Virtual Reality Update - Latest Developments - Manatt Digital Media Newsletter

	June 17, 2015 Manatt Digital Media – June Newsletter: Virtual Reality Update VR—Power, Potential, Risks . . . VR—The Engine of Empathy and Real Social Change Jaunt, VR and the Future of Media and Entertainment River—Accelerating Virtual Reality Start-Ups VNTANA Extends Live Experiences Globally MDM Spotlight Profile “VR technology will transform every industry over the next decade or two, just as the Internet was nascent twenty years ago but now is ubiquitous.”—The River Manifesto In MDM’s previous newsletter on Virtual Reality (VR), we covered some of the basics and gave an overview of the VR landscape. Since then, we have continued to immerse ourselves in the space, and engage with and advise some of its foremost leaders. In this month’s newsletter, we share with you insights from these experiences and innovators and from VR’s countless, game-changing applications—from games and media and entertainment to education, travel, healthcare and beyond.  VR—Power, Potential, Risks . . . By Peter Csathy Earlier this month, I moderated a VR and augmented reality (AR) panel at the SLUSH Future Brunch, hosted by organizers of Helsinki’s “must know” SLUSH digital media and tech conference held annually in November. My panel included some of the most important thought leaders and innovators in the VR space—Mike Rothenberg of Rothenberg Ventures (in which Manatt Venture Fund is an investor)—Rothenberg runs the first VR accelerator, called River; Danny Gabai of Vice Media, which produces some of the most inspired VR “experiences” to date; Andy Cochrane of Mirada Studios; and Neville Spiteri of WEVR. We covered a lot of ground during the session, including: 1. The state of VR today—and the prospects for the future—with all on the panel predicting mass consumer adoption of tens of millions of VR headsets within a couple of years (MDM completely agrees with that assessment). Read more VR—The Engine of Empathy and Real Social Change By Peter Csathy MDM recently visited Silicon Valley—and one highlight of that trip was pioneering VR company Jaunt (more on Jaunt in the profile below). Jaunt demonstrated just some of VR’s possibilities. Yes, media and entertainment. Yes, games and adventure. Those are obvious and frequently discussed. Read more Jaunt, VR and the Future of Media and Entertainment By Peter Csathy On MDM’s recent trip to Jaunt, CEO Jens Christensen first sat me down in the Jaunt demo studio (pictured here to the left),where I sat through and experienced four different demos. First demo: On the stage at a recent Paul McCartney concert (yes, these will sell big time). Second demo: Extreme climbing and parachuting off cliffs in Yosemite and other extreme lands. Third demo: Immersed as a character in a horror movie (complete with a blanket thrown over my head by one of the demons that made my entire body flinch). Fourth demo: A CGI EDM-driven segment. Read more River—Accelerating Virtual Reality Start-Ups By  Mary Ermitanio In December 2014, two-year-old fund Rothenberg Ventures first opened its doors to applications for River, its new virtual reality-focused accelerator. The three-month program aims to be the “world’s VR classroom” and offers start-ups $100,000 investments, mentorship by industry veterans, and office space at the Rothenberg Ventures’ 8,000-square-foot space in San Francisco.  Read more VNTANA Extends Live Experiences Globally By Sarah Chambless Earlier this year, MDM visited the Santa Monica offices of VNTANA. Tucked away in the rear parking lot of a multiuse space near Bergamot Station, VNTANA enables immersive, multilocation live experiences through high-definition, real-time hologram technology. Read more MDM Spotlight Profile Sarah Chambless leads Manatt Digital Media’s Virtual Reality initiatives. Sarah specializes in start-up company formation, early-stage finance, venture capital investment transactions and private company mergers and acquisitions. She advises emerging tech companies in digital media, technology, consumer products, social enterprise and nonprofit sectors, and represents both emerging companies and venture capital investors in seed and venture capital financings. She also has experience in fund formation and joint ventures. Prior to joining Manatt, she taught elementary school in Compton, California, as a Teach for America corps member.  View her full profile here.

VR - The Engine of Empathy ... and REAL Social Change

My visit to Silicon Valley last week -- and trip's highlight virtual reality (VR) tour-de-force by pioneering startup Jaunt (here is my blog post about that "must know" company and visit) -- has me obsessed with the possibilities of VR.  Yes, media and entertainment.  Yes, gaming and adventure.  Those are obvious and frequently discussed.

But, perhaps most compelling is VR's power to transport you to anywhere in the world -- and to enable (empower) you to really feel like what it is to be there.  To experience.

And, it is that VR teleportation machine that enables the tantalizing prospect of creating mass empathy and real social impact.  In other words, VR has the potential to serve as the engine for empathy and mass mobilization.

Case in point -- "Clouds Over Sidra" -- the United Nation's first foray into VR filmmaking for social good.  This "experience" (because it is much more than a film) places you directly in the middle of a Syrian refugee camp -- through which you are guided by a 12-year old refugee girl named Sidra.  As you experience a day in her life, no longer is being a refugee in some far away land merely some abstract concept.  Now, via VR, while Sidra's suffering is not real to you, it does come to life in your mind in a way that is.

And, once it comes to life and becomes more tangible ... virtually ... real emotions take hold ... real empathy! ... with the power and promise of real action to follow.  Real change.  Real impact to better the lives of Sidra and others around the world.

THAT is the potential here people.

THAT is just part of the promise of VR.

But, oh what promise that is in these early heady days ...

Jaunt, VR & The Future of Media & Entertainment

Whirlwind trip to the Bay Area this week -- highlighted by my jaunt down from SF to Silicon Valley a few hours ago to visit VR company Jaunt.  I knew I would be impressed, because my friend and visionary Steven Rahman at Samsung told me about this "must see" company.  But, "impressed" is not the right word or impact.  More like "blown away," as in mind-blowing experience.

CEO Jens Christensen immediately sat me down in the Jaunt demo studio (pictured here to the left) -- and I sat through and experienced 4 different demos.  First demo -- on the stage at a recent Paul McCartney concert (yes, these will sell big time).  Second demo --extreme climbing and parachuting off cliffs in Yosemite and other extreme lands.  Third demo -- immersed as a character in a horror movie (complete with a blanket thrown over my head by one of the demons that made my entire body flinch).  And, fourth demo -- a CGI EDM-driven segment.

How do I describe the impact?

I smiled throughout -- no, grinned throughout -- no, could barely contain myself.

I have been in the media and entertainment world for 25 years and have seen many many things and many many demos.  But, today's demo was unlike any other.  This certainly is the future of media and entertainment.  It ain't no gimmick.  And, VR ain't just for gaming anymore.  Music, travel, story-telling ... all are open to Jaunt ... and, therefore, to you.  The world is now open and fully accessible.  That's why blue chip investors have lined up to invest in this company.  And, that's why you soon will be investing in Jaunt content.

Here's another mind-blowing thing -- how fast this all happened.  Jens told me this:

-- he had previously built and sold several other companies
-- after his last sale, he joined VC firm Redpoint as an EIR (entrepreneur-in-residence)
-- that's where he tried on his first Oculus -- which he actually purchased through Craigslist
-- and that's when he had his epiphany -- whereas Oculus was then game-focused, Jens immediately focused on media and entertainment -- that is the fundamental difference
-- and, within just a few months (since Jens is a technical magician), he and his partner at Redpoint created their first prototype (pictured in the picture above to the right) ... and, now, they are on the second prototype (which is pictured below to the right).

Get this -- this all happened in 2 years!

Jaunt's content is already available -- at least most of it is free for now.

But, with the inevitable meteoric rise of VR, that "free" won't last long -- and Jaunt's business model is to monetize that content.

I have talked about VR for a long time, and I have written about VR for months.  But, experiencing Jaunt today changed everything for me.

VR for media and entertainment is not just the future.  It is absolutely here and now ... with compelling, extremely compelling, content produced by Jaunt ....