Ant Hagan heads up Aug-it!, an augmented reality app development team based in Liverpool’s creative district - the Baltic Triangle.

How did you get started creating AR experiences?

Before the influx of social media based AR experiences I designed AR for IOS & Android apps for AR games. I still currently have about 5 apps live in the AppStore. Our AR Chicken Catch game for London Wing Fest in 2018 was my first real AR win.

What are the challenges you face on a daily basis?

Which AR path to take and which areas of the AR industry to target. But I don’t think I am alone in this . AR has so much hype around it at the moment that it’s hard to wade through all of the nonsense, especially given that about 75% of AR video is just fake staged content with after effects added. It must be a nightmare for clients to navigate!!

What excites you most about AR and the industry?

Smart glasses . I can’t wait for this part of the industry to really kick in . And I am not talking about ridiculous headsets like Magic Leap! I am talking about stylish, slick smart glasses like North Focals. The smart glasses war won’t be won by processing power , it will be defined by fashion, design and youth culture. like most things are!

What piece of work are you most proud of?

The work we did on the new Sub-Urban record ‘Cradles’ for Warner Music . I think this is the closest we have gotten so far with bringing a music video to life with social media AR. We also managed to cross platform the project from Instagram to Snapchat which was a challenge in itself.

Ant is one of the creators signed up to Blend Market. To get started all you need to do is post your immersive brief on Blend Market and find the best creators to match your needs. For more information contact Laura@blend.media