USC’s Cinema School Continues To Lead The Industry By Exploring VR Technology
USC’s School for Cinematic Arts has developed a partnership with software company Jaunt VR to create the Jaunt VR Incubator, USC Daily News has learned. Jaunt VR, a company that provides VR cameras for immersive cinematic experiences, says that the lab — led by Professor Candace Reckinger — will be finalized by this week.
The lab will be housed on the third floor of the Interactive Media Building in the SCA, and will include the participation of faculty members Eric Hanson (a VR professional working for Jaunt), Mike Patterson (visual music director and animator) and Alex McDowell (production designer). The biggest draw of the lab? Students will, with the help of Jaunt, be able to create their very own VR content. “We’re going to do focused research on what’s the new language for storytelling in VR,” Reckinger told the newspaper.
Although the lab is currently only funded for three years, it has secured a loan from Jaunt for two Jaunt One VR cameras and playback technology. The lab’s mission has been distilled to three different phrases: the first year will be the experimental learning phrase, and by the second and third year, students will be able to take VR classes from the lab.
Within USC, students will be able to receive technical assistance from full-time employees staffing the lab. Jaunt first approached USC, the USC Daily News learned, hoping that they could use the VR incubator to help advance their own experimental department. “Jaunt was really eager to get a relationship going with the Cinema School,” Reckinger added in a statement.
Within USC, Jaunt will be the first lab to specifically deal with VR, an innovative space facing intense interest from investors and entrepreneurs in recent years. With the help of the lab, SCA students will be able to network and learn from executives in the technology sector.
“USC is really in a process of growth, and the VR lab is a big part of how they are moving into new media,” Reckinger said.
