News | MW:M22
26
Oct
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3 Questions to Laura Hirvi
3 Questions to Laura Hirvi (Managing Director at Virtual Reality Berlin Brandenburg)
Question 1: What potentials lie in the cooperation of XR and the music industry from an economic perspective and where should new interfaces/cooperations be created to leverage them?
One example that immediately comes to mind here is virtual concerts. When cultural institutions had to close due to the global pandemic and festivals and live concerts were cancelled, there was a brief moment of silence in the scene. Music could still be heard, of course, but not experienced in the same way as would have been the case at a concert. It didn’t take long for the number of virtual concerts to increase. For musicians, this offered an opportunity to earn money and make their music better known, despite the lockdown. In order to promote such and similar projects in the future, there should be events that bring together players from different scenes and provide a platform for exchange. Our association is one of the players who, in cooperation with partners, strives to link the XR scene with the music industry through events.
Question 2: What new job profiles in media tech do you see for music players and what skills do they need to have?
In the context of VR and AR, visuals play a big role. But to make the experience as immersive as possible, you also need a good sound experience. Together with Musictech Germany, we did an event last year where we looked at the topic of spatial sound. It became clear that there is a need for experts who are familiar with this topic. In general, we can say that the technical developments in the XR industry are very fast. Therefore, it is an advantage to have the ability to be interested in innovations and to learn new things.
Question 3: In which areas of your own industry do you think the most exciting “new deals” are currently emerging, and why?
One topic that is currently being hotly debated, not only in our industry but also beyond, is the metaverse. What is the Metaverse, who is involved in its development, what role will it play in the future? For the music industry and music players, there are interesting possibilities in this context with regard to the sale and distribution as well as the consumption of music that should be kept in mind.