Happy Friday!
This week sees the the official death of 3D TV as both Sony and LG cease production of 3D TV sets. 3D TV took off with great promise, with broadcasters like Sky even launching 3D channels. But it could just never really have the same impact as 3D in the cinema, which is where it found its home.
Top Pick
Why Amazon beating Netflix to a Best Picture Oscar nomination matters
Amazon and Netflix are now major rivals in the global on-demand sphere. However each platform takes a different route when securing non-original movie titles. Netflix insist on simultaneous streaming release for their films while Amazon allows movies to show in theatres before they debut online.
Amazon's model does offer an advantage during awards season. Oscar voters still pay attention to the theatrical performance of potential nominations. In an interview with the Hollywood reporter, Joseph Ropell, Head of Motion Pictures at Amazon, says the messaging around their distribution model is only now penetrating Hollywood.
It's clearly sunk in now because we've been so fortunate with films like Manchester and Love & Friendship, where it's clear, "Oh, they're going to release movies in theaters, that's what they're about, and then those movies eventually go to Prime, now I get it. OK."
Arguably Netflix's approach to digital release damages a theatrical run of any new film they secure, and therefore any chance at an Oscar nod. With 'Manchester by the Sea', Amazon have now secured a title with Oscar nominations. It will be interesting to see if Netflix change their distribution model in response. It will also be fascinating to see what distribution model Apple takes as they enter the OTT market.
Features
Inside Instagramâs reinvention
2016 was a very busy year for Instagram, releasing a bunch of major new features like Stories, live broadcasting, ephemeral messaging and an algorithmic feed. The result is the fastest growth-rate in their history, and an all-time high level of sharing on the platform. While you'd be forgiven for thinking that all this came about because Snapchat had lit a fire under their heels, this feature with Recode paints a different story, one of a company trying to get back to its roots.
TV from the sun: 'Now I am connected to the whole world'
UK-based solar company Azuri Technologies and Kenyan satellite TV provider Zuku have launched a joint initiative to provide solar powered TVs to remote and off the grid homes in Kenya.
A solar panel is fixed to the roof of a customer's home, and connects to a battery which powers a range of appliances, including lamps, a mobile phone charger, and a 24-inch (61cm) TV which accesses Zuku's Smart satellite TV service.
While solar power products have been available in Kenya for several years, this is the first time off-grid households have had access to a full range of satellite pay-TV channels. At Rerun we think this is an inspiring use of technology to connect, inform and entertain more people through the power of TV.
Future of TV
Why Sky Sports isnât panicking about the big TV turn off from live sports to Snapchat
Sky Sports Live TV viewing figures have taken a recent and well publicised bit of a hit.
This article from the Drum is an interesting read about the fragmentation of sports TV audiences across new digital platforms, and how sports broadcasters like Sky Sports are adapting to change by embracing these new platforms to enhance storytelling both pre and post live events.
Manchester City launch new 360° video experience
The second-largest football club in Manchester, Manchester City, has joined forces with Jaunt VR to create the first-ever 360° matchday experience. While it's marred by the (for now) unavoidable blurriness of the action, it's a glimpse into the incredible future of sports broadcasting. Stepping from your couch onto the side of the pitch, seeing the players right in front of you and hearing the roar of the crowd in 360°, it really is the next best thing to actually being there.
How YouTube could capitalize on its rivals' mistakes, and conquer the future of TV
YouTube has been slow to adapt to the huge developments in recent years in the traditional TV market. However, in a wide-ranging article for Business Insider, Nathan McAlone considers YouTube's potential strategies on what it might execute over the coming year to overcome its delay in entering the traditional TV market.
McAlone touches on "Unplugged", reportedly YouTube's new streaming TV service, currently wrapped up in a shroud of secrecy. Apparently, YouTube will charge $35 dollars a month for the service, which is watchable on TV, phone, desktop and tablet devices.
Can YouTube be successful in an already crowded market where competition is fierce? At Rerun, we're keen to see how unique the user experience will be for the video-sharing giant's streaming TV service.
Virtual Reality
Dear Angelica is the filmâand filmmaking toolâVR needs
'Dear Angelica' is the latest VR short from director Saschka Unseld and Oculus Story Studio. What makes 'Dear Angelica' so exciting, is that its production is a breakthrough in VR technology with the development of a new VR illustration tool called âQuillâ.
Itâs also Oculusâ first VR experience created with the companyâs Quill tool, which lets illustrators create immersive 3D animations directly within VRâ and the result plays like a fever dream, all brilliant floating images and fleeting memories.
This could be a seminal moment for narrative development in VR. 'Dear Angelica', is comprised of a series of moments that reflect Jessica memories of her mother, Angelica. Linear moments in traditional story telling like closing a door or walking are removed. This may be VR's own version of 'The Great Train Robbery' the pioneering 1903 moving-pictures film that defined much of cinema's language.
At Rerun, we hope Oculus continues to push and experiment with Quill, to explore, play and surprise in its upcoming projects. Particularly now that VR has received its first Oscar nomination for Google's Pearl.
Lessons from the field: Jaunt's best practices for shooting in 360
Jaunt VR have now literally written the book on 360° cinematography. 'The Cinematic VR Field Guide' distills their years of experience shooting in 360° into a set of best practices. It's quite technical, but a must-read for anyone interested in 360° video.
"It includes an introduction to the basics, plus sections about camera motion, mounts and rigging, directing the action, getting out of the way, blocking and âframingâ in 360°, lighting and exposure, and more. Soon weâll be publishing additional sections on sound, post-production, editing, compositing, color, and adding interactivity."
Briefs
- Advertisers can target YouTube ads based on search histories
- YouTube now supports 360-degree videos for Playstation VR
- Netflix plans more market localisation
- An ex-Google and Xiaomi executive is the new boss of Facebook's Oculus VR
- Facebookâs latest test will introduce ads to Messenger users in 2 countries
- Pioneer is making the first 4K Blu-ray drive for PCs
- Anyone can submit an app for Google Daydream VR now
TV anchor says live on-air "Alexa, order me a dollhouse" â guess what happens next
A San Diego TV station sparked complaints this week â after an on-air report about a girl who ordered a dollhouse via her parents' Amazon Echo caused Echoes in viewers' homes to also attempt to order dollhouses.
We even set off our own Alexa in the office by discussing this article. As having a voice-controlled computer at home becomes more common we can see this kind of thing happening more and more!