Barcroft announces VR content collaborations
February 1, 2016
Factual content producer and distributor Barcroft Media has announced two collaborations with pioneers in the virtual reality (VR) and 360º content sectors, signalling the company’s first moves into immersive storytelling and content production.
Firstly, Barcroft Media has signed an agreement with Jaunt Inc., the industry leader in cinematic virtual reality (VR), to co-develop and produce content exclusively for the Jaunt VR platform. The combination of Jaunt’s VR technology and resources, along with Barcroft’s expertise in the production of original visual content, will result in the creation of immersive VR experiences that will be exclusively available for download via the Jaunt VR app. The Jaunt VR app can be downloaded on Google Play, iTunes, and GearVR.
The company has also agreed a partnership with Drew Gardner, the internationally acclaimed photographer and award-winning British 360º filmmaker to deliver a series of immersive, short form factual mini docs for Barcroft TV on Facebook and YouTube.The first of Drew’s 360º films to feature on Barcroft TV, ‘Child climbs historic human tower’, transports viewers to a Catalan market square as people of all ages attempt to build a 600 person ‘human tower’, the like of which has not been successfully achieved since 1881.
“We’re excited to be taking Barcroft into the visceral world of immersive content and we couldn’t be working with a better partner than Jaunt, the leader in virtual reality technology, and a brilliant 360º filmmaker in Drew Gardner” said Barcroft Media CEO and founder, Sam Barcroft. “Coupled with our unique brand of exclusive storytelling, this is how we are taking ‘the amazing side of life’ to the next level.
Barcroft TV’s YouTube channel has 1.8 million subscribers and has clocked up over 1.6 billion video views to date.