With feats in entertainment, technology and production, The Rogue Initiative is a true triple threat. The Rogue Initiative builds worlds with the aid of technology and immersive storytelling in a way that goes beyond the mediums they explore. Through film, television and video games, the tech-fueled, entertainment-driven and collaboration-based start-up is making waves in Hollywood and beyond. The Daily had a phone interview with University alum Brad Etheridge, The Rogue Initiative’s Creative Executive, about the power of a story and the future of immersive content.
The Rogue Initiative builds the medium around the story, making the company a “cross-medium” production studio. “That looks like the user would want to be that character, make it a video game,” Etheridge explained. Tailoring the stories to the medium creates a unique perspective and a changing role for production studios. But then again, Rogue is not a regular production studio.
Etheridge wants to tell stories, because it’s about “finding those stories and partnering with Hollywood creatives with those new and unique ideas.” How does technology influence the stories they tell at Rogue? Etheridge explains that the intersection is incredibly relevant to what they do. After all, they are both an entertainment studio and tech company.
The Rogue Initiative is a story-focused studio that sees entertainment as a vehicle to tell stories and build worlds. Working in video games, Rogue understands the immersive power of media. So what do they think about the direction of virtual and augmented reality? Etheridge explained that at Rogue, they want to be on the cutting edge as a “forward-thinking” company and take part in the “community” involved with new tech.
“It’s really about the idea of being part of those first movers,” Etheridge said, following up with the fact that it needs to make “financial sense.” Keeping up with the hottest and newest tech is a risk — a very expensive risk — so for a rising start-up like Rogue, they want to ensure the choices they make in terms of innovative entertainment experiences are wise and rational.
As of now, the company is working on a top secret creative partnership project with “Transformers” director Michael Bay. By associating with creatives and Hollywood big shots like Bay, The Rogue Initiative and their focus on stories is sure be recognized. The intersection of mediums, technologies and worlds collide at The Rogue Initiative, and we can’t wait to see what’s to come.