Welcome to the Other Side
Jean-Michel Jarre’s groundbreaking New Year’s Eve concert in VR
On December 31, 2020, during the global lockdown, Welcome to the Other Side marked a historic and innovative moment for live entertainment. Jean-Michel Jarre performed live from a virtual Notre-Dame de Paris, blending groundbreaking VR technology with live broadcasting. Sponsored by UNESCO and the Mayor of Paris, it became the official New Year’s Eve event for Paris, celebrating the transition into 2021 in an unprecedented way.
The event was a visionary solution to a challenging time—the cathedral was inaccessible, and audiences worldwide were confined to their homes. Despite these challenges, the concert achieved 75 million views, primarily through flat-format broadcasts on TV, while pioneering a hybrid future for live and virtual performances.
My Role
As Production Manager and Co-Film Director (alongside Georgy Molodtsov), I orchestrated a vast and talented team to bring this ambitious vision to life. My responsibilities included:
- Coordinating a large-scale, multidisciplinary team to ensure a seamless production.
- Directing the live broadcast to capture the performance’s immersive and cinematic essence.
- Overseeing the technical and creative integration of virtual reality elements, lighting, and effects.
Innovative Features
- Virtual Notre-Dame: The iconic cathedral was stunningly recreated as a virtual venue, merging historical and futuristic aesthetics.
- Hybrid Lighting Design: Jvan Morandini, renowned for his work in physical venues, adapted his expertise to create spotlight and mapping effects within the VR environment.
- 3D Visual Effects: Vincent Masson designed intricate 3D effects that added a surreal and captivating dimension to the performance.
- A World-Class Collaboration: A global team of technical, creative, and broadcasting experts joined forces to deliver this one-of-a-kind event.
Credits
Event: Welcome to the Other Side
Format: Virtual Concert & Live Broadcast
Platform: TV & VRChat
Duration: 40 minutes
Date: December 31, 2020
Core Team – On the VR side
- Artist and Performer: Jean-Michel Jarre
- Production: VRROOM
- Production Management Maud Clavier
- VR Film directors: Maud Clavier and Georgy Molodtsov
- Creative Producer: Louis Cacciuttolo
- 3D Effects: Vincent Masson
- VR Spotlights and Mapping: Jvan Morandini
- 3D Environment Design: Lapo Germasi – Victor Pukhov
- Technical Development: Antony Vitillo
Technology:
- Motion Capture with SoWhen?
- Unity Pipeline
Partners and Sponsors:
- City of Paris
- UNESCO
- BFM PAris
- France Inter
- The European Broadcasting Union (EBU)