Virtual Reality Not Just for Gamers
**Aliesha Staples **from Staples Rentals encourages us to investigate the newest imaging technologies.
Virtual technology has been around for decades but in the last 18 months it has grown from a bespoke media format to something in much higher demand with the release of consumer-friendly devices such as the Samsung Gear VR and the likes of Facebook and YouTube adopting 360 VR players for their media.
My first introduction to VR was at the NAB show in 2014 with a small contingency of VR tech companies situated at the far back of one of the enormous halls. With our company building itself on the back of new and emerging technology rentals for the film industry, such as handheld gimbals and drones, VR was a real interest of ours but the idea that it would turn into our main product was far from a reality in 2014.
Before I get too far into the tech side of things I think it’s important to explain what the difference is between ‘VR’ (Virtual Reality) and ‘360 video’, otherwise known as spherical video.
360 Video is the creation of a 360-degree environment which the viewer can explore by moving their head around, this gives you a fly-on-the-wall type view of an environment, if the viewer was to walk forward while viewing the 360 video, the video itself wouldn’t move in relation to your actions. In other words, the camera position is predetermined.
True VR, as the purists like to call it, is the creation of a 360-degree environment that you can then interact with (i.e. if you were to walk forwards in the VR world, the environment would move in relation to your movement). This is a more immersive experience as you can really explore the virtual environment but is also limited by current technology. You need to be tethered to a computer using a system such as a HTC Vive or an Oculus Rift.
OK, so where can you watch it, what content is available and how do you produce it?
Where to watch – or ‘the delivery platform’ – is one of the first questions we ask our clients when developing their VR 360 concept. Currently, there are several ways to view VR 360 content from a desktop computer using players such as YouTube, Facebook, SamsungVR, GoProVR, etc.
Then the next, more immersive, way of viewing is with Google cardboard-style headsets. These have a starting price point of around $10. If you’re looking for something more high end, the Samsung Gear VR – which works with their phones – is a great option with headsets retailing at $199. Higher-end systems from the likes of Oculus and HTC Vive are most popular for installations such as expos or permanent displays, as they retail for over $1000 and require a gaming computer to run.
Secondly, what content is available? Personally, I think content is what is letting the new medium down. Where is the high quality content? Where are the episodic series, etc.?
The good news is, it is coming and it’s coming in a big way. Studios such as Warner Brothers/DC are already making VR experiences to be released alongside their films (Suicide Squad VR was released at ComicCon this year). TV studios like HBO and Netflix are also hot on the heels with Mr Robot and The Walking Dead recently releasing a VR experience alongside episodes of the show.
Content outside the cinematic world is also being created at an amazing rate. Advertising, medical and training are all fields currently dipping their toes into the 360 world.
The broad topic of VR is a hard thing to introduce in such a short time so I will finish with some thoughts on how to produce or create the content. There are currently a huge variety of VR camera systems on the market, from the entry-level Samsung 360 camera (which retails for $650) to multi-camera rigs built out of GoPros, Sony AS7, Blackmagic, etc. The list goes on.
The really interesting systems are coming from companies that traditionally haven’t focused on camera manufacturing like Nokia (the OZO is a US$60,000 camera system which shoots stereoscopic 3D VR video) or the new brands such as Jaunt One, a stereoscopic VR system for high-end capture and Lytro with their Immerge camera.
Something that we are really interested in at Staples Rentals are custom solutions for specific job requirements like our fireproof VR system built for the New Zealand Fire Service or underwater and POV systems currently in development. We have also been thinking about how you creatively move a VR camera. We have built custom cable cam solutions and remote control cars, all for adding a little something extra to a VR shoot.
While this only touches on the amount of information out there currently about the topic of VR, hopefully it gives you a brief insight into this rapidly growing industry. If you would like to find out more, we run monthly workshops where we talk about everything VR.
