As virtual worlds take on an ever-increasing role in the field of creation, and as more and more hybrid works combining live performance and XR technologies appear, the question of distribution is at the heart of contemporary issues, both for artistic production and for the venues that host, or wish to host, these formats. What initiatives should be taken to support these emerging forms, and what models on XR distribution should venues adapt to in a constantly evolving landscape where everything remains to be invented? Viewpoints and recommendations from those with a sharp and pertinent eye on these (r)evolutions.
This article is based on a partnership with HACNUM, the French network for hybrid arts and digital cultures, which brings together over 400 players in this sector. Read it in French here.
XR productions (for extended reality, a term that encompasses virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality) offer experiences that technically and – to some extent – aesthetically transcend the limits of traditional artistic offerings. To create these immersive universes designed to offer new sensations and emotions, they combine several artistic, scientific and technical disciplines. These include the visual arts, of course, but also sound, and in its hybridization with live performance, choreography, scenography, dramaturgy, editing and staging. These productions also sometimes have to combine elements of cinematographic capture, UX and game design borrowed from video games, motion capture, VFX, computer programming and sometimes home-made technical innovations which, if they give life to a new typology of works, often present numerous technical, logistical (and budgetary), or even more concretely, material and human difficulties, among which capturing the public and adapting venues are not the least.
Different experiential typologies XR
Today, XR production can be broadly divided into two main schools: the first and best-known is the individual headset experience, in which the spectator is more or less an “actor” in the artistic proposition offered to him or her. Sometimes more, with proposals involving interaction between several participants and dramaturgical choices borrowing from game design (in video game or headset escape game format). At other times, the experience is less contemplative and passive in solo mode (documentary, VR cinema or animation).
The other type of proposal, often more artistic and original (and therefore more complex to produce and distribute), is part of a convergence between XR technologies and live performance traditions. This trend is growing stronger every year, as illustrated by recent productions such as NO REALITY NOW by Vincent Dupont and Charles Ayats, L’ERRANCE by Mathieu Pradat, LA GERMINATION by Joris Mathieu and Nicolas Boudier, and LE WHITEOUT by Frédéric Deslias (a work in creation for 2024), to name but a few.
However, XR creations, whether they integrate other artistic disciplines or are understood in their “pure” form as individual headset experiences, encounter diffusion problems that limit their adoption by the public and their integration into other fields. In short, while solutions are emerging in both categories, neither has yet really found its distribution model.
Production, distribution and mediation
For Marie Point, Production Director at Dark Euphoria (also a member of the Scènes Augmentées project, winner of the France 2030 “Enhanced live performance experience” Fund), it’s clear that “the costs associated with distribution must not exceed the planned sales revenue, and in an emerging field like ours, distribution costs must remain on a market scale, which isn’t always easy when you consider the economics of live performance“. Today, whether for a traditional VR production or a hybrid show using XR technologies, the equipment needed to experiment with these forms, such as high-quality VR headsets, but also the hiring (mandatory on certain shows) of creative coders and the appearance on theatre and dance sets of network managers (to name but a few of these new professions), can be costly, and limit access to these technologies for many artists and companies.
Hence the need for careful production support. Marie Point: “In the case of hybrid projects, it’s essential to think about distribution upstream, and the question of exploitation is essential. We need to ask ourselves: “What size of audience are we talking about?” and “What types of venues are we talking about? For Natacha Paquignon, of Cie Corps au Bord, creator with Maxime Touroute of choreographic works in augmented reality: “AR is an interesting technology that offers a different view of our relationship with space. It opens a door to the unreal. However,” she explains, “it’s not easy to get to grips with, either for the venues that host us – or for the audience. That’s why mediation is so important,” she stresses. “It’s a question that needs to be thought through beforehand, because hybrid shows are often aimed at people who are unfamiliar with the vocabulary and techniques that enable them to get to grips with these creations”.
Standardize to simplify
On paper, we understand that integrating XR into live performance productions would supposedly push back the boundaries of artistic creativity. Artists can harness these technologies to tell stories in ways that are different from their predecessors, eliciting new emotional and intellectual engagement from audiences. But for these works to be well received (sometimes in venues not designed for them), shouldn’t we standardise? Or at least achieve a certain technical autonomy, which, in a world constantly striving for updates of all kinds, quickly becomes complicated. Nicolas Rosette, the man behind Onboarding Pass, a support system for hybrid productions and part of the Scènes Augmentées project, winner of the France 2030 “Enhanced live performance experience” Fund (bringing together Le Lieu Unique in Nantes, Théâtre Nouvelle Génération in Lyon, Dark Euphoria in Marseille and choreographer Vincent Dupont’s company J’y pense souvent), makes this observation: “With OnboardingPass, we take on an artistic project before it is produced, to address dramaturgy as well as questions of dedicated hardware. In hybrid productions, we have to think in terms of ‘made-to-measure’ and customization, sometimes even down to the hardware, which has to be optimised for the needs of a show“, he explains. “Let’s imagine a fantasy scenario,” he continues, “where a company creates a VR headset that won’t become obsolete in the next few years – that’s already a challenge – and well, even if the hardware belongs to a venue, these headsets need to have been reformatted (which implies a loss of warranty) so that artists can put what they want on them. We’re talking about industrially-produced equipment for basic distribution, not creation, and artists need to configure these headsets, to adapt them to their creation“.
Sharing tools, perpetuating works of art
Within this complexity, intertwining production challenges, broadcasting, mediation, and capturing a wide audience, there’s also the issue of pooling production tools and training hosting teams. Natacha Paquignon: “Together with Maxime Touroute, we’re trying to devise a series of tools that could be shared with other companies. We’re also trying to invent and develop a form that could be offered to museums, or other partners in the cultural sector. The idea is to leave them with tools so they can continue to ‘enhance’ their mediation journey experiences. Museums tend to spend a lot on a one-shot, rather than a little every month on a licence (with continuous updates), and this hasn’t yet become the norm. Contractually, there’s a challenge because it implies a mode of distribution in the form of a licence rather than as a purchase.” Another innovation proposed by the Paquignon-Touroute duo is the long-term acquisition of augmented reality works by a venue. Natacha Paquignon: “La Rayonne in Villeurbanne (69) is an inclusive participation space where residents and the environment mutually transform. We offered them the broadcasting of a shared dance journey in AR with dances specifically created by – and for – the people living in these places, integrating into the landscape. The locations contain dances invisible to the naked eye, but the dancers are there (in AR). This is a novelty: generally, one buys a show, but enduring works over time are still rare.“
Prioritizing autonomy
Technological barriers are present at all stages of creating and distributing XR works or those incorporating these techniques. The hardware and software requirements can be prohibitive for some creations, but autonomy is even more critical in a field where carrying a hybrid work to a place not necessarily dedicated to it can also be a problem. For Marie Point, “autonomy is strategic in this type of creation. The project must not be confined or blocked by the technological solution. Alongside our production activities, Dark Euphoria develops innovative technological solutions and devices for the sector, starting from the artists’ ideas”. It’s crucial to give them the opportunity to imagine their solutions while ensuring we create secure, robust solutions. Nicolas Rosette agrees, stating, “Shows need to be autonomous in their model. Each production must have its equipment. This is the complexity of such creations. It’s not just about finding funding for the set. It involves considering computer skills needs and equipment rental issues. For control reasons, all acquisitions must be made by the production team. This requires configuration time for a show.“
Initiatives to rethink distribution
Led by Dark Euphoria, in collaboration with Le Grenier à Sel, Villa Créative, Université d’Avignon, and French Tech Grande Provence, the Spectacle Vivant, Scène Numérique (Live Performance, Digital Stage) event will take place on July 5 & 6 during the Festival d’Avignon. It aims to sharply address these challenges and stakes. In its 4th edition, this reflection will discuss integrating digital tools into live performances, the rise of new immersive formats, how actors in hybrid arts in a digital environment experience these changes, complexities, and related issues. “The performance sector, which deals with set production, scenography, audience capacity, etc., sometimes finds it hard to adapt to emerging technologies, yet often uses them in innovative and unexpected ways,” explains Marie Point. “This aligns with artists’ desires to revisit traditional forms of distribution. The SVSN days aim to foster ideas, recommendations, and scenarios to facilitate hosting such productions”. Additionally, virtual reality initiatives like PHI’s PHI VR TO GO from the Phi Centre in Montreal are emerging, offering VR headsets for rent preloaded with films, making VR a part of daily life akin to the internet or television. This approach also aims to attract new audiences with a variety of themes (adventures, nature, documentaries) similar to VOD streaming services. This model serves as an example and prompts a broader discussion on the challenges of VR distribution and public adoption.
By opening up to new forms of expression, distribution spaces can diversify their programming and attract a broader audience seeking novel experiences. Adapting these spaces to accommodate XR productions is crucial for fostering artistic innovation, enhancing audience experiences, and maintaining cultural relevance in an ever-changing world. It also highlights the need to develop sustainable and shareable models, rethink traditional patterns, establish standards, and communicate about these mediums, which, although not “new,” remain largely unfamiliar to many professionals and the general public.
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