When does innovation become revolution? When it starts turning fantasies into reality.
That’s the essence of immersive storytelling. Using digital devices to conjure objects and transform environments is a dream as old as science fiction. Now, with the explosive rise of 360, VR and AR, consumers are finally seeing that dream come true.
Clearly, they’re into it. An impressive 52% of consumers are already engaging with 360 video at least once a week, with 30% expecting to experience more 360 or immersive videos this year than in 2017. And even though VR is still a fresh novelty for many consumers, 31% of consumers expect to watch more videos in VR this year.
And don’t mistake this demand for immersive storytelling as an attempt to escape the reality. Creative studios like RYOT—which has produced over 200 news and documentary VR films in 40 countries in the past two years alone —are aggressively focused on the power of 360, VR and AR to give viewers a closer connection to what’s happening in the world.
In 2017, expect immersive storytelling to transform media experiences in profound and sweeping ways. From video to print, consumers are anxious to see the technology of their dreams take content to the next level.
Making the news hit home
Journalists are well aware of how critical it is to hook audiences by drawing them into the heart of a story. So it should come as no surprise that 360 and VR are hitting the news world like the advent of electricity.
In 2016 and 2017, RYOT broke new ground with VR coverage of the Standing Rock protests, refugees landing in Lesbos, and the Women’s March on Washington, effectively sucking viewers into the center of major global news events.
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Every storyteller wants to make the audience feel like they’re right there. And in the right hands,VR makes that the default experience.
It’s not just the news that’s ripe for VR. When asked what type of content they want to consume in VR, 43% of consumers selected virtual tourism. Nature lovers, too, are eager to get up close and personal: 31% of consumers look forward to experiencing nature and science content through VR in the next six months.
Breaking barriers to art and culture
Over the past year, augmented reality has opened huge creative opportunities for storytellers. It’s also opened windows to social progress. Last year, RYOT surprised a group of Los Angeles fifth-graders with a trip to the Louvre — by way of a local warehouse. Aiming iPads at empty picture frames, students found themselves in VIP-proximity to the museum’s greatest masterpieces.
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Source: Mashable