Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/869840
www.postmagazine.com 35 POST SEPTEMBER 2017 VR/AR NEWS ROGUE, a creative boutique in NYC (www.postgonerogue.com), specializes in high-end production and post production for film, advertising, and digital. Since its founding two years ago, Executive Creative Director, Alex Maclean has produced a large body of work that demonstrates his color grading and fin- ishing expertise in branding content for clients like HBO, Vogue, Google, Vice, Fader, and many more. For the past three years MacLean has also been at the forefront of VR/360 content for narratives and advertising. In a recent interview MacLean discussed the challenges and rewards of working in VR. Q: What is the biggest challenge you're facing today in VR? M: Working in real time on high-resolution projects. There are distinct dif- ferences in the variables for 4K, 6K, and 8K and various camera formats. The amount of data can seem staggering, then add 3D to the mix and the files get really large. Fortunately, my experience is paying off as I've learned how to quickly assess and manage the challenges. Q. What software tools are you using for VR? M: ASSIMILATE's (www.assimilateinc.com) SCRATCH VR Suite. It has all the fea- tures needed to efficiently and easily work in VR. Working in VR requires fore- sight and testing in advance I'll often work with the ASSIMILATE team prior to the shoot itself to understand any new size and format issues. Using their tools is the only way to go – they're up to speed on all aspects of VR, and SCRATCH VR is by far the best, most complete tool out there. Q: What VR headsets are you using? M: For tethered VR headsets, we us Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. SCRATCH VR gives me the advantage of color grading and finishing using a headset so that I can see the results in real time. This saves enormous amounts of time and it's huge for our clients during their reviews. They can see exactly how the expe- rience will look on different platforms like desktops, laptops, tablets, smart- phones, and the big screen. Q: What are some of your VR projects? M: "UnBLUR Rwanda 360°" produced by SuperSphere for the Onesight Foun- dation, is one of my favorite projects. It's a five-minute narrative in which VR enhances the story, and the technology remains behind the scenes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJzvdUP6ZCM. I'm also excited about a five-episode series for Vogue called Supermodel Closets, produced by 30 Nin- jas. The first episode is Kendall Jenner Takes You on a 360° Tour of Her Closet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCDVFF6-AOs I've enjoyed all my VR projects. I like the challenge of learning and mastering new technology and contributing to the creative process. Part of the job is helping filmmakers work more creatively with a visual language that directs the audience to the specific points of interest. ROGUE NYC SPECIALIZES IN VR PRODUCTION AND POST USING SCRATCH VR Sponsored Content LOS ANGELES — While at the recent Siggraph show in LA, Nvidia (www. nvidia.com) offered attendees a range of capabilities that the com- pany says will ease content creation, speed workflows and reduce costs for content creators. Among its offer- ings was some research it shared in the Emerging Technologies area, demonstrating its work in Optic and Haptics for AR and VR. The company presented work in two areas: What researchers call "varifocal displays," which give users the ability to focus more naturally while enjoying VR and AR experiences; and haptics, which enhances VR and AR with touch and feel. This represents the latest in a growing body of research the compa- ny has shared over the past decade at industry events such as Siggraph, as well as academic venues. Nvidia demonstrated a pair of techniques that address ver- gence-accommodation conflict. That's caused when a viewer's eyes, accustomed to focusing on objects in 3D space, are presented with stereo images with parallax depth cues, but which are presented on a flat screen at a constant optical distance. Both aim to solve this in different ways by varying the focus of virtual images in front of a user, depending on where they're looking. The first demonstation, Varifocal Virtuality, is a new optical layout for near-eye display and made use of new research from UC Berkeley's Banks lab, led by Martin Banks. It uses a new transparent holographic back-projection screen to display virtual images that blend seamless- ly with the real world. This use of holograms could lead to VR and AR displays that are radically thinner and lighter than today's headsets. The second demonstration, Membrane VR, was a collaboration between University of North Carolina, Nvidia, Saarland University and the Max-Planck Institutes, and used a deformable membrane mirror for each eye that, in a commercial system, could be adjusted based on where a gaze tracker detects a user is looking. The effort, led by David Dunn, a doctoral student at UNC, who is also an Nvidia intern, allows a user to focus on real-world objects that are nearby, or far away, while also being able to see virtual objects clearly. Nvidia is also showing off two new techniques for using fluid elastomer actuators — small air chambers — to provide haptic feedback that enhances VR and AR, by connecting what you see on your display to what you feel in your hand. Both are created by Cornell University in collaboration with Nvidia. NVIDIA OFFERS INSIGHT INTO VR/AR RESEARCH