During my childhood, my parents enrolled me and my siblings in acting for commercials and movies. This early introduction to the entertainment industry was invaluable, and I was fortunate enough to land some lead roles, including a photo journal commercial for ADD that was particularly intriguing to me due to my ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder). As an ADHD kid, I was able to fully understand and relate to what the photographers were trying to capture, and I enjoyed watching them work.
On another occasion, I played the role of a wolf child without a tribe for a Homo Sapiens documentary. I was completely unrecognizable, covered in makeup and acting in the nude. It was challenging, but roles like this taught me the importance of patience, perseverance, and discipline.
However, when puberty hit, I shifted my focus to sports, computers, and studies, and photography became a hobby. At this point I did not want to pursue photography as a career, I felt the industry was saturated with creators already. Thus, I created mostly for pleasure, taking photos of friends and family, discovering techniques that I read about in photo journals, and taking odd jobs from time to time. Over the years, I managed to acquire some gear through the odd jobs too. In December 2015, while traveling through Belgium with my brothers, all my equipment and on-hand backups were stolen in a two consecutive days of smash-and-grabs. A year later I lost more backups in a ransomware virus attack. These incidents forced me to put my photography aspirations on hold, and I concentrated on my career in private and luxury events, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
After a few months, luck struck, and I won a Samsung S7 Edge, Batman limited edition, with a matching virtual reality headset and games, which occupied my spare time. Little did I know, it was a turning point for me. At a friend’s birthday celebration later that year, his father, who happened to be my mentor, asked me about the possibility of watching a football game in VR. This question reignited my passion for technology and cameras, and my brain was flooded with ideas.
August 2016 my mentor and I identified various industries in South Africa that could benefit from this technology and by January 2017, VR Events was established. Education, real estate, and commercials were obvious choices. In the span of a decade, I transitioned from being captured on commercial sets to capturing and directing my first VR content.
One of our most successful projects was a first-person Virtual Reality experience for an HIV awareness campaign. The goal was to help break down the stigma surrounding HIV and to give people a glimpse of what it’s like be faced with choices, potentially contracting the virus in our daily lives. We worked closely with a group of highly creative people to create a powerful and moving experience that really resonated with viewers. It was a challenging project due to the nature of capturing VR, but it was incredibly rewarding to see the impact it had.
We’ve also created virtual tours for real estate and other industries. VR tours have proved to be a huge time-saver for both agents and buyers. Instead of driving around to view multiple properties, potential buyers can now take virtual tours from the comfort of their own homes. It’s a game-changer in the industry, and we’re proud to be at the forefront of this technology. In the early days of Forj, one of our contracting agents sold a home using one of our tours, the buyer never set a foot on the property.
Capturing landmarks in 360° has also been a highlight of our work. We were given full access to Robben Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the former prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 years. We were able to capture every detail of the island in stunning 360°, allowing viewers to experience the historical site in a whole new way.
While our VR and other Mixed Reality projects are immensely fun, creative, and often ground-breaking, the true potential of VR technology remains untapped. The industry is heavily reliant on various factors, and large corporations like Meta, Oculus, and Apple are expected to play a significant role in shaping its future in the next decade. Nevertheless, there is already a passionate community of VR and XR enthusiasts who will continue to champion the technology. As solutions and software continue to improve, more consumers will undoubtedly adopt it.
The future of virtual reality and related technologies, such as XR and augmented reality, is bright, especially with the emergence of the Metaverse, crypto, and virtual production stages. We have barely scratched the surface of the possibilities for immersive experiences. Moreover, the true beauty of this technology is that it can greatly influence our future, especially when it becomes more accessible to consumers who cannot afford such expensive or niche technologies. That is when we will see a significant impact on our world.
In conclusion, my journey in the world of technology has been an exciting one, from acting to VR, producing immersive projects and more. The possibilities for VR technology are endless, and I look forward to being a part of its continued growth and development.
Brendan Louw | Lentille NU 
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