IMAX was one partnership that Google highlighted at Google I/O 2016, and it came yesterday that the cinematic experience producers had joined with Google to create a virtual reality (VR) camera, and today there was another announcement that IMAX will be partnering with Starbreeze AB to create experiences.
IMAX has set itself up to commit to the VR industry in this double-layer venture, creating “premium VR” experiences for Starbreeze’s StarVR head-mounted display (HMD) which will now be developed with Acer. The motivation behind the partnership with Starbreeze appears to be down to the HMD’s 210-degree field of view: “to offer a truly immersive VR experience that is worthy of the IMAX(R) brand.” IMAX will be combining its content with Starbreeze’s, as well as looking for Hollywood content to join in on creating VR experiences.
Richard L. Gelfond, IMAX Corp. CEO, said: “Just as IMAX provides the best cinematic experience, Starbreeze is a pioneer in the burgeoning VR market and its headsets will deliver a wider, ‘IMAX-like’ field of view to allow consumers to see, feel, move and play in new worlds in a powerfully immersive and realistic way. ”
IMAX’s collaboration with Google will inevitably help the creation of this content with Starbreeze. This camera will be used for cinematic production, and will be built to use Google’s Jump, a 360 and VR video creation and watching platform. Gelfond went on from his comments about Starbreeze on to Google: “While our partnership with Google puts IMAX in the VR capture business, Starbreeze brings the capabilities in content distribution and delivery that, when combined, help us to establish a complete offering across the VR ecosystem.”
Clay Bavor, Vice President of Virtual Reality at Google, said: “IMAX is known everywhere for their incredible immersive cinematography and sound, and we’re delighted to have them contribute their decades of experience in cameras and content to the Jump platform.”
IMAX will make its latest VR content available to many consumers by having it in multiplexes, shopping centres, and tourist destinations in the US, with six destinations planning for this year, and with success will come interntional showcasing.
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