How AI and Real-Time Rendering Engines Will Transform Immersive Metaverse Experiences

In this Metaverse interview, Toni Witt hosts Robin Resella, Creative Director of Mirada Studios and a creative consultant at Apparel Intelligence, for a discussion on the evolution of 3D art and the noticeable changes within the industry. The two talk about the possibilities of the Metaverse and the hope that smaller artists will be able to play a role in its development.

Highlights

00:08 —Toni introduces Resella as a “creative artist extraordinaire” who has a reputable design background working for companies like Netflix, Apple, and Nike.

00:53 — Resella begins by describing how he got into the creative arts industry and gives listeners insights behind Mirada Studios. He began his journey as an artist in college, focusing on traditional graphic design, but moved towards motion graphics when he noticed that “the animation that websites can do felt very limiting.” Resella landed an internship with a company called Motion Theory. With the help of other founding members, the company eventually evolved into what is now known as Mirada Studios.

02:24 — At the time of the company change, Mirada Studios focused on being an all-encompassing studio that could deliver stories in a variety of ways. As a studio, the team at Mirada had to learn a lot of different mediums. Nearly everything the team was creating had to be in one of the typical 3D programs, causing Resella to shift from his previous focus on two-dimensional art.

03:56 — Mirada Studios is not a traditional studio in the sense that they do not rely on a single software. Rather, it understands its client’s marketing and storytelling initiatives and determines the best teams and tools to solve the visual problems.

04:47 — Toni asks Resella if he has noticed any changes, brought on by technological innovation, throughout his years in the creative arts industry. As high-definition resolution grew in popularity, Resella notes the higher render times of composites as major changes to the industry. To support creators with higher rendering times, real-time render engines appeared on the market in 2010. The new render engines made adding and changing design iterations, editing lighting, and testing materials more accessible.

09:40 — Real-time 3D has made an incredible impact on what designers are able to get done. The platform Unreal Engine is helping designers create immersive experiences and enabling them to collaborate with other talent and directors. Real-time engines have had a big influence on how products and stories can be delivered, while also influencing the possibilities for the Metaverse.

12:19 — Toni asks for Resella’s thoughts on the future of the Metaverse, and whether or not he thinks smaller teams and agencies will have access to controlling the Metaverse.

12:39 — Given that the Metaverse is still in its early stages, smaller designers do not yet have a forefront. Metaverses are still within their “own sandboxes” and with the restrictions still in place, it is hard to move commerce out of them. Because of this, Resella doesn’t think there is a place for smaller agencies in the Metaverse yet.

14:25 — Resella does not want one company to control the way things can, or will, be built in the Metaverse. With the Metaverse still being in its early stages, he says there are too many opportunities for growth for one company to determine. Smaller companies should set “precedents for establishing a network for the Metaverse.”

17:14 — Toni asks Resella if he thinks the world is “anywhere near a stage where somebody with no experience can create a high-quality 3D environment in little time.” Resella believes that the world is close to that point and explains the strides the industry is making. He says there are 3D platforms like this already and many B2B companies sell 3D products for you to introduce into your own worlds.

18:59 — Resella brings up the concept of AI art, something that is also in its early stages of conception, and highlights how many artists are wary of the medium. He says he feels it is another tool that helps other creators to understand the potential for future art compositions. AI art is a promising way to get attention and feedback from clients that can be taken into more traditional means of production. All of the tools a person needs to create a quality 3D environment exist and are available to the average person, allowing them to engage with this aspect of the creative world.

21:12 — AI art is beginning to move into animation and other diffusion apps, allowing “things to come alive,” which Resella says excites him. AI art, an up-and-coming innovation in the industry, has allowed artists to develop new styles and real-time engines. Resella says he is also excited about the increase of immersive experiences and the Metaverse. He anticipates that the Metaverse will begin “populating all types of live attractions as we move forward.”

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