at The VOID, Dana brings her experience working on world class location based entertainment to the Dark Slope Studios team. Her expertise is in mixing physical-reality with virtual-reality to create hyper-reality. Prior to The VOID, Dana worked as a creative director on a location-based VR experience in collaboration with Google. She currently serves as a VR/AR Summit Advisor for GDC - The Game Developers Conference and as a judge for the Game Developers Conference Awards. 

In addition, Dark Slope Studios adds Alexandra Roberts as a Production Manager. Alexandra joins the team from Guru Studio where she primarily worked on the CSA nominated series “Abby Hatcher” for Nick Junior airing on Netflix. Justin Catchcart, in the role of  Motion Tracking Stage Director & Technical Lead where he oversees pipeline development for the virtual production stage productions. And lastly, Gustavo Vitarelli as a Senior Technical Artist working across rigging, tool creation, map setup and lighting. 

“Dark Slope is putting together a remarkable team of industry experts. I’m thrilled to be starting 2021 with such a strong line up. I welcome them to our growing company and look forward to seeing their expertise put to work.” Dan Fill, President, Dark Slope Studios.

The Dark Slope Studios team is rapidly expanding and is currently hiring for a Metaverse Producer, senior and intermediate Unreal Developers, Concept Artists and Game Designers. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply through the company’s Indeed profile. Dark Slope Studios strongly encourages applicants from communities who are currently underrepresented in our industry, including bipoc. We remain an equal opportunity employer and welcome everyone to our team. If you need reasonable accommodations at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know.

ABOUT DARK SLOPE STUDIOS

Dark Slope Studios is a real time content producer pushing the boundaries of virtual production. Dedicated to creativity and innovation, Dark Slope Studios combines beautiful artwork with cutting edge technology to deliver amazing animation content and virtual 3D worlds. Dark Slope Studios specializes in motion capture and facial tracking animation, 5G mobile game development as well as VR and AR production. Supported by a team of Unreal Game Developers, Dark Slope Studios provides end to end solutions from creative design to final lighting and compositing. Visit www.darkslopestudios.com for more information.

CONTACT:

Rakhee Sapra

Director of Marketing and Communications

DARK SLOPE
rakhee.sapra@darkslope.com