Wallace and Gromit – The Big Fix Up

Aim

The Big Fix Up, a unique collaboration between Fictioneers and Aardman, aims to create an immersive and engaging narrative of the Wallace and Gromit franchise, which can be accessed in both the public and private sphere and will appeal to all ages.

Summary

Wallace and Gromit is a British claymation franchise which first aired in the late 1980’s and has since become a cherished icon of British culture. Creators Aardman Animations have developed several adaptations on the franchise, including some video games. Now, for the first time, the lines between player and spectator will be blurred with Aardman and Fictioneers’ truly immersive experience, The Big Fix Up.
The Big Fix Up is a first-of-its-kind, story-driven multiplayer adventure which blends storytelling and gaming into one world. The story, which unfolds via augmented and mixed reality gameplay, CG animations, in-character phone calls, comic strips and more, is based around Wallace and Gromit’s new business venture ‘Spick & Spanners’, and can either take place in users’ own gardens at home or in a to-scale version of Bristol’s city centre in AR. The end result is an experience that continually engages with and influences the user.
Merlin Crossingham, Creative Director of Wallace and Gromit, said: “Aardman is a multi-faceted creative studio and is just as happy with classic film making as it is with new and emerging technologies. Wallace and Gromit’s heart and soul is in stop motion, but they have often dabbled in the cutting-edge of tech, and this is one of those occasions”.

Target Audience

Families
Fans of all ages
Gamers
The tourism sector

Outcome

The Big Fix Up launches in November 2020 optimised as an experience which can take place entirely within a user’s home and garden. This features the whole adventure, from beginning to end. Before the end of 2020 (dependent on legislation concerning COVID-19), the team will test a ‘GrubbFest’ standalone beta app to trial the Bristol event content in a controlled invite-only environment.
The ‘GrubbFest’ live experience goes live from May in three cities, Bristol, Cardiff and Belfast, where users can follow Wallace around the city. During this time the team will also create ‘Rogue Lad’ spinoff adventure to license to theme parks as a ‘play-at-resort’ experience.
The project consortium are looking to add further technological features, including Wallace and Gromit Snap lenses, within the app experience before the 2021 launch. The team are also seeking 5G sponsorship for an HD experience at live events.
The Big Fix Up has already received widespread national attention in technology, gaming and entertainment media, as fans anticipate the launch towards the end of 2020.

Applications

Content – AR, Content – theatre, film & video, Content – special effects, Content – animation & graphics, Tech – mobiles & tablets, Infrastructure – new platforms, Digital – data & analytics