Whether or not you consider all 360-video content to be virtual reality, the immersive power of VR technology allows filmmakers and storytellers to tell unique stories in groundbreaking new ways. Samsung is one of the companies at the forefront of this push for new content and have today announced a new series called Chasing the Dream, which is designed as part two of their Beyond the Frame program.
Chasing the Dream features the USA Men’s Olympic Basketball Team, which competes in the Quarterfinals of the tournament later today on 8/17. The project provides a closer look at the likes of various Olympic athletes, including Klay Thompson and Paul George, as they prepare and compete for an Olympic victory.
“As a leader in the virtual reality space, Samsung aims to be at the center of culture by pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with our technology, exploring new frontiers such as virtual reality and 360,” said Marc Mathieu, Samsung Electronics America’s Chief Marketing Officer, in a press release. “We’re thrilled to work with the NBA and USA Basketball to give fans an immersive, behind the scenes look at what it takes to be an athlete competing for Team USA in the Olympic Games.”
This most recent video series is the next in the long list of ways viewers can experience the Olympics in VR this year. We first learned about Olympic plans all the way back in June, and since have seen a wide range of content. You can access the NBC Sports app on Gear VR and there’s also the Kellogs’ and USA swimming Tom Shields partnership. The Oculus 360 photos app includes a ton of great 360-degree photos of the Games and if you fancy a throwback, the New York Times used thousands of old images to recreate Olympic stadiums from the past.
With so many ways to engage with VR already in 2016, imagine how future Olympic events in the years to come will continue to evolve. You can watch Chasing the Dream and other VR content on the Samsung VR mobile app, inside the Gear VR Samsung VR application and on the Samsung VR website.
