Immersive storytelling in 360 degrees
In creating some of the most recognized Virtual Reality documentaries and 360-videos to date, Martin Edström continues to lead the way of interactive and immersive storytelling.
Spearheading the field of immersive storytelling and journalism since 2012, when he created a first interactive 360-story from a refugee camp, Martin has inspired people and newsrooms around the world with his stories that place you in the middle of the narrative.
National Geographic VR projects
In telling the story about Son Doong, the largest cave in the world, Martin and his team helped shine a light on the need for conservation of natural heritage in South East Asia by using the power of immersive virtual reality. This was published by National Geographic in 2015, and later showcased as a prime example of interactive storytelling at Facebook F8 in 2018.
This story has been widely shared and praised, winning 1st prize at the International Photography Awards in 2015.
Read more about the Son Doong project →
Breaking new ground for filmmaking
Further exploring what Virtual Reality and 360-degree filmmaking can add to storytelling, Martin and the team at IVAR Studios managed to film the first ever 360-documentary from the heart of a pride of wild lions for National Geographic.
Engineering everything from custom-built 360-cameras to an armored mobile camera platform, Martin and his team brought home footage that pushed the boundaries of immersive wildlife filmmaking.
Martin continues to work with some of the largest media in the world, while focusing on conservation stories relating to natural and cultural heritage – recently involving a trip to the remote and isolated island of Socotra in Yemen together with fellow National Geographic Explorers.
Immersive storytelling projects
3D, WebXR and AI
Expanding his use of new technology, Martin has moved from 360-video into photogrammetry and 3D-scanning of remote environments and objects, often together with IVAR Studios, the immersive studio he co-founded. His 3D model of Stonehenge became an augmented reality experience on National Geographic’s Instagram, and Qikiqtaruk: Arctic at Risk brings decades of Arctic science into a WebXR experience used in schools.
For the Uncharted Caves of Kyrgyzstan project, Martin and his team spent over a month in the Tian Shan mountains, using drone photogrammetry and 3D-modelling to find new caves in a previously unsurveyed area with a fragile future.
That work now feeds the next format: interactive 3D worlds with AI guides. With IVAR Studios, Martin is developing exped.earth, where you can move through a real scientific expedition in 3D and ask it questions, with answers drawn only from the expedition’s own research.
He also does select commercial projects in VR, 360-video and 3D together with the top tech companies of the world.