Gatorade Delves Into VR With Bryce Harper Content Showing His View At Plate
Gatorade today debuted a virtual-reality video featuring Nationals RF Bryce Harper. The VR content, shot in May and further developed over the past several months, shows a vantage point of Harper in the batter's box for an at-bat at Nationals Park. The clip is available on YouTube 360, the digital video service’s channel for panoramic content and can be viewed either in a normal, two-dimensional format, or in the more immersive VR format. The company is considering setting up public demonstrations of the content at ballparks or other public venues. Gatorade developed the Harper clip in partnership with OMD’s Zero Code and visual effects provider The Mill, using a setup of seven pairs of GoPro cameras. Gatorade Senior Dir of Consumer Engagement Kenny Mitchell said, “I think what makes this special is the mashup between video, (computer-generated imagery) and audio. We’re trying to create an emotional connection, and this is a great opportunity to provide a different kind of experience to the fan" (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer). In DC, Scott Allen writes the video "gives fans a sense of what it’s like to be Harper stepping into the batter’s box with the game on the line." Allen: "A CGI avatar of Harper steps into the box. Pan to the right and you’ll see the pitcher. Pan to the left and you’ll see the catcher and home plate umpire Jim Joyce. Look straight ahead and you’ll see Harper’s CGI arms holding a glowing bat." Harper "narrates his internal thoughts after every pitch in the at-bat" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 9/16). Harper said of Zero Code, "They did a great job with it. Everybody’s going to really see the first-person perspective of Nationals Park, leading up from the on-deck circle into the box, seeing Jim Joyce behind the plate, the pitcher throwing off speed pitches, heaters. People really want to know the emotion, the feeling of bottom of the ninth, trying to win a game for their team. They really see that in that atmosphere of the goggles" (USATODAY.com, 9/16).
