Technicolor Group’s The Mill will first be tasked to create the most realistic & authentic Elvis using AI under Layered Reality Studio head Simon Reveley
- The Mill was one of the earliest pioneers of VFX for icon replacements, winning a BAFTA & Oscar for their work on the movie ‘Gladiator’ and most recently winning 3 Cannes Gold Lions with FCB NY and Michelob for the virtual Williams Formula 1 race “Lap of Legends”
- Layered Reality also announce the expansion of their in-house studio team with world class production talent from Harry Potter, Royal Albert Hall, Eurovision, Royal National Theatre and Commonwealth Games
LONDON, July 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Layered Reality, the UK’s leading immersive entertainment company, has penned a strategic partnership agreement with Technicolor Group, famed for its global network of BAFTA and Academy Award-winning visual effects studios. The partnership will be executed via Technicolor’s advertising and experience studio, The Mill, which is headquartered in London and has offices in Paris, New York, LA, Seoul, Shanghai and Bangalore.
The agreement will see The Mill partner on multiple projects with Layered Reality, including using AI technology to create the most realistic and authentic version of Elvis, led by Layered Reality’s newly expanded in-house studio team. Layered Reality Studios has recently welcomed world-class talent to bring back the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, including Executive Producer Oran Doyle (Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience, Stranger Things: The Experience); Digital Producer Catherine Hayward (Commonwealth Games); Production Manager Al Parkinson (Royal National Theatre, Cameron Mackintosh); Technical Director Ollie Jeffrey (Royal Albert Hall) and Producer Sophie Scotchford (Eurovision 2023).
Simon Reveley, Head of Layered Reality Studio says “The Mill has a history of being pioneers, innovators and world class artists. We’re thrilled to work with them, utilising the latest in Artificial Intelligence to deliver more for our audiences. The integration of AI into The Mill’s arsenal of world class VFX tools, in the hands of their global network of award-winning artists, will help us deliver truly magical moments; the kind of moments that take your breath away.”
Mark Benson, President, The Mill says “We are very excited about the potential for our partnership with Layered Reality and helping to put Elvis back in the building. We are tasked with bringing Elvis back digitally by collecting and ingesting images and film archive clips to train AI models on Elvis’s face so we can recreate famous Elvis live performances. The Mill’s outstanding creative and tech talent will once again push the boundaries of what is possible, to deliver an extraordinary, authentic and thrilling theatrical event.”
In January this year Layered Reality announced they had secured the global licensing rights to create ‘Elvis Evolution’ from the owners of Elvis’ estate Authentic Brands Group. The immersive experience will bring the global musical icon back through the power of AI, augmented reality, live theatre and multi-sensory effects in a celebration of his life and legacy. Tickets go on sale later this year and ‘Elvis Evolution’ is due to open in Spring 2025.
Andrew McGuinness, Founder and CEO of Layered Reality comments
“Securing the best talent and partners is crucial for us to deliver outstanding immersive experiences. The Mill has an unrivaled pedigree in creating extraordinary digital effects spanning back to one of the earliest examples of icon replacement which won them a BAFTA for their work on Gladiator. They are at the forefront of utilising new technologies for creative innovative entertainment and we are delighted to have secured their partnership. Their support, and our talented new in-house team, means we are confident of delivering a superlative immersive experience for Elvis fans everywhere.”
Layered Reality is the creator of London’s longest running and most highly rated immersive experiences, with Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds celebrating its fifth year and being placed in the top 10% of attractions globally by TripAdvisor reviewers. They also have a pipeline of global IP’s which will be announced over the coming months.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Layered Reality
Layered Reality’s multi-award-winning experience Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience, has over 10,000 five-star customer reviews, and has won Tripadvisor’s Travellers choice, ranking top 10% of all attractions globally. In addition, it is London’s no. 1 immersive night out and top rated 5/5 on Tripadvisor. Other experiences by Layered Reality include the highly successful The Gunpowder Plot https://gunpowderimmersive.com, currently running in London, and ELVIS EVOLUTION https://elvis.layeredreality.com/, a new immersive experience celebrating the world’s biggest star of stage and screen, launching in 2025. For more information about Layered Reality, visit https://www.layeredreality.com/
Layered Reality (www.layeredreality.com), the UK’s leading immersive experience specialist, has secured the global rights to celebrate Elvis Presley in a digital form. The rights provide Layered Reality with global exclusivity for the creation of immersive experiences based upon Presley’s life story and music. *The global rights were secured from Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) (https://corporate.authentic.com/) who obtained ownership of the rights to ELVIS™’ estate in November 2013.
About The Mill
We create and deliver world-class content & visual experiences. We do this by leveraging creative technology to deliver famous, trail blazing work, across any screen, app, theatrical, art, ride, event, fashion, sport, and immersive experience with an unwavering commitment to creative excellence in all that we do, across every stage of the process. Our content creators and experience makers, directors, artists, animators, technologists and producers partner our clients to bring their vision to life and delight consumers world-wide.
About the Technicolor Group
Technicolor Group is a creative technology company providing world-class production expertise driven by one purpose: The realization of ambitious and extraordinary ideas. Home to a network of award-winning studios, MPC, The Mill, Mikros Animation and Technicolor Games, we inspire creative companies across the world to produce their most iconic work. Our global teams of artists and technologists partner with the creative community across film, television, animation, gaming, brand experience and advertising to bring the universal art of storytelling to audiences everywhere.
About Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley is one of the most influential pop culture figures of the 20th century. Often referred to as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Elvis’ commanding voice and charismatic stage presence unleashed a musical and cultural revolution that changed the world. Over the course of his extraordinary career, Elvis was nominated for 14 Grammy Awards (3 wins), sold over 1 billion records worldwide, received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and was named “One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation” by the United States Jaycees, as well as the 2018 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In addition to his musical accolades, Elvis starred in 33 films and made numerous television appearances. More than 60 years after his global debut, Elvis’ legacy is stronger than ever. His life and music have inspired countless hit musicals, movies and TV series’, fiction and non-fiction books, musical covers, and commercial endorsements, as well as a robust merchandise program spanning collectibles and fashion collaborations. An enduring symbol of “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s” stardom, Graceland, Elvis’ Memphis home, is the second most-visited home in the United States after the White House, drawing over 600,000 visitors annually and tens of thousands of fans for its Elvis Week celebration. With more than 17 million fans across social media and a growing multimedia presence, the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” continues to inspire today’s most influential musicians, designers, entertainers, and social influencers and captivate audiences around the world.
About Authentic Brands Group
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) is a global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform, which owns a portfolio of more than 50 iconic and world-renowned Lifestyle, Entertainment and Media brands. Headquartered in New York City, with offices around the world, Authentic connects strong brands with best-in-class partners and a global network of operators, distributors and retailers to build long-term value in the marketplace. Its brands generate more than $29 billion in global annual retail sales and have an expansive retail footprint in 150 countries, including 13,100-plus freestanding stores and shop-in-shops and 370,000 points of sale. Authentic is committed to transforming brands by delivering powerful storytelling, compelling content, innovative business models and immersive experiences. It creates and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms and emerging media. Authentic’s brand portfolio includes Marilyn Monroe®, ELVIS™ Presley®, Muhammad Ali®, Shaquille O’Neal®, David Beckham®, Dr. J®, Greg Norman®, Neil Lane®, Thalia®, Sports Illustrated®, Reebok®, Brooks Brothers®, Barneys New York®, Judith Leiber®, Ted Baker®, Hunter®, Vince®, Hervé Léger®, Hickey Freeman®, Frye®, Nautica®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Lucky Brand®, Aéropostale®, Forever 21®, Nine West®, Rockport®, Eddie Bauer®, Boardriders®, Quiksilver®, Billabong®, Roxy®, DC Shoes®, RVCA®, Element®, VonZipper®, Honolua®, Spyder®, Volcom®, Shark®, Tretorn®, Prince®, Airwalk®, Izod®, Jones New York®, Van Heusen®, Hart Schaffner Marx®, Arrow® and Thomasville®.
For more information, visit corporate.authentic.com.
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SOURCE The Mill