The Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 presented a unique opportunity for Off the Reel to showcase their expertise in event documentation and experiential marketing. With over 500 competitors from 23 nations participating in both summer and winter adaptive sports, the challenge was to create immersive photo and video experiences that would capture the unconquered spirit of the Games while providing shareable content for global audiences.
The Event
The Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, presented by ATCO and Boeing, took place from February 8-16, 2025, across venues in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia. The Games featured:
- A spectacular Opening Ceremony at Vancouver’s sold-out BC Place Stadium with 40,000 spectators
- Performances by world-class artists including Chris Martin, Katy Perry, Noah Kahan, Nelly Furtado, and Roxane Bruneau
- Competition in 11 adaptive sports, including new winter sports like Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding, Nordic Skiing, Biathlon, Skeleton, and Wheelchair Curling
- Traditional Invictus sports including Indoor Rowing, Sitting Volleyball, Swimming, Wheelchair Rugby, and Wheelchair Basketball
- A vibrant Closing Ceremony at Rogers Arena celebrating the competitors’ achievements
Off the Reel’s Solution
Off the Reel developed a comprehensive content strategy that balanced capturing the competitive spirit of the Games with the personal journeys of recovery that define the Invictus community.
Immersive Photo Experiences
- Competitor Journey Documentation: We created a series of portrait stations at the Vancouver Convention Centre’s Nations Home, capturing competitors before and after their events to document their emotional journeys.
- Family Moment Booths: Recognizing the crucial role of family support in recovery, we established dedicated photo areas where competitors could celebrate with their loved ones, creating lasting mementos of these powerful moments.
- Interactive Medal Celebration Station: A custom-designed photo experience for medal winners that incorporated elements of the Indigenous-designed medals into the visual backdrop, honoring both achievement and cultural significance.
Video Content Creation
- Daily Highlight Packages: Our team produced daily video summaries of competition highlights, distributed across the Games’ social media channels and to international broadcasters.
- “Unconquered” Mini-Documentary Series: Five short-form documentaries following competitors from different nations, showcasing their journeys from injury to the Invictus Games stage.
- Opening Ceremony Immersive Coverage: Multiple camera teams captured the electric atmosphere of BC Place, including the parade of nations, performances by world-class artists, and Prince Harry’s inspiring speech.
- Real-time Social Content: Quick-turnaround video clips optimized for social media platforms, capturing key moments from Wheelchair Basketball, Skeleton, and other competitions.
Experiential Activations
- Nations Home Interactive Wall: A digital projection wall at the Vancouver Convention Centre where competitors and families could leave messages and see photos from the day’s events.
- Whistler Sliding Centre Memory Capture: A specialized camera setup that allowed for dramatic slow-motion captures of competitors during the Skeleton competition, providing both compelling content and personal mementos.
- Closing Ceremony Reflection Booth: An innovative video booth where competitors could record their reflections on their Invictus journey, with these testimonials incorporated into the Closing Ceremony production.
Results and Impact
Off the Reel’s contribution to the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 resulted in:
- Unprecedented Content Volume: Over 10,000 professional photos and 200+ videos produced across the 9-day event.
- Global Reach: Content was shared across 23 countries, with highlight packages featured on international broadcasts reaching millions of viewers.
- Social Media Engagement: Videos created by Off the Reel generated over 15 million impressions across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.
- Competitor Experience Enhancement: Our photo and video activations became integral parts of the competitor experience, providing opportunities for reflection and celebration.
- Legacy Documentation: The “Unconquered” documentary series will serve as a lasting testament to the 2025 Games, continuing to inspire future competitors and raise awareness about the Invictus mission.
Key Innovations
- Adaptive Equipment Solutions: Our team developed specialized camera mounts and techniques to capture winter sports like Skeleton and Alpine Skiing in challenging conditions.
- Cultural Integration: All visual content respectfully incorporated elements designed by artists from the Four Host First Nations: Lil̓wat7úl (Líl̓wat), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh).
- Accessibility-First Approach: All photo and video experiences were designed to be fully accessible for competitors with various physical limitations.
- Emotional Storytelling Framework: Our content team developed a unique approach to capturing the complex emotional journey of competitors, focusing on resilience rather than sympathy.
Conclusion
Off the Reel’s partnership with the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 demonstrates how innovative photo and video experiences can amplify the impact of an event centered on human resilience and recovery. By creating content that honored both the competitive spirit and personal journeys of the participants, Off the Reel helped extend the reach and influence of the Invictus mission while providing competitors with meaningful mementos of their achievement.
Through this project, Off the Reel has established itself as a leader in creating immersive documentation experiences for events with profound human stories at their core.