AR (alternate reality) filters take social media filters to the next level. They allow you to superimpose computer-generated video in your Instagram stories. At the forefront of this cutting-edge technology is Australian Artist and Playlist Pump PR Agency’s CEO Wilsonn. This Billboard-charting and award-winning Soul Modern/Universal Music artist teamed up with digital creative Laurent Marcus to create the first interactive AR music video filter in Australia.
Instagram users can now fly with the hisnameiswilsonn (with two n’s) filter on Instagram which integrates a digital flying Wilson and his grooving pop song Standing Floors into their social media stories.
The filter features two options: The back camera lets Wilsonn come into your world and float around you–surrounded by classic vinyl records from his early years that inspired him musically. The front camera takes you into Wilsonn’s world and lets you follow the artist overcoming setbacks in his life as his song is playing in the background.
“We wanted to explore how music and technology can work together to connect fans with the artist,” says Laurent Marcus. “Using Spark AR, an Instagram Augmented Reality platform, we created two experiences in one–bringing Wilsonn and his track to life.”
Exclusive NFT Partnership with Monegraph: The Future of Record Sales?
In addition, a compiled user experience of the ‘Standing Floors’ album is releasing as an exclusive NFT (non-fungible token). For the non-tech nerds out there, NFT’s are “Digital tokens that are a type of cryptocurrency, much like Bitcoin or Ethereum. But unlike a standard coin in the Bitcoin blockchain, an NFT is unique and can’t be exchanged like-for-like (hence, non-fungible).”
Limited quantities of these one-of-a-kind NFTs are sold at crypto auctions, much like rare paintings. Because there are only limited quantities of these NFT records, artists are able to auction off their music to the highest bidder–potentially making thousands off of the sale of a few NFT records. To create this NFT version of the interactive artist experience, Wilsonn partnered with Monegraph, a blockchain technology platform for media rights. Monegraph was the first tech company to release NFT digital art back in 2014, and now, Wilsonn’s one-of-a-kind NFT version of the album Standing Floors is being auctioned by some of the biggest auction houses in the world.
“To partner and collaborate with Monegraph–a blockchain technology platform for digital music and art media rights–to release my EP ‘Standing Floors’ as an NFT, was super compelling,” Wilsonn says.
Monegraph is the only platform in the space that has patented technology built to protect your media rights when minting NFTs on the blockchain. This addresses a major concern for musicians who have to respect the rights of their writers, producers, labels, etc. Now, artists can all benefit from the NFT market while adhering to the copyright standards of our industry.
More About Wilsonn
Wilsonn’s infectious vocals began earning praise back in 2017 when he released his mixtape titled ‘Idiocentric’, which led the artist to be recognised by a number of major online outlets including The Music Ninja, EDM Sauce, and This Song Slaps. Turning heads within the Australian RnB scene, he’s gone on to further embed himself as an eclectic singer, songwriter and producer, releasing his debut single ‘Even If I Know’ in 2018, which scored blog support from Earmilk, EDM Sauce and Stoney Roads. Outside of his own singles, he’s continued to write records for various artists including Mau5trap artist Attlas for ‘Batch’ which went top #10 on Billboard electronic charts.
More About Laurent Marcus
Laurent is a Digital Creative, working at Leo Burnett Sydney, passionate about work that connects with people through technology and entertainment. His work on Augmented Reality filters aims to involve an active participation and reaction from the audience, from getting off the couch and learning new tricks for Redbull Skateboarding with Tricks Roulette (viewed over 30M times and used by skateboarding legend Tony Hawk), to taking part in an interactive music video with Wilsonn – Standing Floors.
Laurent is a member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Science since 2011, active associated judge of the Webby Awards.
Follow @LaurentMarcus on Instagram
Follow @hisnameiswilsonn on Instagram