Cheil Worldwide partners with MPC to create adrenaline-fueled thrill ride for the Winter Games

This project for Samsung VR sparked an exciting collaboration across all departments around the globe and the result was an extreme sports-infused 4D ride, designed to be experienced in person in a custom installation.

A unique approach was born out of our LA studio. The team created the Winter Ride experience, which take users through a breathtaking journey capturing the spirit of Samsung’s ‘beyond your imagination’ activation.

Tim Dillon, Head of VR and Immersive Content at MPC, said: “This was an exciting and challenging project for MPC and one that utilized our full skill set across our studio.  

The brief from Samsung was to create a premium cinematic look in an immersive 4D ride. We formed a unique collaboration across the company, bringing our teams from VR to VFX together on this project.”

The MPC VR team worked closely with Kina Choi, an MPC Creative Director for the Winter Ride experience, drawing on her skills and expertize in concept creation and art direction. Kina created an immersive sci-fi landscape that viewers could ride through, as they were propelled down a steep ski jump track then into a futuristic bobsled ride before then riding the cliff edges around mountain ranges.

Kina Choi said: “We didn’t want to make this a typical experience. This was an exciting project as we were able to create something that was completely new to people using a filmic, theatrical narrative. The experience was full of twists, turns and unexpected moments, making it feel like a ride but also bringing people closer to the action and adrenaline of the games at the same time.”

To enhance the cinematic effects, the team used Houdini, which simulated photo-real effects. Leveraging technology to heighten the cinematic experience is not very typical, but this software opened up this possibility.

Jason Schugardt, VFX Supervisor for MPC’s VR department, added: “We built a track that could be easily manipulated and that we could design where we were going and exactly what we’re seeing. There was a lot of exploration and some challenges with the fact that it was a 360˚ frame. 

We were tapping into resources across different offices as well as our own resources; the rendering process lasted continually for about 4-5 weeks.”

Custom-made chairs were installed at the Winter Games to provide stimulation and further engage people in the ride, allowing them to sit as a group in a row of chairs and share their experience. The chairs moved and vibrated, replicating the ride’s movements.

Music was also pivotal to the experience; it was used as a tool to set the pace of the ride and to build up excitement towards the peak moments. Technicolor’s Sound Lab, carefully crafted the music to enhance the filmic element and dramatic effect.