Category: Vanishing Point Media

Posted on

Take A Toyota Camry On A Test Drive With A Difference In Vanishing Point Media’s ‘Camry Thrill Ride’

We’ve discussed how companies are turning to virtual reality (VR) and immersive technologies as a whole on a number of occasions at VRFocus. While the idea of advertising within VR media is still shown to be something consumers find reluctant to accept, the industry itself has proven far more accepting of the changes with heavy investment in platforms like Immersv, the development of new toolkits and SDK’s by company’s like Vertebrae, and new deals being announced all the time. With platforms like Omnivirt becoming quite prolific in their deals in both VR and augmented reality (AR).

The use of immersive technology to create advertising experiences has found a very willing partner in the automotive industry, with the ability to allow viewers the chance to take a ‘virtual test drive’ any time they want proving popular for manufacturers and customers. With companies like Kia, Mazda and BMW being amongst those having previously released experiences.

The latest to go this route is Japanese car giant Toyota, who have turned to 360 degree video as a way to promote their new vehicle, the latest iteration of the Toyota Camry with an experience created by Vanishing Point Media (who previously appeared on the site after working on VR thriller The Hidden) and Davis Elen Advertising.

“VR’s biggest hurdle is pairing people with headsets. We salute Davis Elen and Toyota of SoCal because they’re making a savvy investment in VR and innovative media. By bringing headsets into the showroom, Toyota dealers are opening up a whole new user base to the VR experience,” said Annie Lukowski, co-founder of Vanishing Point Media.

“In creating VR pieces, there is a danger of becoming so focused on the idea of providing a physical ‘experience’ that you lose sight of what makes all storytelling emotionally immersive – connection to others,” added BJ Schwartz, the Co-Founder of Vanishing Point Media. “That’s why our experience, unlike some others, isn’t solitary in the least. You take this ride with other excited, giddy passengers.”

Part of the “Camry Thrill Ride” campaign for Toyota, it takes users inside one of the all-new 2018 Toyota Camrys for a trip through a closed-course stunt ride and is available not just on social media but will also be appearing at select Toyota dealerships within the Southern California region, as well as various pop-up events the company will be hosting in the future.

Check out the video for the experience below.

 

Camry Thrill Ride 360

The hottest ticket at the Los Angeles Auto Show, was the Toyota Camry Thrill Ride. Participants got to climb into a 2018 Camry and let a professional stunt driver take them on a scream-packed ride. We thrilled thousands and now we're making it easy to share with the rest of the world. Here's your chance to take the Camry Thrill Ride! Explore the 360˚ experience and visit toyotasocal.co/CamryThrillRideVR for a fully immersive VR adventure!

Posted by Toyota SoCal on Tuesday, 20 February 2018

Posted on

VR Thriller The Hidden in Post-Production, due for Launch Early 2018

Immersive 360-degree storytelling has come on leaps and bounds over the last few years, with more directors and producers experimenting with the medium to see what can and can’t be achieved, alongside advancements in camera hardware and software. Currently Vanishing Point Media is in the post-production part of creating 360-degree thriller called The Hidden, which is now slated for release early 2018.

The Hidden’s story puts you into the shoes of an undocumented immigrant as you watch your daughter Sophia, a young Mexican-American woman living in rural America, as she is harangued, first verbally and then physically, by suspicious ICE officers while you hold your breath hiding.

The Hidden set shot 2
Credit: Peter Cramer

The project places the viewer in different roles throughout the story, including letting them see events through the perspective of each family member. The goal of the film is to reveal both the tactics used by ICE, whilst enabling viewers to step into the perilous shoes of undocumented immigrants.

“We were made really aware that the power of virtual reality is to put the viewer in the shoes of another soul, and in a place and under a threat that you never would be yourself,” explained BJ Schwartz, who co-directed the film alongside fellow filmmaker Annie Lukowski. 

“As important as the social issues are to us, VR really needs to be a compelling entertainment medium,” Lukowski added. “To get the message across, you really need to entertain audiences. So we landed on the thriller genre.”

Lukowski and Schwartz are the co-founders of the VR production company Vanishing Point Media which has created immersive content before, but The Hidden will be the company’s longest project to date, as well as its first original narrative piece. 

Vanishing Point Media hasn’t yet confirmed how The Hidden will be distributed, whether it’ll be just for film festivals or if it’ll see a wider release for consumer headsets. As details are revealed VRFocus will let you know.