Most people in the world will never see the beauty of a coral reef in-person, so we decided to bring it them through virtual reality.

Supported by Conservation International and the Tiffany & Co. Foundation, we journeyed across the world to the Bird’s Head Seascape in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Not long ago this reef was decimated by commercial fishing, poaching, and damaging practices like blast fishing. In the film, local scientist Ronald Mambrasar shares with his young son Valen the story of how the community has reclaimed and protected their ancestral waters.

To capture this spectacle of biodiversity we developed industry defining technology for filming underwater. Our purpose-built camera and technology maximized the color and clarity of the image, all in service to the efforts of conservation and capturing the beauty and significance of these underwater paradises.

YouTube is showcased the film as part of a curated selection of virtual reality films at the YouTube Beach at the 2016 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Viewers worldwide could also dive into “Valen’s Reef” exclusively on YouTube 360 and the Within app.

The film was also shown on Conservation International and Tiffany's Foundation fundraising events to draw donations on a grassroots level.

Since being the first Virtual Reality film created by Conservation International, Virtual Reality has now become a fixture of the organization's efforts in creating calls to action.

Now, fish populations have rebounded; sharks, whales and rays have returned; poaching is down 90%; coral is recovering; and ecotourism has flourished — all while local people’s access to education, food and livelihoods have improved.

The Bird’s Head Seascape is poised to transition into an independent, community managed network Marine Protected Area and stands as a model for other programs around the world.

For decades Raja Ampat’s oceans were a target for destructive practices and overfishing. Conservation International worked with the local communities and the government to establish and support the management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). In just over 10 years, poaching diminished by 90% and destructive fishing practices have nearly been eradicated.

"Valen’s Reef" takes viewers to now-vibrant reefs where 600 types of corals are thriving. The film seeks to inspire more people to get involved in ocean conservation through a deeper understanding of both the wealth that oceans provide and how protecting them is crucial to mankind’s survival.

Conservation International held targeted screenings at events for to draw donations right on the spot. It also made the film publicly available through the Within App and launching a YouTube 360 and Facebook version, multiple viewing platforms that would generate impact.

Around the world coral reefs are dying, plagued by pollution and overfishing. Conservation International, a nonprofit with the goal of protecting nature, wanted to not only create a call to action to protect these reefs, but show the world how local communities have come together to and how activism can in fact work.

Now dubbed "the epicenter of marine biodiversity," home to 75% of the world's known coral species and other creatures found nowhere else on the planet, the Bird's Head Seascape was nearly destroyed by overfishing just 12-years-ago. Fish populations fell by a staggering 90%, threatening the primary source of food and income for the 760,000 people living on Bird's Head's shores.

Over the course of a decade the local community mobilized, with the help of Conservation International and other partners, to restore and protect the Bird's Head Seascape through monitoring and patrolling efforts.