Please join us in welcoming our newest Arcade team member, Olivia Hinkin! Livvy joins us as Arcade's first specialist project manager, and brings a wealth of experience in the immersive space from her time with our friends StoryFutures. Find out more about her background and Eurovision obsession below...
Welcome to ARCADE, Livvy! Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi! I'm excited to be here. I'm a project manager based in Hampshire. I studied for my Masters in Film, TV and Screen Media at Birkbeck in London, and I've spent the last few years working on facilitating R&D projects for companies working with immersive and next-generation technologies.
So, what have you done that you're most proud of so far?
I've been fortunate to link up companies with world-leading academics to help them solve challenges for their immersive projects. I've worked on projects involving haptic VR sculpting, reducing cybersickness in VR and live AR theatre distribution. It's really satisfying to help small companies access support which allows them to grow, and I've learned a huge amount about immersive along the way.
As one of the beneficiaries, we know how important your work with StoryFutures was! Now that you've jumped to the agency side, what are you most looking forward to?
I'm looking forward to expanding my knowledge of immersive workflows and getting stuck into some of the incredible projects you guys are working on! It seems like things are getting pretty busy so I'm hoping I can help organise and streamline things.
Indeed they are, and we couldn't be happier to have you on baord to help keep things organised! What excites you most about immersive technologies?
I think it's easy to forget when you've been around immersive for a while how fantastic the reactions are from people who are experiencing VR and AR for the first time. That combined with the accessibility of AR technology means it has the potential to draw in huge audiences and have a big impact, especially around specific locations.
Agreed - hopefully you'll be able to see lots of those reactions in person soon! So, what do you get up to in your spare time?
I always seem to have one or other DIY project on the go, so you can usually find me painting or varnishing something whilst listening to a true crime podcast. When I'm feeling a bit more chill, I might play some Destiny 2 or go watch a movie with friends.
We might have to get you working on a few office improvements when we get back into one! What sort of music are you likely to put on when you're in charge of the playlist?
I listen to all sorts of things. I'm partial to Smooth Country FM during the workday, but you're also likely to find Placebo or Lady Gaga on my playlists.
I think the team will be happy enough with that! Anything else you think we should know or are prepared to admit to?!
I have a reputation of being a bit obsessed with Eurovision. I hold a big party and sweepstakes every year, and during lockdown I even hosted a virtual version for all my friends and colleagues, complete with powerpoint and voting app! They threw me a Eurovision themed leaving party when I left my last job...
Wow. Well that's the next Arcade team day sorted then! Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us, and welcome again to the team!
If you have any questions for Livvy you can check out her LinkedIn profile here, follow her on Twitter here, or give her a shout at livvy@arcade-xr.com.
