How Matt Manhire Is Helping Impossible Studios Embrace the Future of XR Production
For those who have been following the implementation of eXtended Reality (XR) within the Canadian advertising scene, there’s probably a familiarity with a few names and studios who are really leading the way. After all, recent years, investments from the likes of Alter Ego, Vinit Borrison, and Rudin Causi have enabled a greater understanding of the tech, taking it from something that got featured in that one ‘The Mandalorian’ behind the scenes video to something within reach for many.
However, no less important among the list of early adopters and investors is Matt Manhire, who has spent the past five years diving deep into the capabilities offered by such tech. In fact, across the industry he has earned a bit of a reputation for this – something which he now brings to Toronto-based production house Impossible Studios, which he has recently joined the roster of. Boasting an XR portfolio with the likes of Air Miles, TD Bank, OLG, and McDonalds, as well an even wider general production portfolio still, all of it serves as testament to his curiosity, desire for authenticity, and, chiefly, commitment to doing the best job he can while exploring this future avenue for the industry.
To learn more, and find out what brought him to Impossible Studios, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with Matt for a chat.
LBB> Matt, congratulations on your new move to Impossible Studios! How did this come about, and what made joining the team feel like the right decision for your career?
Matt> It’s an exciting time in my career, and partnering with Marco D'Angelo at Impossible made sense for many reasons. Not only do I love the trajectory the team is on and admire their approach and acumen, but Marco is opening doors for me to move my career in the way I envisioned. We’re both aligned in seeing the capabilities and promising future of XR production (eXtended Reality). This is a passion of mine, and it became obvious early in our conversations that our individual visions had some crucial intersections, making the relationship very exciting.
LBB> What have the early days of collaboration been like? Are there any major benefits to being at Impossible that you’re really appreciating?
Matt> We managed to service a TD Bank job (on the XR wall) shortly after the handshake, which created momentum as well as an opportunity to see how we work together. Immediately we realised, at the end of the day, we both want the same things: happy client, happy crew, and to do the best possible job we can.
I also believe we both see windows of opportunity to improve the production process and create high level work in the new economic climate of our industry. All that, on top of the fact that Marco is just a genuine, solid guy, has made the experience really fulfilling.
LBB> Now that you’re settling in and have some work under your belt, what other types of pieces will you be looking to pitch for? Is there a particular genre or subject matter that you find especially exciting?
Matt> I’ve had the opportunity to do some wonderful, heartfelt work in my short career thus far. I’d love to keep working on projects that offer chances to develop some larger and more complex story lines. I’m hunting for challenges at this stage of my life, so those could look like technical, choreography (both dance and stunt), crafted dialogue and more complete story arcs. Without a doubt, I’m in the most exciting chapter of my career!
LBB> Let’s talk a bit more about XR! You’ve earned a reputation as being one of the early adopters of the XR wall. How long have you been using it for, and why is this something you’re passionate about?
Matt> That’s awesome to hear that, as that’s exactly what I set out to do five years ago.
At the time, XR production was not nearly as commonplace as it is now, and we were all just kind of making it up as we went along. Mostly, the long-form industry was using it for driving plates and super high-budget superhero films. So, we essentially had one ‘The Mandalorian’ behind the scenes video to help us understand what to expect when setting out on this journey. There was so much experimentation and failure baked into the lessons we learned, which I’m so grateful for, because now we’re well positioned to execute the production process with expertise.
I’d also add that those investments from the likes of Alter Ego, Vinit Borrison, Rudin Causi and myself brought our level of understanding to a point where we’re no longer just ‘trying out the toy’ when we take on a project. We’re now executing our process and expertise. I can’t think of anything more rewarding than solving all my clients’ problems and being truly creative in a way that I love. Innovation and creativity are super valuable to me, so being able to be in a groove now where I can focus on those two things is incredibly exciting.
LBB> Practically speaking, what is your approach to using it like? Is this something that’s evolved with the times?
Matt> I was lucky to get a lot of support and encouragement from David Whiteson (senior VFX artist at Alter Ego) who provided insight into how VFX pipelines are designed and executed. XR production planning falls somewhere in between planning a location shoot and a VFX-heavy project. This means front loading a lot of the (what used to be) post work into the pre-pro phase of the project. It sounds simple in theory, but it requires a paradigm shift for our industry, and educating producers, creatives and clients on what to expect and how to manage these new expectations. Aside from that, it’s the usual hustle of getting everything ready for the shoot day, and getting as many talented people in the studio to get the job done and have everyone leaving satisfied.
As a final point, every week, it seems there is some sort of new tool that breaks into the XR medium, so finding ways to fold that into my process is keeping me on my toes.
LBB> Can you give us some examples of projects where using the XR wall really helped you? Please tell us about what making them was like!
Matt> I’ve been fortunate to be able to make XR projects for brands like Air Miles, TD Bank, OLG, and of course, the famous McDonalds project that really started it all. Each one posed unique challenges in traditional production, suggesting a need to go the XR route. For example, with the McDonalds spot, not only did we need a brick and mortar location (which can be hard to secure due to business hours), but we also wanted to shoot over multiple seasons within one day. XR production allowed us to do so.
The tech is still in the infancy of being embraced by the ad world, but there is a vast amount of untapped creative potential within it.
LBB> With that in mind, how do you see the production space further evolving as more and more people become familiar with this technology?
Matt> The hardware involved is already at a high level, so I suspect where we will really see the medium evolve is in the digital asset libraries (or what many would think of as the graphic environments). This is where AI can actually be useful and support artists in the XR process. The more agency creatives I can expose to this process, the more informed they can be to the capabilities when they sit down to conceptualise their ideas for scripts and campaigns.
Building on this, Unreal Engine has an excellent source of environments to draw from, which are only increasing every week. Khasan Aripov and his team at SP Studios are real innovators when it comes to alternative pipelines for world building, and I can’t wait to help bring some of the studio’s potential into more of my future projects.
LBB> Of course, let’s talk about your broader career as well. Aside from directing, you’ve also got experience in project management and management consulting. Why are these the things you’re passionate about?
Matt> I came from a world of producing touring events before getting into advertising – life-sized animatronic dinosaur exhibits and halftime shows to the Pan Am Games and the Olympics. Managing complex projects, large crews, and delivering big visions has been a part of my career for most of my working life.
As a director, my clients, problem-solving strategy and collaborators are always changing, so bringing that adaptability into this chapter of my career has helped me find my footing in this fast-paced industry. Especially when it comes to the education surrounding XR – that aspect is where my leadership is needed most, because every project is still very much a learning and discovery process for agencies and clients. This is where I can support them with experience and expertise, and hopefully they’ll leave the project feeling like they have a greater sense of how the future of production is going to look.
LBB> Finally, overall, how would you describe your style? And is there anything that you’d like your new colleagues or future collaborators to know about you?
Matt> I’ve had some valuable mentors in the early days of my career that I stole styles from and made my own, and over the years, I’ve been able to really find what works for me and the greater good of the projects I’ve taken on. Where I’m at now is focusing on creating an ultra-communicative and collaborative environment around me. I genuinely want the agency and client included in every aspect of the process, because this has always led to a greater result and a much more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
If I had to sum it all up though, I’d say that if there's anyone out there that wants to explore new ways to make commercials – if you want to be a part of that innovation and really squeeze the creativity out of the campaigns you make, then call Marco and I.
