The Creative Direction

Gary Alake Riley

A designer and visual storyteller with a background in graphic design, film, and TV. Gary specialises in design and advertising for film and entertainment; he has worked in kids' TV, the BBC, and on the 2005 relaunch of Doctor Who. His passion for all things sci-fi and animation drives his projects that often fuse social observation with Pop Culture and cartoon fantasy.

Brands + Youth Culture

From 1980s hip-hop’s embrace of sportswear to today’s deep ties between youth culture and brands, fashion has always been a statement of identity. Neon Billboard pushes this forward—where AI-driven branding, cyber-streetwear, and self-image converge in an immersive XR world.

Immersive Animation

With a mission to push the boundaries of immersive animation, Neon Billboard transforms animation into a tactile, interactive VR experience. It fuses hand-drawn 2D animation with dynamic CGI and branded graphics, creating a vivid, unique world where storytelling, animation, and design merge seamlessly.

New kind of storytelling for XR/VR

Neon Billboard is a VR space where identity, branding, and self-expression become fully immersive. Designed for players who love sci-fi, robotics, cartoons, music, streetwear, and gaming, it merges modern culture with future fantasy. The result being a bold, interactive world where style and stories clash, collide, and evolve in real time.

Where Now

Neon Billboard is currently in the concept and early development
stage, refining and exploring its immersive storytelling, animation style, and interactive XR experience using Unreal Engine, Blender, Adobe Creative Suite.

Where Next

In collaboration with production partner The Brewery VFX, the project is focused on prototype development, world-building, and technical exploration.

Supported by B3 Media’s TalentLab XR programme, it is actively seeking collaborators and backers to help bring this bold vision to life.

Concept Art: CH22 Techwear billboard ad. featured in City Limits 2D Animation on Live Action Sci-fi series ©Gary Alake Riley 2025

The inspiration for Neon Billboard comes from City Limits, a 2D-on-Live-Action animation series in development by Gary Alake Riley and The Brewery VFX. This evolving project explores themes of identity, technology, and digital culture, laying the creative foundation for Neon Billboard’s immersive XR experience. View Project