Category: YouTube

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360-Degree Video Company Blend Media Announces Seed Funding

360-Degree Video Company Blend Media Announces Seed Funding

Blend Media is the curator one of the largest collections of 360-degree videos on Facebook, and is helping companies bring the ideas of brands and publishers to the 360-degree format. Blend told UploadVR they’ve completed a new round of funding and, by the looks of the companies that invested, they could end up tapping into that group of creators in the future.

We chatted with Blend Media CEO Damian Collier about the funding, the company’s direction, and more. Collier wouldn’t share specifics on projects they’ll be pushing, but he says their focus is to provide support to the large and growing number of 360-video creators that it represents globally, and also make 360-media marketing quick and easy for brands.

The funding round was led by executives including the co-founder and CEO of The LADBible Group and the co-founder and former President of Maker Studios. The LADBible Group and Maker Studios are both networks geared toward young creators, and the confidence of executives from such companies could pay dividends for Blend’s expansion and audience growth.

“‘Influencer marketing’ is a fast-growing and important part of today’s industry,” says Collier. “Since Blend’s goal is to provide 360 video solutions to the widest possible customer base, this is naturally important to us.”

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YouTube VR Wants To Provide Tools To Make Things ‘We Never Even Thought About’

YouTube VR Wants To Provide Tools To Make Things ‘We Never Even Thought About’

YouTube is a media leader, providing a nearly endless supply of accessible content and standing as the 2nd ranked website in the world. With such a significant position, it’d be an absolute boon for 360-degree and VR content to gain any type of foothold on the platform. YouTube had the largest presence they’ve ever had at the Sundance Film festival this year and one of our editors had an opportunity to speak with them, revealing that the video-sharing website is making a pointed effort to invest more into virtual reality.

YouTube’s expanded presence this year was largely seen in their return as sponsors for the Shorts Program and the YouTube House. We spoke with Jamie Byrne, YouTube’s Director of Creators and VR Initiatives, about YouTube’s VR plans since launching in November, and what they’re doing to enhance the service in the future.

“One of the things we’re focusing on is what’s going to bring people back every day for VR content,” Byrne says.

There’s no standard set for what works in VR so many continue to experiment and take on the risk of things not quite executing as they wish. Despite that, YouTube wants to open the door for creators, no matter where they’re making.

The people “doing some of the coolest and newest stuff are just individual creators in their bedroom, Byrne said. “And we want to get them the tools they need to realize their creative vision.”

Byrne and the team at YouTube are working closely with Google to get creators the equipment they need to make cool new VR projects, including entire new genres of VR content, and tehy are “really looking forward to seeing what the creators are going to create that we never even thought about. We want to get YouTube VR on as many platforms as possible.”

Keep your eye on UploadVR for more updates from the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

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YouTube 1.10 Update On PS4 Adds PlayStation VR Support (Update)

YouTube 1.09 Update On PS4 Adds PlayStation VR Support

Update: The update has now been rolled out across all regions according to Sony. Users on Reddit have started recommending some of their favorite videos here. YouTube on PS VR currently supports both 2D 360-degree and 3D 360-degree videos. Enjoy!

Original 12/21/16: For a gaming-focused headset, PlayStation VR already has a surprisingly large number of 360-degree video apps available on the PSN Store, but it’s been missing the biggest one: YouTube. That appears to be changing.

Several Reddit users and a handful of Facebook and Twitter users are reporting that support for Sony’s headset landed on the YouTube PlayStation 4 app as part of update 1.09. While plenty of people appear to be using the app already, the update seemingly hasn’t rolled out everywhere. For example, no one at UploadVR in the US or UK is able to download it right now — we’re all stuck with the 1.08 version, even after running the ‘Check for Update’ process on the application.

With PS VR support, users should finally be able to watch YouTube’s wide array of 360-degree video content inside the headset. Those foreign to the format should definitely check out Google’s own Spotlight Series of 360-degree videos, which includes heart-warming short stories like Pearl.

Image Credit: Chris O’Neill

As you can see in the screenshots taken from a PlayStation VR-focused Facebook group, when you open the YouTube application while wearing your PS VR headset, you’re prompted with a choice to run either the Normal or the PlayStation VR version of the application.

Reportedly, when running the PS VR version, you’ll be able to watch 360-degree videos from YouTube natively inside the headset. Previously, you’d have to download videos and watch via a USB stick, or try to discover some other sort of workaround to get things working properly.

Image Credit: Chris O’Neill

In the screenshot above, you can see the abbreviated patch notes, simply stating that Update 1.09 adds “Support for ‘PlayStation VR’ to the application. If you haven’t gotten the 1.09 update yet, try running the “Check for Updates” process by pressing the “Options” button when your cursor is over the YouTube app on PS4 — you can find it under the TV & Video section on your dashboard.

We’ve reached out to Google and Sony to see whether the update is rolling out, or whether it has been pulled for some reason.

Have you gotten the update? If so, let us know what you think down in the comments!

Additional reporting help on this story was provided by Staff Writer, Jamie Feltham.

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Ten 360-Degree VR Projects You Might’ve Missed

Ten 360-Degree VR Projects You Might’ve Missed

As more filmmakers dip a toe into VR, the sheer volume of 360-degree video releases can be overwhelming. Samsung today just released its top five most viewed videos on its Samsung VR service in 2016, including 

This is a nice preview of what National Geographic is capable of given the recent announcement of their “Live 360” offerings on Facebook. The inclusion of the floating “TURN AROUND” logo in the water to direct the viewer’s action feels effortless, but also right out of a horror movie –it’s very cool.

The Great Christmas Light Fight

From: ABC and Experience360VR

Given the time of the season, it would be remiss not to end on a festive note. This experience makes a case for how to create 360-video for the masses. The host even instructs you how to “look around” and mentions a few choice exhibits. With the glittering decorations and colors, it would be hard to find a better pairing than 360-video and Christmas lights. And in some ways it makes sense – wasn’t Rudolph an early tech adopter?

Tomorrow, The Evolution of Language

From: Future Lighthouse

Watch here: www.futurelighthouse.com/tomorrow

Created by the Madrid-based team Future Lighthouse, “Tomorrow” is a thrilling experience that almost borders on metaphysical. The sweeping sound design is what really makes this a perfect piece of content. Even though you are watching passively, you still “move” through the experience, which helps reflect the theme of the piece (society’s next step in evolution) but also makes the viewer feel like they are going on a real journey.

The Fiancé

From: The New York Times and MILK(vr), Written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood

Watch here: 

Being rejected by Natalie Portman has never been so cool. The noir-style music of this black and white “film” makes the future tech feel strangely nostalgic. Proof that 360 Video can be short and sweet and still be effective.

Invisible, Part I: Ripped From Reality

From: 30 Ninjas, Directed by Doug Liman

Watch here: 

Invisible is a huge undertaking – billing itself as “the first major scripted series designed specifically for 360-degree virtual reality.” The five-part series follows a powerful family with a supernatural secret. The content is wonderful, but a critique would be that the quick cuts between scenes could make for a headache of an experience in 360.

KNIVES

From: Written and directed by Adam Cosco

Watch here: 

Cosco is a wonderful example of a VR “auteur” and KNIVES is critically acclaimed for a reason. It has great pacing, well-chosen music, and great performances. Most noteworthy is the utilization of different camera angles to give it more of a renegade feel (think Tarantino). This is a technique other VR filmmakers would be wise to add to their tool-kit. The narrative is suspenseful and demonstrates how the silver bullet of VR experiences (especially passive VR) is always story.

Invasion!

From: Baobab Studios

Watch here:

Probably the most well-known passive VR experience, Invasion! has an easy to follow storyline and cute characters worthy of Pixar. The smartest technical inclusion is characters directing the audience where to look (if you look at Mr. Bunny, he is staring at the aliens when the viewer is supposed to, drawing your eye forward). Smart and sweet, the short is being developed into a full-length animated feature by Joe Roth’s production company Roth Kirschenbaum.

Lovr

From: Immersive / Luniere

Watch here: 

This is your brain on love! Fun, great usage of music and color, and a great prototype of how small, specific concepts often pack the biggest punch in VR.

Mr. Robot Virtual Reality Experience

From: Here Be Dragons & USA Network, Directed by Sam Esmail

Watch here:

It behooves the VR industry to have “mainstream” directors play in the space, but only if their creative vision make sense for the medium. This is a solid example of how to formulate a new experience that feels like a natural extension of a brand. Elliot speaks to the viewer in a manner right out of the TV show, but the camera angles and movement are only possible in VR. Brilliantly executed, and retains momentum even though the experience tops 13 minutes.

Nerve – Do You Dare

From: SilVR Thread VR

Watch here: 

Studio marketing departments should have this experience on file under “how to promote a film”. So smart and succinct, and gives as much of a “rush” as any interactive VR experience. Using the demo with a skateboard (as showcased at VRLA) isn’t necessary, but adds to the fun.

Maggie Lane is a writer/producer in the VR space. She has a television and film background, most recently developing content for Weta Workshop. She would like to own the bunny from INVASION as a pet.

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Tokyo Metropolitan Government Promoting Tourism Through 360-degree VR Movie Channel

Virtual reality (VR) can put you in a location better than than most technologies. It’s why VR has been gaining popularity within the tourism industry for showcasing exotic destinations or luxury travelling. Most recently the Tokyo metropolitan government has opened a website and 360-degree VR movie channel in a bid to promote tourism attractions in the Tokyo and Tohoku, Chugoku and Shikoku regions.

Tokyo will be hosting the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and in preparation for the event, as well as continued tourism promotion afterwards, the government has created several immersive sightseeing routes for visitors to see prior to arriving.

There are currently ten immersive 360-degree video available, split evenly between Spring and Summer categories. Videos for Spring include Full of Surprises, which looks at cuisine, and Boat Tours, which, you guessed it, are short clips of tours on boats. While for Summer there’s Summer Waters, all about relaxation and keep cool, and Fantastic Fireworks, showcasing some of the displays visitors will be able to see.

There will be more videos added for Autumn and Winter in the coming months, but to checkout the ones already up head to the website or YouTube. Find the 360-degree videos on the YouTube app for smartphones for a more immersive experience using a head-mounted display (HMD) such as Google Cardboard.

For all the latest VR news from around the world, keep reading VRFocus.