Plastic on the Ganges
National Geographic
Approximately nine million tons of plastic waste end up in our oceans and water systems every year, threatening ecosystems, wildlife and the health of billions of people. Dive into our 3-part VR series about the impact of plastics on everyday life along the river Ganges in India, to get a better understanding of the problem.
What does plastic pollution look like for families living along the Ganges in India? The goal with this VR-series was to give a glimpse into the lives downstream of a polluted river, and what it means for the world.
The Story
The three episodes take you to several small and large communities along the river Ganges, where you get to meet the people whose lives are inextricably intertwined with plastic as a material – just like most of us.
The first episode of the VR series takes you to a small rural community outside of Kannauj in India. This village represents thousands of similar communities along the river that live in close connection to the water, depending on it for their livelihood and as a food and water supply. The series continues to feature Ganga Sanhi, fisherman and father in the second episode. He lives in a community on the very banks of the river Ganges in that relies on fishing for sustenance. For closure, the third and final episode features scientist Heather Koldewey that gives her perspective on what needs to be done to turn the tide on plastic pollution - in the Ganges, and the world.
Services we have provided
Story development
We specialize in developing stories for immersive formats, letting the audience step into the story and interact with it.
Immersive production
We capture, produce and publish content within all fields of the immersive space - from 360-video to interactive virtual reality.
3D and Reality Capture
We bring back high-resolution 3D assets from all over the world, using photogrammetry, lidar and reality capture.
End user experience
The user gets transported to another time and place, and experiences the story told from other people’s perspective. With voice-over narration that simulates these characters thoughts, you get to be close to their stories and understand how they view the world. The series has primarily been used in VR headsets at events and live on-stage shows with National Geographic while communicating on plastic pollution.
Impact
The Plastic on the Ganges VR series has been used as part of the large ‘Planet or Plastic’ campaign by National Geographic, for advocacy and awareness campaigns in the US and abroad.
Credits
Martin Edström
Fredrik Edström
Oliver Akermo
Sofia Hallgren
Working with Martin and the team at IVAR has been both a joy and an honor. In addition to the incredible technical skills, creative vision, and reliable execution they bring to the table, the IVAR team is also a pleasure to work with. They are open communicators, excellent problem-solvers, and together we’ve created award-winning, immersive impact films for the National Geographic Society, introducing audiences to people and places they may never otherwise have the opportunity to learn from. I truly can’t wait for our next collaboration.
Sarah Joseph
National Geographic Society
Get in touch
Do you want to learn more about immersive storytelling? Perhaps you already have a project idea?