James Simpson

Director

Copper Candle

Speaker Biography

James Simpson is a creative technologist and Director of Copper Candle, an XR studio that specialises in realtime content creation for live events, virtual production and immersive experiences. Funded by CoSTAR, Copper Candle is developing accessible methods of bringing emerging artists into the Metaverse via Fortnite using real-time markerless motion capture technology, creating what they describe as the first independent music venue in Fortnite.

Simpson founded Copper Candle in 2019 as a place to push immersive metaverse experiences into exciting new places, positioning himself at the intersection of theatre and gaming where language and skills gaps existed. The company’s patented technology seamlessly integrates virtual concerts into gaming worlds, offering artists and audiences a unique and immersive experience. In 2021, Copper Candle won three separate PLASA Innovation Awards for its products Copper Stream, Bone Stream and Cue29 created to optimise the realtime design, broadcast and audience engagement of live music, theatre shows and events in the virtual environment. They have worked on projects on every continent from custom Virtual Reality experiences to lighting visualisations of landmark buildings.

Simpson is researching a PhD in Theatre Production Design Visualisation from Rose Bruford College and is responsible for their XR stage, motion capture and digital content education.

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