Intel Olympic docuseries brings athlete's journeys to life
As the world is transfixed on the Winter Olympics, we not only see the top athletes in their sports, we also learn of the inspiring personal stories of those competing. This year, Intel is helping tell some of those stories through a docuseries campaign that incorporates its virtual reality (VR) technology.
Intel VR brings Olympic action to fans and families
In the ‘Experience the Moment campaign,’ Intel closely follows the performances of world class athletes that have dedicated their lives to their respective sports. The tech company is also helping to bring the excitement of the games to athletes’ hometowns around the globe by giving the families Intel VR technology. It helps close the distance between these athletes and their loved ones by providing a firsthand experience to their performances, which can be seen in the films.
The three-part docuseries profiles the journeys of four competing athletes, sharing their moments of triumph and perseverance that led them to the Games. In ‘Two Teams, One Dream,’ Marissa Brandt hopes to make a connection with her birth mother as she plays for team Korea, joined by her sister, Hannah, who is also competing in women’s ice hockey on behalf of team USA.
In ‘Walking the Dream,’ Ayumu Hirano – the youngest medalist in X-Games history at the age of 14 – the now 17-year-old showboarder has become a hometown hero, representing Murakami, Japan, an inspiration for young athletes from his community and around the world.
In ‘Skating Through Obstacles,’ Chinese competitor Fan Kexin, a short track speedskater, overcame extreme financial hardships on her quest to become an Olympic medalist. In the film she shares an emotional look at the crawlspace that she called her bedroom as a child and tells how she is channeling that struggle into motivation to go for gold.
The athletes are part of Team Intel, a crew of six that are representing Intel during the games. Also included are Maia and Alex Shibutani, the US ice dancing team and current two-time US champions.
In addition to the series, Intel will also make history during the Winter Olympics by powering the largest scale virtual reality event to date. Together with Olympic Broadcast Services (OBS), Intel will capture and record 30 Olympic events that will live on the NBC Sports VR app.
See the short films by clicking on the Creative Works box below.
