A Maltese technology whiz is the driving force behind the creation of the world’s largest marine environment, which anyone with a computer can dive into.
I’ve had a love for the sea since my childhood in St Paul’s Bay
Guardamangia native Neville Spiteri, 41, spearheaded ‘the Blu’, which was described as “possibly the largest globally shared art and entertainment experience ever created” at its launch in New York’s Times Square on May 4.
The Blu is an online “digital art exhibit” of worldwide ocean habitats and species, with input from digital artists and developers across the globe.
Twelve years since its conception and two years in development, the Blu is the first production of Wemo Media, the California-based entertainment studio Mr Spiteri co-founded with Scott Yara three years ago.
“Scott and I are both passionate about the potential of the internet, and the power of art, entertainment and storytelling,” said Mr Spiteri, who has worked on digital effects in several Hollywood blockbusters, including Apollo 13.
“And we’re both inspired by the ocean. I’ve had a love for the sea since my childhood in St Paul’s Bay,” he told The Sunday Times.
Wemo has built a platform that will allow developers anywhere to sign up to create ‘assets’, such as sea creatures and habitats, that will be uploaded into the Blu servers.
The project is supported by some big industry players. One of the main developers is Andy Jones, animation director on Avatar; while Louie Psihoyos, director of 2009’s Oscar-winning documentary The Cove, is on the project’s advisory board. Following the May 4 launch, users can explore eight ocean habitats, containing over 100 life forms. New habitats and species will be released monthly.
As well as educating people about the oceans, the Blu has a social function. There are activity streams, event and photo sharing, and “ocean life swimming from user to user across the internet”, creating real-time social interaction.
Users can log in from their Facebook accounts and even purchase species to grow their own collection and customise their experience.
“It’s a globally shared experience,” said Mr Spiteri.
The Blu also aims to raise awareness of marine conservation issues.
Users can purchase ‘ambassador’ species or habitats for their virtual ocean environment and 25 per cent of the purchase price will go directly to non-profit collaborators to fund projects in the real ocean environment.
Non-profit collaborators include Mission Blue, The Ocean Elders, Oceanic Preservation Society, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Wild Aid.
The Blu made a splash in iconic Times Square on May 4 when a five-minute video show was shown on two big screens every 30 minutes.
The Blu is currently available as a downloadable app for PC and Mac computers at theblu.com.
It will also soon be available on phones, tablets and smart TVs.