Nat Geo Digital Ocean Experience

National Geographic Encounter opened a first-of-its-kind entertainment experience, Ocean Odyssey, Oct. 6 in Times Square.

The sustainable, nature-friendly company made it a point to not use live animals as part of what the company calls a “digital underwater dive” through the Pacific Ocean’s Solomon Islands and the west coast of North America. Through innovative technology, audiences are immersed in an underwater world, coming face to face with life-sized, photo-real versions of sea creatures.

“Working on this project has been an extraordinary ride,” says Emmy award-winner Thilo Ewers, VFX supervisor, Pixomondo. “We have pushed the boundaries of visual effects by not only developing dozens of unique photo-real underwater species in a completely immersive environment, but also by taking on one of our biggest challenges to date: creating 3D stunning media in 8K resolution at 60 frames per second! National Geographic Encounter is a game-changer in this industry as it melds the boundaries between real-time interactive media and traditional media, and our team is having a ball helping bring it to life.”

National Geographic Encounter goes beyond museum, exhibit, movie, aquarium and even virtual reality, using technologies so innovative many have yet to be published. The coral reef was built from a process called photogrammetry, and Grammy award-winning composer David Kahne collected hundreds of underwater sounds from libraries around the world to create the audible experience, featuring an ocean soundscape played over 230 loudspeakers. The company also worked with marine biologist, professor and National Geographic Emerging Explorer David Gruber, specialist in bioluminescent and biofluorescent marine animals.

“For the first time ever, people will walk through the iconic Yellow Border and step into a world they could otherwise never see,” said Lisa Truitt, chief creative officer and managing partner, SPE.