“Do you really want to make blades of grass look like blades of grass?”
In many ways, that simple question set Oliver Ellmers on his path.
Since then, the London-based design technologist, software engineer, and interactive multimedia specialist has gone on to craft striking visual worlds that blur the lines between art and technology.
This question was asked of him during his time at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW), New Zealand, where he grew up. There, Oliver was first introduced to the possibilities of extended reality (XR), computational and multimedia design. Needless to say, he was fascinated.
Inspired by early works from artists like Carsten Nicolai (Alva Noto), Ryoji Ikeda, Memo Akten, and Robert Henke, Oliver devoted almost every major project in his final year to interactive multimedia, creative coding, or audiovisual installations. This passion didn’t go unnoticed—soon after graduating, he landed a role at Storybox in Wellington, one of the few studios in New Zealand working in these realms at the time. There, he spent a year developing interactive touchscreen experiences for museums nationwide. But the desire to shake things up pushed him to relocate to Naarm/Melbourne, Australia.
It was in Melbourne that Oliver discovered a new love: underground dance music. As he puts it: “That feeling of being in a dark, sweaty room with a thumping bassline, trippy lights pulsing, surrounded by all your mates, somewhat on a different planet is pure heaven.”
During this time, Oliver also formed close creative bonds with artists and curators like Nick Murray (Otologic/Animals Dancing) and Simon TK (Wax’o Paradiso), further embedding himself in the scene. In particular, the sonic creations of Sleep D and their label roster at Butter Sessions really moved him. “For my mind, Corey and Maryos (Sleep D) make the most cutting-edge deep techno in the world.” From there, Oliver went on to develop crazy digital multimedia experiences for clubs and events such as Strawberry Fields, Sugar Mountain, Rainbow Serpent, and more. As The Clash famously put it, London called a few years later.
Fast-forward to now, and a typical day in the UK capital involves a brisk run through Clissold Park, a potent brew from Dark Arts Coffee, and then bunkering down in his home studio space on behalf of Dimension Studio’s Applied Technology department where he is the Technical Lead of their new offering, Dimension LIVE.
Outside his full-time role, Oliver remains deeply involved in festival and clubbing culture, designing immersive lighting and AV installations for various events across Europe and the UK. Most notably, Glastonbury and Craig Richard’s Houghton Festival, where he works closely alongside Ben Price of Team Love to make these occasions pop from a visual perspective.
“I’m cooking up nice new bits with Craig for Houghton’s 2025 edition with my good pal and collaborator Oliver Hupfau. I have made such a solid crew of friends thanks to Houghton’s orbit.”
When asked where he thinks his passion for this scene started, Oliver stops momentarily and then opens up about another lifelong love, skateboarding. “The music I listened to as a grommet skateboarder in Wellington probably had something to do with it. We worshipped older guys who had sponsorships and landed covers on magazines. These guys intro’ed me to U.S hip-hop – J Dilla, Aesop Rock, El-P and other production pioneers”. While the sounds these lords create seem far away from club tunes, Oliver feels like their tripped-out and electronic take on hip-hop is what eventually led him to his favourite sonic space.
Engaging with Oliver’s work is like stepping into somewhere entrancingly foreign, a new frontier. The virtual world is Oliver’s oyster. From working on Floating Points’ real-time spectacle at Outernet to creating the CrackXR (Crack Magazine) app, which streamed music performances in 3D and displayed them in Augmented Reality (AR). Brought to life with his close confidant, Jake Applebee, during the very beginnings of the pandemic, CrackXR hosted performances from established artists including Flohio, rapper Brian Nasty, Sarah Bonito and more. Interestingly, Oliver and Jake met by chance on a night out and immediately hit it off. Little did they know this would be the catalyst for a business venture between them.
“I was at a house party in Amsterdam in February 2020, preparing to go to DeSchool to see Theo Parrish. I met this lovely bloke, Jake, at the pre-gathering, and we discussed whether we thought this whole lockdown thing would really happen. We swapped details and went on to have a belter night at the club.”
The business in question was Good Measure, which saw the two own and operate an ample volumetric video capture stage in North London. Their goal, to try and democratise this type of technology and make it accessible for those within the music industry. Over two years, Oliver and Jake brought to life gripping AR experiences for brands including Adidas, Earth Eater and Crack Magazine. Although he doesn’t work in the AR space so much anymore, Oliver is well aware that it will be a dominant and eerie industry of our future. “Already, we have spatial video technologies such as Apple Vision Pro. One day, contact lenses embedded with AR technology will enable us to augment the world around us. It’s a bit Black Mirror, I know.”
Oliver’s AR creations are punchy, absorbing and immediately raise questions. Mainly, how on earth does he put these things together? The answer is twofold: proficiency in advanced software programs and a superbly creative mind. From week to week, Oliver engages with various software, including TouchDesigner, Unreal Engine, Unity3D, Disguise, Notch, and Ableton. Given his comprehensive knowledge of Touch Designer, Oliver has long been deeply embedded in its vast community, often delivering talks and presentations on its capabilities. “I’m currently organising a London-based event with Derivative on June 15th.”
Right here lies a lesson in what it takes to become a creative like Oliver. Aim to have a vast and in-depth knowledge of multiple programs in your field. The flexibility and range will do wonders for your ability to develop unique ways to solve briefs. Creating digital art pieces that seemingly live in a void between the real and virtual worlds is some feat and certainly no one-way street.
Working in such a diverse space with seemingly endless possibilities, Oliver always remembers two key lessons: Focus on the audience and don’t overcomplicate things. They may sound cliché, but over his years of experience, Oliver tells me nothing more rings true.
Focusing on the audience frames them as the most important part of the project. Ask yourself, how are they going to receive the work? What will their experience look or feel like? Is it easy enough for them to engage with? What will their key takeaways be? Keeping these questions at the forefront of his thinking allows Oliver to keep the core messaging or desired response burning brightest.
Secondly, overcomplication. In his line of work, flexing the software’s wonders is tempting. “I’m often excited to show off some new interactive peripheral, or complex technical workflow used to create an immersive output. We frequently play with technologies that, although super cool and exciting, can be difficult for people to use, understand or even care about.”
You must step back, interrogate the brief, and understand what level of interactivity enhances the experience and what you’re trying to achieve with the technology at hand. Oliver humorously says, “Do people need to stand in a T-pose and then do the chicken dance to reveal an advertisement for toothpaste?”
Instead, Ellmers advocates for thoughtful, intentional use of technology—choosing the right tool for the right moment, and letting the concept lead. His goal? To create what he calls real-time experiences.
“It’s the right now. Here. The surrounding environment. The shared experience. Mood. Feeling. Vibe. The rest of the world can melt away. Nothing else matters.”
As he reflects on his work, it’s clear that despite the technical wizardry, Ellmer’s approach is deeply human. And while he’s spent years building digital worlds, he’s just as committed to staying grounded in the real one.
Along with his passion for skateboarding, Oliver is a keen cyclist. Recently, he married up his love of pedalling and club culture to perfection. “I cycled from London to Draaimolen Festival in the Netherlands last September. There’s nothing quite like bikepacking for days straight into a rave. We’re doing round 2 this year!” I, too, have been to Draaimolen in the wooded town of Tilburg, and it’s honestly one of the best electronic music festivals on this planet.
Unsurprisingly, given his fierce love of dance tracks, Oliver is also an eager vinyl collector and amateur living room DJ. He also quickly reminds me that it’s impossible to get bored when you live in London. “If I find myself feeling at a bit of stalemate creatively, I’ll jump on a bus or train and take myself to a gig, a gallery or museum – they’re all at my fingertips.”
I find Oliver Ellmers’ genuine passion for what moves him inspiring, and that feeds directly into his work. In an age where technology often becomes overwhelming noise, Oliver brings focus and clarity to everything he creates. He isn’t simply showing you what’s possible; he’s making you feel something. Whether through a dancefloor drenched in reactive light or an AR moment living and breathing in your palm, he generates immersive and intentional experiences. Fueled by boundless joy and curiosity, Oliver reminds us that advanced technologies aren’t impressive just for their complexity—they become meaningful when they shape moments that matter. And if that moment happens to unfold in a dark, smoky room pulsing with intelligent lighting and beastly dance music, all the better.
