Storytelling In VR - Is It Here Yet?

We all probably agree that VR is so new that it's difficult to grasp what it is that we can do with it. So many headsets to choose from, so many platforms to watch VR content on. Is it just for gaming or is there a place for VR storytelling that would let you experience a different world without leaving your house?

I recently listened to an amazing presentation about storytelling in VR. I attended a Meetup where Josh Anon compared VR storytelling experience to being in Disneyland. Click to watch the video below to hear the excerpt from Josh's presentation and now nicely he draws the line between VR and Disneyland.

If you are one of those people who just recently tried watching a video in VR, you understand how different the experience in VR is from two dimensional content. You can find a lot of funny videos on YouTube of people watching VR videos for the first time. Here's one below :)

According to Josh, VR content creators don't yet utilize all the space that's possible for the viewer to explore. They are still in the habit of steering the viewer to the story they want to tell vs. filling the environment with details, paths, doors, micro worlds for the viewer to explore themselves. Below is the excerpt from the presentation making this point.

Along with a different way to tell the story, analytics on what works and what doesn't becomes very important. Digital content marketing analytics in a 2D world is simple: clicks, views, length of viewing, downloads, etc. How do you measure VR content engagement where sound plays a huge role, where each head turn is important, etc.? Retinad VR is working on technology that aims to analyze the engagement in virtual reality world. Click the video below to watch Alexander Haque answering a couple of my questions about VR analytics.

Sound, story details and mini environments in VR world are what makes a great storytelling experience and helps the audience want to come back and continue exploring and discovering additional story paths.

Please let me know in the comments below what interests you when it comes to VR/AR/360 video. If you are interested to learn more about what's happening in this space, you can attend an upcoming Meetup on VR/AR in Silicon Valley. I hope to see you there.