This was a very interesting BUZZ that I found today and wanted to share with you.
Originally posted on: vrscout.com/news
In an official statement released yesterday by Google, the company confirmed the termination of their popular immersive film program, Google Spotlight Stories, after an impressive six years of AAA VR storytelling.
“Google Spotlight Stories is shutting its doors after over six years of making stories and putting them on phones, on screens, in VR, and anywhere else we could get away with it,” confirmed Spotlight Stories executive producer Karen Dufilho in a statement made to Variety.
Founded originally by Motorola with the goal of producing 360-degree content exclusive to Android phones, the studio eventually fell into the hands of Google after their 12.5 billion USD acquisition of the mobile phone company in 2011.
Since then, the studio has produced an impressive catalog of 13 eclectic VR short films, some of which award-winning; the studios 2016 release Pearl took home an Emmy and was the first VR film ever to be nominated for an Academy Award.
The exact reason of the shut down currently remains unclear, although, considering the abandonment of their Daydream and Lenovo Mirage VR headsets, it’s becoming increasingly apparent the company is shifting its priorities away from VR in favor of AR.
The company has already invested a significant amount of time and capital developing their ARCore platform, as well as their Pixel Playground and upcoming Google Maps AR navigation functionality.
In a statement sent to press, a Google Spokesperson expressed the companies pride towards their ambitious immersive studio.
“Since its inception, Spotlight Stories strove to re-imagine VR storytelling. From ambitious shorts like Son of Jaguar, Sonaria and Back to The Moon to critical acclaim for Pearl, the Spotlight Stories team left a lasting impact on immersive storytelling. We are proud of the work the team has done over the years.”
It’s a shame to see such an impactful studio terminated while in the prime of its life. Google made the decision from the very beginning not to monetize the work produced by Spotlight Stories, choosing instead to let the team focus entirely on pushing the boundaries of immersive filmmaking.
The result is a catalog of groundbreaking short films developed without fear of failure. With VR and AR technology still in the process of gaining mainstream appeal, it’s imperative that well-funded companies such as Google continue using their resources to experiment and accelerate the market.
What is 360 VR Video?
360 video is a video that is recorded in all directions at the same time with multiple cameras. The videos are stitched together either internally in the camera or externally using special software.
It then forms one spherical video that is controlled by the viewer, enabling them to look up, down, right or left at their discretion.
Is 360 Video Virtual Reality?
I want you to be the judge.
Recommended MicroSD Card for use with the Fusion 360 camera
How are you watching your 360 VR Video?
Are you watching on your PC?
Is it Facebook? YouTube? Veer.TV ?
Or better still, are you using your Samsung Galaxy Smartphone with your Samsung Gear VR Headset?
Or are you using another smartphone with a Google Cardboard? Google Daydream?
Leave a comment below. Let us know what you like or don’t like. If you have seen a 360 VR video that you think is awesome, tell us, and we will feature it.
What type of VR Headset do you own? Or do you watch with your computer? Smartphone?
Do you have a VR camera? Ricoh Theta S? Ion360? Samsung 360 gear? Insta360?
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