Photo: More than 100 people turned out for the launch of Invisivision’s Kickstarter party.
Ambition fuels the fire in pursuit of the craziest dreams.
That’s exactly what has taken the team behind Invisivision, aptly named PipeDream Interactive, from forming last December to launching a Kickstarter campaign this week.
On Wednesday night, 100-plus people representing different industries gathered for the campaign’s launch party at the Tannery Event Centre in Kitchener.
The night, hosted by Adam Growe of Discovery Channel’s Cash Cab, gave attendees an opportunity to experience the next extension of 3D technology, allowing multiple viewers to see alternate perspectives simultaneously.
Different stations provided interactive demos of the capabilities of the patent-pending technology, such as multilingual subtitles, dual perspectives and hidden elements.
PipeDream is looking to raise $200,000 in 40 days to fund a short film that showcases these capabilities, and a small production run of the glasses.
“We’re making the short film because our glasses aren’t really what we are selling,” says Ryan Brooks, CEO and co-founder. “We are selling the experience, and the glasses are a means of experiencing what we offer.”
Brooks, an elementary school teacher by day, came up with idea while writing a screenplay about a character with the ability to see invisible elements.
He formed the company with his brother Josh, a business administration graduate from Conestoga College. Their childhood friend Robert Bruski then left a finance job on Bay Street to join their crazy ride, as Chief Financial Officer.
Attempting to change the cinematic experience of moviegoers, the team has capitalized on existing technology of 3D films and the industry, which already shoots movie scenes from multiple perspectives.
But why are three guys from Waterloo, new to the tech scene, attempting to disrupt an industry like filmmaking?
Sheer passion.
This is not the first time film has inspired Brooks, who became known for making Iron Man suits for Fan Expo after watching the first film.
They’re giving studios a new and unique way to attract crowds, as sales of 3D movies have already begun to decline.
“Our product alone doesn’t do anything for anyone unless we have content to show with it,” Brooks says.
And so far the response from Tinseltown has been encouraging.
“[Producer] Stan Lee (Spider-Man, Iron Man) has already started storyboarding for it,” he says, adding that studios have committed to the technology on paper pending a successful demo.
The guys haven’t been afraid to knock on doors that would intimidate most in their quest to make all of this happen.
“When it comes to tech, it’s an open market out there,” says Glenn Forbes, director of the short film, adding that if you can come with a fresh take on an old idea, Hollywood will listen.
He cited Canadian company IMAX, which left its mark on the way we watch films.
Forbes describes the film as a sci-fi action comedy that will star Aaron Ashmore (Smallville) and J.P. Manoux (Eurotrip).
“We are trying to do a seven-minute film that is as good as if you had pulled it out of a James Cameron movie,” says Forbes.
The film will be released at Cineplex in Canada and Regal Cinemas in the U.S. before the year is out.
“We’ve been leaping forward to get this made as fast as possible, because there is a bit of an urgency from Hollywood,” Forbes says. “We want to get it down there as fast as possible, before it becomes old news.”