Here we are again, beginning another week on VRFocus and with the promise/threat of this year’s E3 now lingering in the distance. The whole mess is over three weeks away, there on the horizon. So, I’m going to try and keep away from videogames and so forth on Life in 360° as much as I can, on the way in to what is sure to be an overload of news and updates. Which as always you can follow across the site during the week (or so) where we’ll be working hammer and tongs in order to bring you all the very latest.
We are however in America, at least, for our first example of 360 degree video this week – and it’s a pretty recent one as well. We’re back with the creative team from 360 Labs and Kaleidoscope who are looking at one of the geological marvels of the world – and one we’ve visited at least once before. But when something’s this great, one look is never enough. In the seventeen minute documentary as it is, we look at the Grand Canyon in Arizona – home of one of the United States of America’s most popular national parks.
It remains a marvel for all who go there, but it is not without its threats. Conservationists are concerned about man’s activities tampering with the ecosystem there. And the indigenous peoples of the Navajo (whose reservation borders the national park) and others are also concerned, connected as they are by history and nature.
“Anything that lies in this canyon – The Grand Canyon – is all sacred.” One member of the Navajo explains in the opening. “Even the water. Water is life and so water made that life to make that canyon. The natural beauty of it right now is still alive, it’s still there – and that’s where our prayers are going.”
It is, as always, a question of balance. Something that was also touched on in a recent Life in 360° where we looked at jaguars in Brazil. In this instance the documentary focuses on the attempts to create an escalade at the Grand Canyon and how efforts are made to protect it. You can watch the video below.
VRFocus will be back on Wednesday morning for another Li360.