NEW YORK –NBCUniversal has teamed up with Google to produce virtual reality (VR) versions of select NBCUniversal shows. The VR projects include original content from “Saturday Night Live,” Bravo Media’s “Vanderpump Rules” and SYFY WIRE, with more NBCUniversal networks, channels and shows to follow in the coming months, including projects from E!, NBC, NBC News, NBC Sports, SYFY, Telemundo and USA Network. They’ll be made available on YouTube, and can be viewed on the web or using any mobile phone. For the most immersive experience, viewers can watch in VR using Google Cardboard or Daydream View.
NBCUniversal and Google will collaborate on at least 10 multi-episode VR productions that will place fans inside scenes via 360-degree views. The experiences are being produced using Jump, Google’s platform for VR video capture that combines high-quality VR cameras and automated stitching. Future select VR experiences will also be available in VR180, a new VR format providing 4K, three-dimensional video.
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“We are constantly looking for opportunities to bring consumers new ways to experience content from across the NBCUniversal portfolio,” said Ron Lamprecht, Executive Vice President, NBCUniversal Digital Enterprises. “This partnership combines the creative expertise of NBCUniversal with Google’s VR capabilities to create these engaging experiences. We look forward to working with Google and YouTube on more collaborations like this in the future.”
"NBCUniversal’s networks and shows have a proven track record of high-quality storytelling that audiences can’t get enough of. Bringing them to VR lets fans connect with that content in a whole new way,” said Amit Singh, VP of Business & Operations for VR & AR at Google. “NBCU's teams were able to easily capture engaging VR content using the latest VR Jump cameras. And with YouTube, audiences can experience it on any device, bringing them closer to their favorite series.”
As part of this partnership, Bravo and Google have launched two 360 VR experiences featuring Lisa Vanderpump and the cast of “Vanderpump Rules,” with more to launch in the coming weeks. They include:
· Bonus clip from season finale of Vanderpump Rules
To date, projects have included virtual reality, 360-degree videos featuring “Saturday Night Live” guest hosts Kevin Hart, Will Ferrell and Natalie Portman.
SyFy Wire created 360 and 180 videos for Emerald City Comic Con, including interactive games such as Sidekick Search, Hide and Go Geek, and Three Questions.
The existing SNL and SyFy Wire videos, and future content from other shows and networks, are available on YouTube and best viewed using a VR headset, like Google Cardboard or Daydream
