By Ross Grogan
Some in the media are calling 2016 the Year of Virtual Reality. Others say the headsets and technology are still several years away from mass adoption. While people argue back and forth about where virtual reality fits in the media universe, there are some truisms that aren’t controversial. First, virtual reality, or 360-degree video, is being supported with billions in technology investment. The largest names with some of the biggest market caps are betting heavily: Google, Facebook, Samsung, Apple, HTC, Sony. Every day, VR is being applied to education, gaming, engineering, architectural design, urban design, therapy, theme parks, concerts, retail, fundraising and fitness. Second, and most important, the VR experience, when executed well with an appreciation for the medium, can be one of the most powerful branding and advertising tools ever devised. For instance, instead of shooting beautiful running footage of a car, now creatives can offer up virtual tours of both the exterior and interior of the auto.
Wielding the new found power of VR requires agency creatives to think, plan and tell a story in totally different ways. VR gives us the power to immerse people in various experiences, but now our audience has the freedom to look away. They can and do look anywhere and everywhere. The controlled “look here” devices employed by traditional filmmakers do not work in this medium. A new breed of VR filmmaker will emerge to help us navigate this new world.
Simply positioning a 360 camera rig in the center of some event does not make for compelling viewing. A user will only watch a minute or less of an uninspired VR content experience. Instead, use the old adage, “story, story, story” to drive the narrative and keep the viewer engaged.
Here’s some other do’s and don’ts in VR: DO have motion, but keep it deliberate and to a minimum. Delicate movement is good, anything else might backfire. DO plan for the creative to engage as many senses as possible. DON’T ever interrupt the viewer’s VR experience without a really good reason. VR is so immersive; people need to know what’s coming. DON’T forget the audio. Adding spatial sound will only enhance the experience. DO plan on a longer timeline for images and sound post. There are always glitches to be ironed out.
In the end, killer content that takes you into another time, place, or even body will be the brand builder for the future. Deep immersion still begins with written words and ideas, though, and that’s one rule that will never change.
Ross Grogan is the L.A.-based EP for The Cavalry Productions, SPECTACLE VR/AR and Galanta Media.
A TV as big as a bed? With the holidays approaching, stores stock more supersize sets
For some television viewers, size apparently does matter.
Forget the 65-inch TVs that were considered bigger than average a decade ago. In time for the holidays, manufacturers and retailers are rolling out more XXL screens measuring more than 8 feet across. That's wider than a standard three-seat sofa or a king-size bed.
Supersize televisions only accounted for 1.7% of revenue from all TV set sales in the U.S. during the first nine months of the year, according to market research firm Circana. But companies preparing for shoppers to go big for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa have reason to think the growing ultra category will be a bright spot in an otherwise tepid television market, according to analysts.
The 38.1 million televisions sold with a width of at least 97 inches between January and September represented a tenfold increase from the same period last year, Circana said. Best Buy, the nation's largest consumer electronics chain, doubled the assortment of hefty TVs — the 19 models range in price from $2,000 to $25,000 — and introduced displays in roughly 70% of its stores.
"It's really taken off this year," Blake Hampton, Best Buy's senior vice president of merchandising, said.
Analysts credit the emerging demand to improved technology and much lower prices. So far this year, the average price for TVs spanning at least 97 inches was $3,113 compared to $6,662 last year, according to Circana. South Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung introduced its first 98-inch TV in 2019 with a hefty price tag of $99,000; it now has four versions starting at $4,000, the company said.
Anthony Ash, a 42-year-old owner of a wood pallet and recycling business, recently bought a 98-inch Sony for his 14,000-square-foot house in... Read More