The creator of Elvis Evolution believes that the Elvis AI show offers a more immersive experience, akin to time travel, rather than a traditional ABBA hologram performance. He aims to allow people to “walk in the shoes of the king.”
The Hertfordshire man behind Elvis Evolution said people will “walk in the shoes of the king”.
Andrew McGuinness, hailing from Harpenden, Hertfordshire, is the founder of Layered Reality, the company behind the creation of the Elvis Evolution show. McGuinness expressed that encountering the AI hologram of Elvis Presley is more akin to a journey through time rather than resembling Abba Voyage.
According to McGuinness, participants are immersed in detailed sets that transport them as if they’ve stepped back in time. He described how visitors engage with actors and essentially walk in the footsteps of the king himself to authentically experience Elvis Presley’s life story.
At the conclusion of the experience, guests witness a performance by a holographic Elvis powered by AI in an intimate setting.
“Our aim is to evoke specific emotions by incorporating elements like temperature, taste, and smell, transporting people to the ambiance of Memphis in 1958,” he clarified.
The Elvis Estate provided Layered Reality with an extensive archive comprising thousands of hours of live footage, home videos, and still images featuring the King.
“While Abba Voyage had the advantage of capturing live performers, we aren’t as fortunate,” noted Mr. McGuinness.
He continued, stating, “The AI creates an authentic rendition of Elvis, drawing from original material, yet it also opens up possibilities to explore new avenues with his persona.”
In 2017, Mr. McGuinness established Layered Reality with the aim of blending cutting-edge technology and theatrical storytelling to forge a fresh genre of entertainment.
He expressed, “Audiences didn’t solely desire to witness a narrative unfold; they yearned to actively engage within it.”
“Through the synergy of theater and skilled performers, we create an intimate experience, while technology enables us to accomplish feats previously deemed unattainable.”
Mr. McGuinness expressed that individuals experience a genuine sense of being in either 1605 or directly confronting a Martian fighting machine at the company’s two London venues based on Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds and a retelling of The Gunpowder Plot.
The founder of Layered Reality has emphasized that all the storytelling techniques gleaned from their previous work will be integrated into Elvis Evolution. Despite comparisons to the Abba virtual concert show, Mr. McGuinness clarified that this experience prioritizes narrative, akin to a film.
With smaller groups navigating the experience, it promises a more intimate atmosphere compared to Abba Voyage, while still delivering a sense of elation and enjoyment.
While the show is still in development, the digital rendition of life-sized Elvis is scheduled to make his inaugural appearance on stage in November at a yet-to-be-disclosed central London location.
Mr. McGuinness humorously quipped, “For now, he’s lines of code; he’s not strolling around Harpenden, popping into Gail’s for a coffee.”
Elvis Presley, renowned for his 1950s rise to fame, passed away at 42 in 1977. Known for iconic tracks like “Hound Dog” and “Suspicious Minds,” he would have turned 89 on January 8th. Baz Luhrmann directed a film depicting Presley’s life, released in 2022, while another movie titled “Priscilla,” delving into the singer’s relationship with his former wife, debuted in the UK this week.
Since the debut of Abba Voyage in London in May 2022, virtual concerts and events have surged in popularity. The show featured a digitally recreated 1970s-era version of the iconic singers, performing in a custom-built 3,000-capacity arena in east London.
Crafted by a team of 1,000 visual effects artists, the concert required an astounding one billion computing hours to animate the avatars. Its weekly earnings are estimated at £2 million, and since its inception, it has added a substantial £322.6 million to the turnover of the London economy.
Read More: Elvis Evolution: Presley to be brought to life using AI for new immersive show
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