A promotion 360 degree video for Phobia (2016) by Meraki (Photo courtesy: Meraki)
I am standing in front of the massive iron gates of the centuries-old Trimbakeshwar Shiva temple, on the outskirts of Nashik, Maharashtra. Around me are hoards of angry women, trying to fight their way into the sanctum sanctorum. A mild scuffle breaks out as a bunch of men try to stop the women from entering the temple premises. My reflexes suggest that I duck and get somewhere safer.
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Take, for instance, Mumbai-based Meraki Virtual Reality Studio. Started in November, 2015, the company was founded by two IITians and a film director with the intention of making VR content across genres: events, corporate films, entertainment, and documentaries.
All the videos produced by Meraki are uploaded on YouTube, and can be viewed as 360-degree videos or in VR format. Similarly, Enlighten Film Society is working on an app where their VR content can only be viewed with VR headsets.
The limitations
“Even though the grammar of the VR medium is still being developed, there is a lot of content out there. It’s just that people are not aware of it. In India, VR is still thought of as an alien concept. People think they won’t understand it,” says Parth Choksi, co-founder, Meraki, explaining the low penetration of VR so far. In May this year, Samsung slashed the prices of its VR headset from Rs 8,200 to Rs 990 (when purchased with Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge).
While efforts are being made to break this assumption, it will take a few years for mainstream adoption. “Just like smartphones. People took time to accept it. And now you can’t imagine life without one,” adds Choksi.
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Some of the most popular VR headsets are: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Sony’s Playstation VR and the latest from Google — Daydream VR (Photo: Satish Bate/HT )
VR 101: A beginner’s guide to virtual reality
1. What is VR?
In simple words, virtual reality or VR transports you to a world, which may or may not exist. For instance, finding yourself in the magical world of Harry Potter, where you have the power to see his world through the eyes of Harry Potter.
2. How are VR videos made?
A lot of VR films these days are shot with the help of Go-Pro cameras set up on a rig. The idea is to obtain a 360 degree view of one’s surroundings, then stitch the images together with the help of various software. This stitched output can then be edited just like any other video.
3. How to experience VR?
VR has the power to give you the most real experience of a video game, a virtual world, a real place, situation, or a story. To experience VR, you’ll need a headset, a PC, a gaming console or an app.
VR headsets: Some of the most popular VR headsets are: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Sony’s Playstation VR and the latest from Google — Daydream VR. These devices come with stereoscopic head-mounted display (which splits an image for each eye) and head motion tracking sensors. The cheapest VR headset is Google’s Cardboard.
Apps: For Google’s Cardboard, the Cardboard app is the easiest and cheapest way of watching VR films. Samsung’s VR gallery has some of the best and extensive VR content. Similarly, apps such as YouTube, VRSE and NYT VR are good apps to explore.
— Compiled by Meenakshi Iyer
Source: Hindustantimes