[Editorial] VR’s Future Knows No Bounds

Throughout human history, advances in technology have led to advances in storytelling. Drawings on caves led to paintings, which led to photography, which led to moving images on the silver screen. With each new form, stories became richer and more engaging, but they never became immersive—at least until now.

To date, visual storytelling has been bound—by walls, and frames, and bezels of screens. But today, for the first time, narrative is breaking free of the box, and storytellers can practice their craft on an infinite canvas. In this way, virtual reality is not an evolution; it is a revolution. It’s 360 degrees of storytelling, and the next great medium.

For our part, Samsung has designed, developed, and deployed the technology at the center of this new medium. From cameras to headsets, to platforms for sharing and viewing content, Samsung’s devices and services have brought VR experiences to life.

Of course, technology alone cannot power a medium. Content—irresistible and immersive stories—will always be the driving force. Pioneering filmmakers are already leading the way, but their work represents only the beginning of the new era of visual storytelling. For VR to flourish, we need an ecosystem in which content is easily created, accessed, and shared.

That is why we are launching Samsung Creators—a program committed to supercharging the next generation of VR content creators through a series of partnerships, events, competitions and more.

Creators—and their stories—have the unique power of making VR of interest to a wider audience; and inspiring the hobbyists, the backyard filmmakers, or even the people who are just a little bit curious to put on a headset or take Gear 360 for a spin, so they can live amazing stories, or create their own.

Through Samsung Creators, we’ll be empowering some of the biggest names in film, tech, culture, and sports, equipping them with the very best VR technology, and letting their imaginations run wild. These Creators will take their own, one-of-a-kind experiences, and open them up to the audiences everywhere.

We are also supporting up-and-coming VR directors and cinematographers who want to not just tell stories, but transport people to the center of new worlds. We’re hosting workshops to give filmmakers the opportunity to learn about Samsung’s VR technology, and competitions to highlight their best work. We’re building a VR infrastructure, so any filmmaker can share their vision with the world.

The future of VR depends on this democratization. VR needs content and it needs creators. Not a few, but a lot—a critical mass. In short, VR needs you.

So, join us on this journey. Get your hands on a Gear 360. Create something awesome. Check out the Samsung Creators website. Enter a competition to for a chance to become an awarded VR storyteller. Go to an educational seminar. Create the stories, experiences, and worlds that we’ve yet to see—worlds that are limited not by boxes, screens, or frames, but only by the reach of our vision.

Source: Samsung Newsroom US