Working with a New Medium: Intern at a VR Studio

My first ever VR experience was viewing the 360° video of Icelandic artist Björk’s Vulnicura VR. I was asked to take off my glasses, don a black Vive headset, and a pair of headphones. As I was blind and shifting uncertainly from foot to foot I began to sweat. What if I became overwhelmed or got nauseous during the viewing? What if I couldn’t appreciate or understand the medium or work put into the experience? What if I whacked someone upside the head with a controller? These were all outcomes that probably wouldn’t have done well to impress in my first week of work

Except, as soon as the screen lit up with a view of the vibrant green hills of the Icelandic mountain side and yellow and violet lights dancing away as if to catch them, it didn’t matter what would happen after I took off the Vive. What mattered was the vision of art in front of me. While I had been standing awkwardly in the River Studios San Francisco office before, now I was standing mountain side, by the statue of a lain woman encapsulated in stone. As my gazed selected a singular video floating in a totem above my head, the first week intern jitters were momentarily forgotten. There was no time for nervousness as Björk serenaded me beside the beach and the sway of her dance matched the crash of the waves. I had to see more of this visual and musical journey. My first VR experience felt like arriving somewhere worth exploring.

In fact, VR and exploration go hand in hand. Rightfully coined, “frontier tech,” VR’s every release, every announcement, and every experiment is something brand new and never experienced by consumers. In order to create this new entertainment and bring imagination into reality, VR teams have put in practice and creation new hardware, software, and creation theory. Working in that sort of innovative environment, where makeshift engineering and jerry-rigging seems to be the norm, fosters an appreciation for critical thinking and a passion for a craftsmanship. Whether it is attaching multiple cameras to a single rig, editing sound/soundtracks to disperse in multiple directions, or create instant stitching software for large data files all of that is happening now and right here! Because there is no precedent in VR. They get to be inventors and pioneers every day. VR really is the new frontier.

So new in fact, classes within the entertainment and media industry, are just adding VR to the curriculum. Either from my desk or on a comfy sofa, I know that anyone here could inspire and start an entire wave of creation or production techniques and theories in their own name: “The Joshua Camera Angle Effect, The Malvika Production Tactic, The Macaroni Script Outline, The Sivan Iram Theory.” Who knows how far their outreach can go.

VR as the ‘Next Big Thing’ doesn’t just stop at the technical aspect of production. VR also incorporates new and inventive story telling. From games to sports to music to health, VR can touch any industry as long as there’s a need to reach out to people.

With the end of Comic Con, VRLA Summer Expo, Rothenberg Ventures’ Summer Demo Day, and plenty of other amazing expositions, VR has proved to have a handle on branching into all sorts of sectors. River Studios has released an experience with Collete Davis, Red Bull Global Rallycross lite racecar driver, and her process to prep for a race. There’s a thrill of riding shotgun beside Davis and she takes you through the track. The purpose of the experience is to feel the energy and freedom in racecar driving. Even if you’re like me and don’t even have your licensee, speeding down the asphalt gives you an adrenaline rush and maybe even the hope to do it on your own one day. Granted, I’ll need to practice a lot, but the hope is there!

And that’s kind of the point with VR. It’s meant to engage you in a world you can hope for, in an experience or emotion you’ve never felt, or in a perspective you’ve never seen. For some it can be about surviving a lifelong phobia through a simulation program (Psious’ various simulators), learning about and empathizing with the hardships of others (Planned Parenthood’s Across the Line; Jaunt VR’s Nepal: After the Earthquake), enjoying a missed concert (NextVR’s Coldplay concert), or standing amongst your own personal creations (Google’s Tilt Brush). As the content of VR grows, so do our chances to experience new, exciting, and worthwhile adventures.

So VR has innovation and sustainability all over it. But where does that leave someone like myself, the new intern? It doesn’t leave me anywhere. Sure, there were times someone would explain volumetric capturing, stitching, or motion capture to the group and everyone would nod their heads sagely or get excited at a new discovery. Whereas I would still be trying to sound out the spelling for ‘volumetric’. The most important aspect of it all is that someone was always willing to explain it to me.

Each member if simply asked is willing to step in and help. While text messages may take a little longer to answer, there is always someone willing to respond, there’s always someone willing to teach, and someone willing to provide advice or join in on a new project. Growing within that sort of culture cultivates a strong work ethic, an appreciation for diligence, and trust in the people around you. Personally, I think that’s a trait entirely part of River Studios.

So VR as a new medium has created innovation, sustainability, and a creative family. That’s a pretty well-rounded package to hand to a summer intern. My most recent VR experience was taking another spin on the Vive. This time, myself and another intern took turns playing different games, and trying to beat each other’s scores. While, I definitely need more practice (and a licensee) before I can touch a racing wheel, I know with this introduction of VR under my belt, it won’t be long before I can create or storyboard for another VR experience. I’m hopeful and excited for that opportunity.