Filming VR in a War Zone: Inside the Chernobyl Reactor

In this episode of the Amata World podcast, Henry Stuart, Co-founder of Visualise and Meta Camera, shares his incredible journey through the evolving landscape of XR technology. Exploring the evolution of immersive media from early 360-degree photography to high-stakes virtual reality filmmaking, the conversation traces his path from a biology graduate to an industry leader. He discusses capturing monumental events like the 2011 Royal Wedding and the 2012 Olympics, highlighting how the advent of Oculus headsets transformed his agency, Visualise, into a powerhouse for VR and AR innovation.

The conversation turns to one of Henry’s most challenging projects: a high-stakes VR production for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development inside the Chernobyl exclusion zone. He recounts the intense logistical and physical challenges of filming in a heavily militarized, radioactive environment during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. They also explore how Henry leverages VR for profound social impact, detailing his work with Mission Rabies in Malawi to build donor empathy, and with St. John Ambulance's Young Responders program, which uses choice-driven VR scenarios to teach disengaged youths life-saving first-aid skills for knife wounds. Transitioning to practical advice, Henry shares actionable tips for aspiring creators, noting that modern, affordable 360 cameras and standard non-linear editors like Adobe Premiere make immersive storytelling more accessible than ever.

Finally, Henry offers a contrarian take on the trajectory of immersive technology, arguing that the true future of the XR industry lies not in bulky, isolating VR headsets, but in lightweight, contextually aware AR smart glasses. For anyone interested in the intersection of technology, storytelling, and social impact, this episode provides a thrilling and deeply knowledgeable glimpse into where immersive media has been and exactly where it is heading.

You can connect to Henry on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrystuart

Learn more about Meta Camera:Website: https://meta-camera.io

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meta_camera

Learn more about Visualise:

Website: https://visualise.com

Other projects mentioned:

Mission Rabies: https://www.missionrabies.com

St John Ambulance’s Young Responders Program: https://www.sja.org.uk/get-involved/young-people/young-responders

Each week we release an episode in the field of either Metaverse/Gaming, Web3/Crypto/Blockchain, AI or XR and if we have an extra week, we are posting an episode with a guest from Creative industries. Tune in, there are more amazing guests and stories to come up in the future.

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