Global Objects is revolutionizing how we experience the world with Microsoft Azure

When we close our eyes and think back to seminal childhood memories, we are transported to a distinct place. These are moments in time, bottled and cherished throughout the course of our lives. For Global Objects’ Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Jess Loren, one of those moments was watching beloved animated films with her grandmother while growing up in Chicago. Loren and her grandmother would go to traditional theaters that had a distinct theatrical atmosphere.

She recalled an impactful experience last year while using a mixed reality headset that displayed her favorite film from childhood. After putting on the headset, she opened her eyes with amazement. She could vividly see the digital red velvet curtains being drawn in a theater similar to the one she frequented as a child. With eyes wide, she experienced the richness of her dearest characters from the animated film, all brought to life through the quality of the digital representations. But oftentimes it is not just what we see but what we feel that moves us. “I could feel my grandmother next to me,” Loren emotionally recalled. “It brought me back to this beautiful place where I was with her.” This is precisely the power of Global Objects’ capabilities: to fully understand what it means to be immersed in a photoreal experience.

Setting the standard for photoreal

Female founded and part of the Microsoft for Startups accelerator, Global Objects creates photoreal images that revolutionize the way we experience the world. Integral to their approach, Global Objects leverages real-world locations and objects to create meticulously detailed digital twins. As depicted below, the high-fidelity digital twin of an athletic shoe is almost indistinguishable from its real-world counterpart. “We create the highest fidelity photoreal experiences for the world,” emphasized Erick Geisler, Chief Technology Officer at Global Objects.

For Global Objects’ customers, the ability to access photoreal props and sets at their fingertips is mission-critical. Consider a studio’s post-production phase – traditionally, studios have to reshoot or recreate by hand every elaborate detail (exact lighting, costumes, backdrop) when post-production changes are required. However, Global Objects is drastically alleviating this pain point by providing photoreal digital twins. Their solution drives significant cost savings in travel, planning, and set redesign, while promoting sustainability by eliminating the need for purchasing duplicate props.

The unique challenges of digitizing the world

Global Objects often sends their specialists and equipment across the globe to capture cinema-grade digital twins, creating two unique challenges. The first is a need for robust computing power and storage with global reach. “Our compute demands are exceptionally high, and we are capturing images all around the world,” says Geisler. A recent example for one of Global Objects’ customers involved scanning infrastructure and objects in London. While the actual data capture occurred in London, the photoreal 3D object was brought to life in Los Angeles, forming a geographic barrier. This process involves texture mapping, image manipulation, and collaborative input across teams. The second challenge is a need for exceptional scalability. Geisler emphasized this requirement, stating “we have to change our computing needs at a moment’s notice.” Computing demand is not fixed, and the diversity of Global Objects’ projects requires a flexible and robust cloud infrastructure.

A cloud that is tailored for the needs of media & entertainment

To comprehensively address these challenges, Global Objects is leveraging Microsoft Azure, the leading cloud for media and entertainment. Below we see an overview of how real world data moves from inception to creation. This particular project is for a premier storytelling and entertainment brand.

It all begins with location scanning services, in which Global Objects’ awe-inspiring technology provides capture precision down to the millimeter. Thousands of images were taken at a production set in London. The data was then sent to Azure Blob Storage, which was accessible via the nearest Azure region of UK South. Leveraging Azure's global footprint, the data was then simultaneously available back in Los Angeles under Azure’s West US region. This seamless connection was enabled by a feature in Microsoft Azure called virtual network peering that enables connectivity between multiple virtual networks across different Azure regions. The Global Objects team then began the creation process to bring the images into the digital realm. Loren summarized the role of Azure in this process by stating “Azure brings together the footprint of worldwide datacenters. It removes a barrier to entry and provides massive value to our business.”

While the glue of Azure's global network unified the process flow, Azure Virtual Machines deliver supercomputing power, interoperability, and near-infinite scalability for diverse workloads. Specifically, Global Objects leverages NV-Series, which excels in graphics-intensive workloads such as high-end remote visualization and rendering. “The ability to scale at a moment’s notice – that’s what makes us nimble. That’s what enables us to produce output that would normally require millions of dollars to be able to do,” Geisler stated. With the support of Microsoft Global Blackbelt Jon Weisner, the team has optimized and scaled up the performance of their virtual machine workloads to meet their exact needs.

Pushing media and entertainment to new heights

Together with Microsoft Azure, Global Objects is unlocking tremendous value for customers. A recent executive from the previously mentioned London project articulated just how compelling the digital twins are, stating ‘I have never seen anything like this in my life.’ In addition to securing major contracts for ongoing work, other prominent customers are already realizing impactful outcomes. Recently this includes Fox and Stephen David Entertainment with their Boston Tea Party project featuring Rob Lowe. Global Objects enabled $5 million of savings and alleviated the need for multiple days of shooting, travel, and talent time. Additionally, Fox Nation realized cost savings of over $150K per day across a multi-day shoot for the historical documentary titled George: Rise of a Revolutionary, starring Kelsey Grammer.

With the significant momentum that Global Objects is building, there is even more value to be delivered to customers going forward. “Our data becomes increasingly valuable with the more Azure services that we run. It is a growing asset,” Geisler emphasized. Azure is a platform built for flexibility, delivering a wide set of services that can be deployed securely. As CEO of a rapidly growing company, Loren places a strong emphasis on trust and security – “we are precious where we put our data and our IP.” Currently Global Objects is experimenting with greater AI use on the Azure platform. “Because Microsoft is leading the AI revolution, Azure’s tools really supercharge what we are capable of.”

One thing is certain: Global Objects' photoreal digital twins are a breakthrough for media and entertainment. As Loren thinks back to her vivid experience watching her favorite childhood film, feeling her grandmother next to her, she wants to transport others to those mesmerizing places. Global Objects delivers immersive experiences that captivate and connect us. “Creating these environments are what I can do for other people now and I want to share that with the world.”

Discover more about Global Objects on Instagram and LinkedIn.