VR and real estate investments

“We are selling abandoned construction pits, unfinished investments and failed projects from the recent recession. On one hand, they are so deplorable to look at, but so full of potential on the other. Can you help us by showing the brighter side of this to potential investors at the MIPIM fair in Cannes this spring ?”
This was the initial pitch from our client MOL ( municipally of Ljubljana).
Our client knew that brochures and flyers are not an adequate means of marketing in real estate investments. When we joined, the whole project was already far in development. As the time was short and budget all but spent, we had to keep it simple and effective.

Our client knew that brochures and flyers are not an adequate means of marketing in real estate investments. When we joined, the whole project was already far in development. As the time was short and budget all but spent, we had to keep it simple and effective.

We decided to go with conventional VR video enhanced with some information. A panoramic 360-degree view from the hill in the middle of old town would be used as navigation. By looking around one would get information about the location and basic properties for each of the investment possibilities. Still, we wanted to go that extra mile and squeeze in at least a simple AR powered visualization of one of the possible investments. Luckily the owner NLB was open to our suggestion and agreed to fund it. But that is material for another story.

Besides the fact that we are shooting 360-degree content, our main challenge here was the season. It was the beginning of winter. Cold and foggy. The trees were bare and there was no snow. Yet we had to find a way to make the city look green and beautiful. We had to use all kinds of tricks and improvisation to achieve this. On a cold December morning, before sunrise, we set up our equipment on top of the castle tower and filmed a time-lapse of a winter sunrise over the sleepy city. On another occasion I tried to capture the city’s life by filming on my inline skates, moving through the traffic or in the crowded street. On one hand, we climbed the castle tower and building tops to get our panoramic shots and on the other, we sat by the river to get the feeling of tranquility and poise of morning joggers.