Immersion Studios announces new facilities in state-of-the-art ATC

A newly opened Immersion Studios digital production facility in Prince Edward Island could have a commercial product on the market within six months, hopes the company’s president and CEO. Stacey Spiegel was on hand at the Atlantic Technology Centre in Charlottetown on October 17 to open both the new workspace and one of the company’s interactive theatres – expected to become an important tourist draw in the provincial capital. The new facility will be run as a partnership between Immersion and Charlottetown-based Business Technology Consulting (BTC) in a joint venture to be called Castaways Inc. The facility will be the first of what Spiegel hopes will be many smaller ventures located in various regions around the world. To be successful, Speigel says, Toronto-based Immersion will require local partners. "Our goal is not to move from Toronto to Prince Edward Island. That’s not what we’re doing," he tells Canadian NEW MEDIA. "We’re really doing a technology transfer to the island. In order for this business to be successful – whether it’s here or, really, anywhere – to have a distinctive regional character requires someone on the ground who knows the community. I can’t operate the business here. The best thing to do, in my view, is to build partnerships with a talented and well-respected businessman who has a mission to both provide further economic development as well as to make a successful business. "(BTC president/CEO) Al MacDonald, I think, is that partner. In having him on the ground with his experience here, it will ensure that, a, the business is well managed and, b, his commitment to his own business has been extended. It seemed to make a lot of sense." The facility is slated to start operations with five to 10 employees and Spiegel concedes that staffing will be a challenge in the sparsely populated P.E.I. "I believe that there are talented people here," he says. "Part of the business is getting the word out. We kind of kept it close to our chest until yesterday (October 17) when the announcement was made. Since that time, I’ve been approached by a half a dozen people here who are Islanders or ex-Islanders who have taken an interest. "Where is talent? It’s hard to say…Waiting for students to come out of (P.E.I.’s) Holland College isn’t going to work. It’s a four-year program. I think that there might be some skill-sets where we’re going to be a little short, and if that’s the case, we’ll have to figure out what to do. But, there’s many seats at the table, and many of those can be filled with people who have enough technology background to make up for, let’s say, broadcast experience – or make up as a writer or musician." Spiegel says the need to catch up is one reason he expects the first commercial products will likely be for the educational or corporate training markets where the bar can be lower. Immersion is known for high-quality, cutting-edge immersive studios for institutions such as the Smithsonian (CNM, June 26/02), but Spiegel doesn’t expect the P.E.I. shop to begin work on those projects in the immediate term. P.E.I. division to chart own course "I think my goal here is that the P.E.I. division doesn’t fall behind the Toronto division, but that it has its own path and takes the technology and creativity and initiative in a business area that we otherwise wouldn’t do. That may well be right to the classroom, or they will be to the corporate boardroom." The Immersion announcement is one of many the Atlantic Technology Centre hopes to make in the coming weeks as other companies publicize their intent to move into the facility. Technology PEI notes that EDS Canada, DeltaWare Systems, Trapeze Media, Cellar Door Productions, Holland College, and Parmita Academy of Make Up are already in residence, or plan to be.

Immersion Studios announces new facilities in state-of-the-art ATC

News | 10/30/2002 5:00 am EST

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