Jessica Brillhart, the immersive director, started her own company called Vrai, which focuses on creating immersive experiences in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Vrai aims to create a new immersive environment by converging various immersive technologies like VR and AR. Brillhart emphasizes the importance of creating functional and helpful VR experiences that are also artistically engaging. She discusses the challenges of using an Irish speaking Apple voice for narration and the importance of interpreting content for emotional depth in VR storytelling. Brillhart compares storytelling in film and VR, highlighting the focus on creating potential story worlds in VR that the viewer can interact with. She also explores the immersive nature of gaming and the concept of flow. Brillhart discusses her upcoming projects, including a series that reimagines the biopic genre in VR and a collaboration with a well-known architect. She believes that VR and AR can work together to provide a more compelling experience and that people may spend a significant amount of time in VR in the future. Traditional storytellers can adapt to VR by focusing on the immersive experience and sculpting the meaningful core of the story. The key but non-obvious thing missing for VR to become mainstream is a shift in focus from just entertainment and games to other industries. Social VR has the potential to create immersive narratives that can be shared and experienced together, but caution and responsiveness are necessary in designing these experiences.
Starting Vrai
The most profound aspect of the text is that Jessica Brillhart started her own company called Vrai, which focuses on creating immersive experiences in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).
- Brillhart previously worked at Google as the principal filmmaker for VR, where she helped develop VR live-action and capture technology.
- She saw parallels between the VR and machine learning teams in terms of their impact on our lives and creative potential, and believed in opportunities for collaboration between the two teams.
- Brillhart emphasized the importance of creating functional and helpful VR experiences that are also artistically engaging.
- Vrai aims to create a new immersive environment by converging various immersive technologies like VR and AR.
- The company reflects Brillhart's passion for visual arts and mixed reality.
- Vrai has worked on projects involving deep dream technology and using a system trained on Faulkner and Vonnegut's writings to create VR experiences.
- The challenges of using an Irish speaking Apple voice for narration and the importance of interpreting content for emotional depth in VR storytelling are discussed.
- The concept of control in VR and AR experiences and how it is approached in the industry is explored.
Story in film vs. VR
- Storytelling is important in both film and virtual reality (VR)
- In VR, the focus is on creating potential story worlds that the viewer can decode and interact with
- The goal is to transmit the core values of the story, regardless of how the viewer interacts with the VR experience
- Brillhart compares this approach to Aesop's fables, where the core value is the takeaway, not the specific characters or events
- In VR, as long as the truth of the story is transmitted to the viewer, the type of experience they have is less important
- VR allows for a more immersive and interactive experience for the audience
- VR presents unique challenges for storytelling
- Understanding the medium and designing experiences that take advantage of its capabilities is crucial.
Gaming
The immersive nature of games and the concept of flow are explored in this topic. The best games allow players to explore at their own pace and take breaks from the main story. Games like Red Dead Redemption and Myst provide both exploration and a linear narrative. Different games serve different purposes and have different gameplay mechanics. Older games like Super Mario Brothers and Myst were more challenging without the help of the internet, while modern games can be easily figured out with online guides. The game Amber Journeys Beyond serves as an inspiration for a recent project.
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) games offer immersive experiences and storytelling. Games like "Missed" and "The Beginner's Guide" make players question and feel different emotions through interactivity. "Florence" utilizes the phone's features to create a story that evokes emotions similar to real-life interactions with the phone.
Technology in storytelling is discussed in the context of VR and AR gaming. The game "black box" uses the temperature of the phone to unlock puzzles, showcasing the unique ways in which technology can engage users. The speaker also talks about their transition from working at Google to exploring new projects and ideas in the VR and AR space.
Jessica Brillhart, an immersive director, discusses her favorite VR project, The Weather Channel, which involved creating a VR experience that allowed users to "sneak through" different weather conditions.
Conditions at Omaha - The Weather Channel in VR - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu3hyBXNmX0
The video features Jessica Brillhart, an immersive director, discussing the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in weather reporting. She specifically talks about a VR experience called "Conditions at Omaha" created for The Weather Channel.
Jessica's upcoming projects
Jessica Brillhart, an immersive director, discusses her upcoming projects in a YouTube video. She has four projects in development, including a series that reimagines the biopic genre in VR, a collaboration with a well-known architect, a simple and accessible game, and a music project featuring a cultural icon. Brillhart emphasizes the importance of creating content specifically designed for VR and AR, with a focus on immersive audio.
Andrew Peterman asks - How long until we'll be able to create 3D 360° video from cell phone hardware+amazing software?
The most profound aspect of the topic is the challenge of storytelling and narrative creation in creating 3D 360° video using cell phone hardware and software.
Key points:
- It is already possible to create 3D 360° video using cell phone hardware and software.
- The challenge lies in storytelling and narrative creation rather than technical capabilities.
- Being creative and not confined to labels or specific terms is important.
- The speaker coined the term "probabilistic experiencial editing" to emphasize the idea of not limiting creativity by predefined terms.
Andrew Peterman asks about the timeline for creating 3D 360° video using cell phone hardware and advanced software.
Matt asks - Where do you see VR in 10 years?
- VR will evolve and be known by a different name in the future.
Michael Hodapp asks - Does VR still have long term mass adoption potential, or will the market shift to AR?
The shift from VR to AR has already happened in many ways, such as Google's transition from Google Cardboard to Google VR to Google AR VR. AR projects utilizing smartphones are easily accessible to people. Both VR and AR have weaknesses on their own, but when combined, they can fill each other's gaps. AR can serve as an entry point for people to become interested in VR, and the two technologies can work together to provide a more compelling experience. People already spend a significant portion of their day in AR to some extent.
Will people be in VR for a significant percentage of their time in the future?
People may spend a significant amount of time in virtual reality (VR) in the future, as it offers the potential to alter perception and provide entertainment. VR can also have a meditative quality and be used in healthcare settings. As VR technology advances, it is expected to become more interactive and engaging. However, there are concerns about the loss of human experience and the direction VR might take in terms of accessibility and memory. Despite these concerns, VR is currently bringing joy to people and has not instilled fear like other technologies. The increasing presence of AI intelligence systems also contributes to the hope for VR adoption.
Virginia Pigato asks - How can a traditional storyteller adapt to vr?
Traditional storytellers can adapt to VR by abandoning traditional storytelling techniques and focusing on the immersive experience. They should approach storytelling as sculpting, focusing on the meaningful core of the story. It is important to understand the audience, the intended platform, and how to transfer the truth of the story regardless of the viewer's engagement. Additionally, identifying the "superpower" of the person in the VR experience and allowing them time to understand it is crucial. The speaker also discusses the importance of incorporating the element of time in narratives and gives examples from video games like Portal and Red Dead Redemption. She emphasizes the need to create immersive experiences that evoke emotions and challenge the audience's expectations.
Can Olcer asks - What key but non-obvious thing is missing for VR to become mainstream?
The key but non-obvious thing missing for VR to become mainstream is a shift in focus from just entertainment and games to other industries such as education, infrastructure architecture, and various professions.
- VR needs to be seen as useful and impactful in these sectors in order to gain wider adoption.
- Currently, VR is still in a stage where it may not be necessary or practical for everyone, but exploring its potential in different fields can lead to interesting and beneficial applications.
- It is important to be open-minded and creative in finding ways to make VR more relevant and impactful beyond just entertainment.
Matt MacVey asks - What are some of the most exciting or scariest parts of social VR and what is the storytelling potential of social VR?
Social VR allows people to connect and share experiences in a virtual space, but it also comes with risks and challenges. The most exciting aspect is the ability to create immersive and interactive narratives that can be shared and experienced together. However, there is also the fear of encountering disruptive or harmful individuals. The storytelling potential of social VR lies in its ability to create immersive narratives that can be shared and experienced together. The responsibility of creators in designing VR experiences is emphasized, particularly in terms of mistreatment of women. Caution and responsiveness are necessary in creating these experiences.
Tony Cassara asks - What kind of dog do you have?
- Tony Cassara has a German Shepherd mix dog named Fisher who dislikes VR
- Importance of capturing memories through VR
- Ethical considerations of sharing VR footage with loved ones
- Intersection of VR, AR, and reality in shaping our lives