High-speed fibre helps bring the past to life.
It’s not exactly time travel but it comes close.
An augmented reality (AR) walking tour that takes people back almost 200 years to early Paihia has been developed by Auckland-based creative studio Method.
“We are bringing old stories back to life in an awe-inspiring way and it’s something we think is crucial for Kiwis,” says Sam Ramlu, the studio’s founder and owner. “People will be able to see what a waka looked in the bay back then or an old sailing ship brought to life in front of their eyes while beautiful animations retell key historical moments.”
Focusing on the relationships between the early missionaries, settlers and local iwi in the years leading up to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, Ramlu says it is important to tell the stories in an authentic way.
It also takes in stories around the Māori discovery of Aotearoa. “We work a lot with iwi and much of their history is oral, so to be able to share some of this from their point of view is important for all of Aotearoa.”
The stories, which people will be able to access via an app while on the walking trail, is being launched this month to coincide with the original Paihia Church Mission’s 200th anniversary (New Zealand’s first church was established there in 1823).
But, Ramlu says, none of it or any of the many other creative technology projects and online games her company has worked on since it was founded 20 years ago, would have been possible without well-performing internet.
Method’s high-speed internet connection is powered by the Chorus Fibre network, and Ramlu says internet speed and massive fibre bandwidth is crucial.
Her highly talented teams of developers, designers, 3D specialists, digital experts and animators work out of three studios (all run as separate companies) and are constantly pushing the boundaries of creative technology in digital storytelling.
“We handle huge amounts of complex animation, video, images, files and applications, often remotely,” she says. “If the internet goes down, we literally can’t work, so although I personally am not overly technical, I’ve always made sure we have the fastest and the latest technology.
“We’ve never had any issues with the Chorus fibre network and, frankly, have not had any reason to talk to our provider about any problems. I guess that’s the best compliment we can pay them.”
With her partner Eugene Eastlake, Ramlu founded Method in 2003. “Interactive technology was new back then, especially in New Zealand, but with our backgrounds (she in advertising, Eastlake in digital roles) we saw an opportunity for a new breed of creative studio which we wanted to explore.”
Initially setting up in Auckland, the business has grown and expanded with the addition of game studio Mad Carnival (based in Dunedin) and Mighty Eyes (co-founded with another game studio), also in Auckland. Across the studios there’s over 30 staff all with a demand for an efficient high speed internet.
The Ātea Nuku Time Walk Paihia app, commissioned by the Paihia Historical Legacy Society, is a digital historical walkway running from the original mission village to Te Tii Marae at Waitangi. Signs positioned at a dozen important sites each have a QR code linked to an app where users can access stories through audio, video and AR for more information about the site’s significance.
It is the latest in a long list of creative technology projects Method has developed. One that Ramlu is particularly proud of is 2014′s Born Fighters campaign on behalf of Heart Kids New Zealand. “It was very close to our hearts because our son was born with a heart condition and was a catalyst for that project.
“Another favourite was the Auckland Museum’s Secret Life of Butterflies exhibition and the interactive butterfly wall we created. To see people of all ages interact with the experience gave us an overwhelming sense of satisfaction and achievement.”
Method also works with overseas clients and Ramlu says they enjoy taking “that little bit of Kiwi magic to the world”. A project with Sea Life in Melbourne, launched in 2022, was developed during the height of the pandemic. Connectivity was crucial as the team worked completely remotely to deliver an awe-inspiring underwater projected experience.
Over the years Method has won a number of awards but, Ramlu says, “we’ve been pretty shy about entering awards. Our focus is to create work we’re proud of and that has a real connection with people.
“Some of our best projects haven’t won awards, but we try not to be too bothered and take it with a grain of salt. ”It’s definitely a morale boost (when they do get an award) for the team to get peer recognition and to pass it on to the client.”
Dean Pointon, head of business and networks at Chorus, says the nature of Method’s business means they require massive fibre bandwidth for the upload and download of files and for the frequent work they do with clients remotely or across digital interactive platforms.
“Their example shows there are real productivity benefits from having a fast, reliable fibre connection, especially for small businesses,” he says. “It enables them to upload large files faster, have clear and seamless video calls and consistent connectivity to the cloud.
“It allows companies like Method to get on with business with minimal disruption and not be affected by a slow internet connection which can be the enemy of productivity,” Pointon says.
“Fibre is the most popular type of broadband in New Zealand with over three million Kiwis now using it to connect to the internet at their home or business. It has the capacity to provide even faster speeds to keep up with the ever-growing needs of businesses as technology evolves.”
For more information about business fibre go to: www.chorus.co.nz/business-fibre. There’s a lot that contributes to broadband speeds experienced at an address. Learn more in the broadband speed and performance section, visit www.chorus.co.nz/get-better-internet.