[UPDATE 10/14/23]: The highly awaited Sphere recently opened with the start of an extended residency by U2, but the concerts are not the only programming being hosted by the modern marvel of entertainment technology. The venue’s first “Sphere Experience,” the Darren Aronofsky-directed Postcard from Earth, is also showing off the vast advancements in the venue’s capabilities.
Per a press release from Sphere, the approximately two-hour program begins in the Atrium, which tells a universal story of how culture, technology, science, art, and the natural world have been intertwined throughout human history. Through one-of-a-kind immersive experiences created specifically for Sphere, guests will gain a better understanding of how technology amplifies our human potential. The Sphere Experience then continues in the main venue bowl for a muti-sensory cinematic experience at an unparalleled scale.
“Every aspect of Sphere was designed to transport audiences to new places, both real and imagined, and The Sphere Experience is where that vision comes together in its most integrated form,” said James L. Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO of Sphere Entertainment. “From the moment guests enter the venue, Sphere’s next-generation technologies will create an unforgettable journey, which includes a sci-fi exploration of our planet via Darren Aronofsky’s Postcard from Earth.”
As Aronofsky said of the project, “Sphere is a temple to the arts. It’s not built for sports, it’s built for performance and for this new moving image medium: this experiential cinema. I can’t wait to share Postcard from Earth with the world.”
The Sphere Experience journey is curated by five humanoid robots named Aura that serve as interactive guides to Sphere, each focusing on one fundamental aspect of human ability: connection, creativity, innovation, longevity, and productivity. Aura was developed using next-generation technology in robotic mechanics and artificial intelligence.
Aura will guide guests through an interactive demonstration of Sphere Immersive Sound powered by HOLOPLOT which shows beamforming technology can simultaneously send unique audio content to specific locations, allowing guests to hear completely different content – such as languages or instruments. Other immersive technology experiences in the Atrium include a 50-foot-high holographic installation that draws on the themes of Postcard from Earth, artwork created by machine learning, LED displays, and a 360-degree avatar capture that virtually puts guests on top of Sphere.
The Atrium experience ties directly into the main cinematic feature, Postcard from Earth, a first-of-its-kind immersive film by Academy Award-nominated director Darren Aronofsky. Postcard from Earth is a portrait of our planet, re-imagined as a sci-fi experience. The film brings audiences on a voyage spanning all seven continents, and deep into the ocean, high into the mountains, into the eye of a storm, and out into space. Postcard from Earth takes full advantage of Sphere’s experiential, next-generation technologies to transport audiences and engage the senses, making them feel like they have traveled to new worlds without ever leaving their seats in Las Vegas. This includes utilizing the interior LED display plane that wraps up, over, and around the audience to create a fully immersive visual environment.
Postcard from Earth is also the first production to feature the venue’s multi-sensory 4D technologies. This includes immersive seats with an infrasound haptic system that will use deep vibrations so guests can feel the experience, such as the rumble of thunder or a soaring rocket launch. Sphere also utilizes environmental effects to rouse the senses, helping audiences conjure the feeling of “being there.”
Check out some clips of the Postcard From Earth experience at Sphere posted by Darren Aronofsky below and scroll down for more information on Sphere Experiences. To purchase tickets, head here.
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[4/11/23]: The new Sphere at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, NV has revealed the initial details for Postcard from Earth, its first Sphere Experience, one of the main content categories set to be featured at the high-tech new venue when it opens in October 2023.
Per the Sphere website, “Postcard from Earth is our very first Sphere Experience and will utilize the full breadth of Sphere’s technological capabilities to create a multi-sensory storytelling journey. Created specifically for Sphere, Postcard From Earth will be the first-of-its kind, not just for Las Vegas shows, but anywhere in the world. Production is currently underway, and it will offer a unique perspective on the magnificent beauty of life on Earth at an unparalleled scale. There will be no event like it.”
As MSG Entertainment executive chairman and CEO James Dolan said in a statement released on Tuesday, “Sphere provides a new medium for directors, artists and brands to create experiences that cannot be seen or told anywhere else, and Sphere Experiences are just one of the ways we will use the venue’s technologies to engage the senses and transport audiences to places both real and imagined. Postcard From Earth will set a new bar for multi-sensory storytelling possibilities, and we look forward to having audiences experience it at Sphere this fall.”
According to a press release, “Sphere Experiences, which will be the result of collaborations between Sphere Studios—Sphere’s in-house creative and production studio—and acclaimed storytellers and creatives, are original immersive productions designed exclusively for Sphere. As the first Sphere Experience, Postcard from Earth will utilize the full breadth of Sphere’s technological capabilities to create a multi-sensory storytelling journey, providing audiences with a first-of-its-kind shared experience at an unparalleled scale. Each Sphere Experience will be approximately 60 minutes in length, and productions are slated to run multiple times per day, year-round.”
While the announcement was notably light on specifics about Postcard from Earth, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported last week that award-winning director Darren Aronofsky is involved in the production, which is currently underway.
New technologies featured in the Sphere’s construction and production design include an LED display inside the main venue bowl that wraps up, over, and around the audience, creating a fully-immersive visual environment. At 16K x 16K, it is the highest-resolution LED screen on the planet. The venue will match those groundbreaking visual attributes with Sphere Immersive Sound, the “beamforming” audio system developed specifically for the Sphere.
In addition, Sphere will feature multi-sensory “4D” production elements that enhance the storytelling experience and make audiences feel like they have truly been transported somewhere new. Per a press release, “This includes 10,000 immersive seats with an infrasound haptic system that will use deep vibrations so guests can ‘feel’ the experience, from the rumble of thunder or a roaring motorcycle. Sphere will also utilize environmental effects to rouse the senses—this includes changing temperatures, the feeling of a cool breeze, or familiar scents—and help audiences conjure the feeling of ‘being there.’”
Tickets for Postcard from Earth at the Sphere will go on sale on Wednesday, April 12th at 10:00 a.m. PT here.
MSG Sphere Experiences are not designed to compete with artists and headlining performers, but rather as a way to maximize customer traffic through the venue during daytime hours and provide lower-cost options for attendees to choose from. Irish rock stalwarts U2 are slated to be the first musicians to perform at the Sphere, but the details of their residency have yet to be announced.
Take a look at the initial “Sphere Experience” offering and more at the MSG Sphere’s website.
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