The Age of 360

Faculty Sponsor

Philip Powell

College

Arts and Sciences

Discipline(s)

Communications

ORCID Identifier(s)

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6177-8284

Presentation Type

Artistic Presentation

Symposium Date

Spring 5-3-2019

Abstract

Recently, the Virtual Reality market has erupted, and its impact, on the media landscape, is rapidly forthcoming, yet the magnitude of the impact is difficult to predict. Nonetheless, the editorial and distributional options it brings are vastly numerous, at least in theory – bringing about a deeper, more empathetic connection to the subject matter. And while my research is bringing me to conclude it to be an editor’s dream technology, its applications are not fully known or realized. And that can be especially argued when compared to the entrapment of the single direction frame. Yet even with the freedoms that 360 may allow, it does have its limitations. There is no safe space; everything in the capture needs to be inserted with increased intent, meaning 3-point lighting and other traditional cinema rules are out.

Nonetheless, I expect that the increased marketability is not a mistake. Spherical panoramas take in all available data and given the quality of the camera can make incredibly difficult shots more ascertainable and more cheaply producible. And many of the big-name companies are getting into the game, either for making editing more available or producing the content. And with the production of Ready Player One, VR is here to stay.

Yet, my goal here is to see how others will take to the revolution. Black-and-white gave way to color. Digital took the place of film. And sound took the place of silent film. While those mediums have not gone away, technology will give us ever-more options.

Biographical Information about Author(s)

I, Steven Reed, am a Senior at Valparaiso University and my pursuits are propelling me towards Virtual Reality entertainment, something I have been surveying since April 2017, something I know well enough to become an independent producer. But my goal, beyond my career path, is to bring live-action cinematic VR to Valpo, continuing to expand upon existing content and personal understanding and showing it to a new stage.

For Artistic Presentations

What will be needed to give this presentation is space for a 15.6-inch, seven-pound laptop near an outlet. This will be used for video content.

Added info:

I will only need enough space for a 15.6 inch laptop, a VR viewing device - Google Cardboard(roughly the size of a phone), and one or two pocket-sized cameras, likely no more space than in front of a tabletop poster - will need an outlet

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS