Happy Friday!!
Welcome to Rerun, your weekly round up of the most interesting news stories from the future of video, VR and TV, curated by the Axonista team.
This week, saw the first time a video game trailer has qualified for an Oscar in the animated short category, following its jury prize win at the Vienna Shorts Festival.
Everything is a wonderfully nutty game in which you can play as literally everything in the known universe. Complete with an Alan Watts voiceover, the trailer is really worth a watch.
Top Pick
Appleâs developer conference was chock full of new hardware
In its latest developer conference Apple has announced its new hardware and software updates. While the new HomePod is interesting and changes in the new iOS 11 are welcome, we can't help but be a little disappointed at Rerun HQ. Little or nothing was announced for Apple TV. We were hoping universal search or a redesign might feature.
It seems we are not the only disappointed watcher. Alan Wolk, of TV[R]EV believes that Apple's new HomePod repeats the same mistake Apple keeps making. It's 'trying to keep the walled garden thing alive'. HomePod will only play Apple Music, not Spotify, Pandora or anything else. Considering that Spotify is popular amongst potential new audiences, it seems a little counter intuitive.
That said, we are excited to hear Apple is launching an iOS âARKitâ for augmented reality apps. This will provide developers APIs to bring more augmented experiences to iOS devices. While Apple hasn't indicated interest in releasing a VR headset or platform, it has at least acknowledged, that as a leading producer of tech for creative studios, the company has to embrace AR at a developer level. It will be interesting to see what future moves Apple makes in the VR space.
Features
This is how the NBA makes exclusive shows for millions on Snapchat
The NBA is just one of the many sports leagues and federations around the world that are harnessing the power of Snapchat. NBA players have been heavily involved in generating Snapchat content that is seen by millions; however, the NBA itself is now taking the generation of live Snapchat content much more seriously.
Recodeâs Kurt Wagner spent time during the NBA finals with Anthony Kuzviwanza, a video producer and editor for the NBA. What follows is a fascinating insight into how one of the biggest sports brands in the world generates on-the-fly content for a global audience.
Future of TV
I want my Snap TV: Snapchatâs move into show business shows early promise
Snap has found some legs with short-form video series in Snapchat Discover. It has already 'aired' 14 of these series, each episode available only for 24-48 hours, and it has many more planned. Future partnerships include big names like James Corden, MTV's "Cribs" and Team Coco.
But this feature by Digiday does more than just outline what's on Snapchat Discover. It gives insight into how Snap actually works with its TV network partners. How series get commissioned, piloted, collaborated on and monetised. Snap has 'plenty of people' from TV and broadcast that can help partners with any aspect of production, and no doubt this experience proves very appealing to potential partners, given the unique nature of the Snapchat platform.
Early on, thereâs evidence that people are watching Snapchat shows. E! Newsâ twice-weekly entertainment and news show âThe Rundownâ averages 7 million viewers per episode â tripling its per-episode viewership since its September premiere. âSecond Chance,â meanwhile, averaged 8 million viewers in its first season, and âPhone Swapâ is getting 10 million viewers per episode.
Interactive Media
Mixed Reality Comics wants to revolutionize VR comics
The VR experience Diorama Worlds enables creators to make their own VR scenes out of existing assets, and share them with Oculus Rift and HTC Vive users.
MR Comics aims to extend this world and bring it to life by bringing more storytelling to it. It enables sequential scene building and text speech bubbles inside Diorama Worlds, creating fully 3D VR comics.
Looks like it will be a lot of fun to play with!
Storytelling
For shows like âThe Handmaidâs Taleâ, literary adaptations are the new fan fiction
Adaptations or fan fiction? In the current golden age of content it seems the boundaries may be blurring. The enthusiasm of screen writers and show runners is growing beyond just adapting source texts for screen, but expanding and adding to those worlds. But since these additions often do not come from the original author, can we view such adaptations as fan fiction?
At Rerun, we think adaptation embellishments are an important mechanism to entice and keep the audience watching. Popular novels often come with a pre-exposed audience; and new plot details keep them returning episode after episode to a story they already know.
Virtual Reality
Oculus to install nearly 100 free VR systems throughout California library network
In recent weeks, we here at Rerun have been covering how VR experiences are to be found in a wide range of environments outside of gaming and entertainment, such as schools and galleries.
Now, in what Mashable's Adario Strange has termed a "novel approach to getting high-end virtual reality to the public", Oculus has committed to installing 100 Oculus Rift headsets and VR-ready PC systems in 90 libraries throughout California.
By making VR experiences more readily accessible to the general public, Strange comments that the decision by Oculus is not just a smart marketing move, but it may normalise VR and AR experience for the general public:
Nevertheless, exposing more of the general public to top tier VR will help remove the mystery for many, potentially leading to innovations and approaches to VR and AR we haven't even thought of yet.
Briefs
- AwesomenessTV founder Brian Robbins hired by Paramount to run new division
- âBreaking Badâ virtual reality project in the works from Vince Gilligan
- Facebook Live gets accessible with third-party closed captioning
- Internet video revenues to overtake DVD this year
- Sony sells one million VR headsets
- DirecTV Now will only support Chrome on desktop starting in July
- Formula One boss reveals plans for owned broadcast platform
âFerris Buellerâs Day Offâ to stream free on Facebook Live
Anyone want to watch 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off', live and for free? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
This Sunday, starting at 4pm PT, Facebook will live stream 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' in its first 'Live Movie Night'. The event is sponsored by Domino's Pizza, in collaboration with cable network EPIX. At Rerun, we think this is an exciting opportunity for both EPIX and Domino's Pizza who will be running promotions during the live stream. The first Facebook 'Live Movie Night' provides an appointment for audiences and advertisers to engage and interact with a cult classic.