HOBO engineer Diego Jimenez created 2 distinct mixes: one in traditional stereo for a Samsung exhibit in the New York in which users would strap into an actual pair of skis or surfboard to add the one-of-a-kind experience and for Vimeo; and a second “360 Spatial Audio” or “object-based” mix for Facebook, incorporating emerging VR audio technology designed to heighten the VR experience exponentially.
“What is unique about spatial mixing is that the audio changes as you move your head, so if you turn your head to left the audio perspective will change in relation to your movement, just like it does in real life,” Jimenez says. ”Spatial audio makes you feel like you are there – it takes the VR experience to a whole other level.”
In addition to Jimenez’s work on the both the stereo and spatial audio mixes, HOBO’s Oscar Convers and Stephen Davies composed original music designed to integrate with the immersive sound for “Anatomy of Surf” and “Anatomy of Sky” respectively.
Ant Gentile, Creative Director at Hidden Content, a company that specializes in creating and producing an array of innovative VR experiences, from documentaries to narrative fiction, explains that audio is essential for the full immersive VR experience, even if it is an aspect that is often overlooked by VR users.
“Audio is extremely important to the VR experience even though it's sometimes taken for granted by viewers because the visuals are right in front of them,” Gentile says. “I applaud HOBO’s decision to be an early investor in this technology. It’s not always easy being an early adopter in a new technology, but HOBO is clearly up to the challenge. A few years from now we're going to look back at how we did 360 VR audio mixes the same way editors look at how they used cut film.”
