USA Today and Split Screen shoot WA locations for Toyota Virtual Reality worldwide launch

Split Screen recently teamed up with a crew from USA Today for an 8 day shoot showcasing some of WA’s iconic destinations as part of a virtual reality presentation to launch a new vehicle for Toyota Worldwide.

Working with Saatchis USA, the team from USA Today chose three countries to shoot “amazing encounters” on a unique 360 degree video camera set up. The end viewer will then view these encounters using 360 degree virtual reality goggles. This new technology is becoming the trend for large corporations to launch their new campaigns and now Split Screen have had first-hand experience shooting for VR.

Split Screen Producer Lee Guy-Wallis said it was a thrill to be selected to co-ordinate the shoot for one of the USA’s biggest media organisations and biggest agencies.

“From the whole world, they chose New England in the US, Estonia and WA. It was a fantastic shoot and I was allowed to put together some of my suggestions of where to shoot and what to do. They had their wish list, which was to go north, shoot at Karajini and get a selfie with a quokka – it was up to us to fill in the blanks.”

Apart from the locations, Guy-Wallis said the US crew were blown away with being shown the vastness and variety of our stunning outback. She said it was a massive coup to have USA Today and Toyota choose WA and even better for Split Screen to have the production stay with a local team.

“They did look at other production companies on the east coast to pull this together for them, as they were not confident they would find someone in ‘little downtown’ Perth. However after discussing the project with us they were more than confident we could do it. 

The shoot was done in just 8 days and with WA being such a huge state, Guy-Wallis said the tight timetable relied on incorporating the long distances to be travelled while still getting an experience to shoot each day. Split Screen’s extensive experience in shooting productions all over the state came to the fore. 

“It worked out that driving was the best way to go and with some assistance from some of my regional contacts, we came up with a range of great experiences. We managed to incorporate everything from a behind-the-scenes tour at the Greenough Wildlife Park patting dingos, emus, kanagaroos and snakes, to horse-riding along the Murchison, humpback whale and dolphin watching in Carnarvon and Monkey Mia, swimming with the Manta Rays and Tiger Sharks in Coral Bay, walking the gorges at Karajini, then quickly flying over to Rotto to get that quokka selfie!”

“At the end of the shoot they were thrilled. Having someone with intense local knowledge of WA gave them much more than they expected.”

Guy-Wallis said discussions have already started about doing it all again, next time in the Kimberley.

“They just need to convince their client.”