Oculus Launches VR Filmmaking Program for “Next-Gen VR Makers”
Now that the Oculus Rift is out in the market, Facebook-owned Oculus VR is tapping into its huge potential and seeks new ways to reach more and more people through virtual reality tech. This time around, the VR company is doing something for social good by sponsoring the future of VR makers with its filmmaking program.
The VR filmmaking initiative called “VR for Good” is, according to Oculus, targeted for the “next generation of VR creators” – these people include students and a new breed of filmmakers who are working their way in making creative content.
Oculus VR is launching the first part of their initiative with the 360 Filmmakers Challenge, in which VR film mentors will be partnering with nine San Francisco Bay Area high schools to create 3- to 5-minute 360-degree films about their communities. This will take six weeks from start to end, and there will be a culminating showcase which will highlight the top film picks. Existing Oculus VR hardware owners, either with a Rift or the Samsung Gear VR, will be able to watch these student films through both Oculus Video and Facebook with its 360-degree video playback feature.
Participants in the 360 Filmmakers Challenge will benefit from a lot of useful VR hardware and software tools. The VR company will be providing a Samsung Gear VR, Galaxy S6, Ricoh Theta S 360 cameras and access to editing software during the program, although Oculus did not state if the participants get to bring home all of these tools.
The other half of Oculus VR’s initiative will be called “360 Bootcamp for Nonprofits” which will be targeted for nonprofit groups and individuals, where they will team up 10 budding filmmakers with 10 nonprofits to start a two-day filmmaking bootcamp at the Facebook campus.
Similar to the 360 Filmmakers Challenge for students, the nonprofits will also be supplied with all the tools they’ll need – the main difference is that they will have access to more high-end equipment. Oculus VR is poised to provide them with Nokia OZO cameras worth $60,000, travel budget, post production support and mentorship with film veterans are part of the package, with the first videos debuting at Sundance 2017.
For more information on Oculus VR’s Filmmaking Programs, please visit the following websites:
https://www.oculus.com/en-us/blog/introducing-vr-for-good-inspiring-social-change-through-the-power-of-vr/
http://www.engadget.com/2016/05/16/oculus-vr-for-good-students-non-profits/
http://techcrunch.com/2016/05/16/oculus-announces-vr-for-good-initiative-to-help-students-and-non-profits-capture-community-life/
