There are countless applications for virtual reality. The U.S. military is using it for training, the NFL and MLB are experimenting with their athletes and the Tribeca Film festival had dozens of contents.
Andres Vasquez*
"Everything one person can imagine, others can make it happen." At first glance, it might seem like a phrase used by some tech expert to introduce the topic of virtual reality. But it's not like that, it's Jules Verne's.
For those of us who work in this business it is not a secret that if there is something difficult it is to explain to family and friends what we do in life. However, the situation is complicated when you also have to make them understand what virtual reality is.
If I had to define it I would say that it is a created environment that allows the user to have the feeling of being immersed in it and visualize it using glasses, helmets or Cardboards. But the truth is that talking about this, showing it in photos and even in videos is not going to be the same as the feeling of experiencing it. Those who have had the opportunity to try it know what I mean.
The WOW effect or the reaction when using it the first time, is usually accompanied by a feeling of disbelief, emotion and, in a way, surprise at technological advances, even depending on the person this can have physical reactions such as slight dizziness or a temporary feeling of nausea.
Oculus, a company that sought funds in 2012 on Kickstarter and in 2014 would be sold to Facebook, started in the garage of its founder who developed there the first version of his Head Mounted Display. Initially releasing versions for developers quickly became the technological revolution of the moment being compared to inventions that have changed the world such as the iPod and Tablets. Not for nothing the subject has been covered several times by media as prestigious as TIME or WIRED magazines.
But the really important thing is the way in which it is reinventing sectors such as entertainment, video games, medicine, education, military and sports training, social networks, etc ... Even different sectors of cinema are studying new languages of narration from a more immersive perspective than that of the common spectator. Chris Milk, filmmaker and video director of bands like U2 states:
Real cases
"In essence, virtual reality is a technology that eliminates borders." A phrase that acquires greater strength when we know that in collaboration with the UN they created a series of short films in which they show the challenges faced by that organization. His eight-minute documentary "Clouds Over Cider" was watched by more than 120 diplomats at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where they lined up to be transported to another world via Samsung VR. Being used in this and other events they managed to raise USD 3,800 million when the projections were USD 2,300, reaching delegates, ministers, and even heads of state.
There are countless applications to which we have access today. The North American army is using it for training, the NFL and MLB are experimenting with their athletes, the Tribeca Film festival had dozens of contents, Sport Ilustrated magazine has just presented its Swimsuit VR with videos of the models, Red Bull has uploaded 360 Videos of Formula 1, Youtube already has the option of VR and Mark Zuckerberg, Founder of Facebook, says that although it is very early the possibilities of VR in social networks will take us to a world where we can share experiences as if we were there.
At NAB, a fair that has just ended, there was a space dedicated to VR. There companies like Nokia exhibited their latest advances and developments. Experts say that the market will be USD 13.5 Billion in 2020. What's true about that? We'll only know in time.
However, the possibilities of live streaming, added to the immersive sensation, are radically changing the way of transmitting sports and events and that, we can be sure, will impact the market. Just to give an idea, the Spanish classic past was issuing test versions of the Barcelona - Real Madrid match, being an immersive experience for the fan thanks to the proposal of Movistar + and Samsung with the collaboration of La Liga.
Colombian Experience
In Colombia, specifically in Eleven Producciones, we have had the opportunity to make several contents for specific applications. There is a VR demo of Construction and Entertainment Cranes, as well as some coverage of events in 360 format. We are also currently working on a music video for a renowned Colombian band.
However, one of the most impressive and advanced developments was made for the last SOFA fair (Hall of Leisure and Fantasy), where we combined a Virtual Reality video game with a motion capture system. In this way the user had the freedom to move within the space of the game while using a weapon, also tracked by the capture system, to defend against a zombie invasion. It was the first time that such a facility was developed in Latin America.
Having said all this, the possibilities seem endless and the limit is none other than imagination and creativity. This technology added to others such as binaural sound opens a new world for events and activations, managing to captivate and transmit messages and stories in a way that was unthinkable until a few years ago.
Technology brings us closer and further away, it shows us the world that is becoming more real and closer, but it distances us more and more as human beings. We must see the effects beyond technological advancement, applications, economic projections as a business. Taking off my glasses, returning to reality and thinking for a moment about us, I do not want to imagine what will happen when the virtual world enters fully into our lives, seeing that currently the interaction between people is increasingly difficult in the real world.
Andrés Vásquez is Vice President of Events at Eleven Producciones.
Sources of consultation:
Avianca Magazine, December 2015. Wired Magazine May 2016, June 2014. Time Magazine August 2015. Theverge.com, April 2016. CEA Smartbrief, April 2016.
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