It has been a very interesting start to the New Year. CES came and went and we have been stuck with pricing debates around Oculus and now HTC. As the pricing and product launch dramas play out for the Big 3, content developers and film makers have been tirelessly pursuing their creative journeys. Today I would like to recognize one such passionate and very experienced individual who has been at the forefronts of shaping VR and 360 in Southern California. Patrick Eleazar and his team at Realidyne have been at the forefronts of content development and awareness campaigns. I sat down with Patrick to get his thoughts and wanted to share his journey and his aspirations for 2016 with you.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and why Realidyne? What Inspired you to get into the world of 360 and virtual reality?

Realidyne is a creative studio that has its roots in traditional marketing disciplines – creative strategy, design, and production in the web, video and print spaces. However, unlike most shops, we specialize in emerging technologies such as AR, VR, and 360° video – anything to take storytelling to the next level.

My inspiration for 360° video started long time ago with CDROMs.

My early career started with programming CDROMs using Macromedia’s Director at a small multimedia boutique in Newport Beach where we produced CDROMs namely for Canon and Ricoh. In the mid-90s, the hot buzz word “multimedia” was catching fire. It was sexy emerging tech. Never did I imagine, in my wildest dreams, one would have the opportunity to experience or develop video, sound, graphics, animation and interactivity all together on your desktop.
At the time, multimedia was revolutionary and still tied to the desktop and was very limited online. With a little patience, and a small crew, you were able to create a new world of possibilities.

Later, I worked for Wonderware’s in-house studios. Wonderware developed automation visualization and management software. Here I got to build my foundational skills in video production, 3D modeling and animation.

After Wonderware, I was able to pick up some great agency experience with startups and internet businesses during the heydays of the dotcom era.

Then I worked at Quest Software (acquired by Dell) for almost 11 years as the Senior creative services manager. Quest developed about 200 software products in the enterprise management space. I built the “in-house agency” team from the ground up and we took care of a large, creative chunk of Quest’s marketing initiatives – web, multimedia, video, and print.

We did it all. During my time there, it was great to see the company grow from a 250 million dollar company into an almost 1 billion dollar company before being acquired by Dell. After being part of the management team for some time, my role had evolved from creative leader to more of a creative operations manager. I needed a change, so I decided to move on into more creative leadership roles at two, smaller-sized tech companies.

I realized, after a year or so of soul searching, was that I was missing the burning passion I once had for multimedia. That’s when I made the decision to go out on my own and start Realidyne.

Wow Pat,  It’s been quite a Journey. So when did VR/AR come into play?

When I was still employed at Dell, one of my managers sent out a link to a video showcasing augmented reality being used at a restaurant. I was blown away! That was the beginning of my journey into augmented and virtual reality technologies. Similar to the multimedia wave of the mid-90s, I looked to AR and VR as the “next big thing” not only in tech, but essentially the way we will fundamentally communicate with each other in the near future. Unlike the multimedia revolution of the 90s, AR and VR leverages everything that is amazing with mobile and online technologies – cameras, gyroscopes, accelerometers, GPS – all combined with the power of the internet.

This is where I needed to be and this is where I am today.

As you know, VR/AR technologies are changing and the art of story telling is evolving every day.  As a leader, how are you and your team preparing for these rapid changes?

Staying ahead of technology is always a big challenge since it seems to, as you said, change daily. So what I find helpful is taking an active role in all the relevant communities. If it’s Facebook or LinkedIn groups, or staying on top of Twitter updates, having an online presence and conversation with the players and innovators of VR has kept me in the loop with industry developments on both the tech and content creation side of things.

I think it’s also important to build strategic partnerships, or, even better, strategic friendships in the industry. What I find refreshing is that everyone, for the most part, shares an unyielding passion and vision for a bright future – this includes writers, filmmakers, producers, marketers, entrepreneurs, novices and experts, young and old. You can feel the excitement and creativity anytime you attend a VR event.

Lastly, attending meetups, large and small, are helpful: hackathons, expos, conferences, one-on-ones, etc. This is where you have an opportunity to tap into the most qualified and dedicated network of VR professionals and enthusiasts. In addition to strengthening existing friendships, you have a chance to grow your network and create new opportunities. Sometimes I’ll arrive at an event feeling a little tired, however, after an event, I usually feel energized, confident, and in the know.

These are some great suggestions. I experienced the energy and vibe first hand during the VR Film School. You and the team do a terrific job in helping others and spreading the word in our community. 

What are some of the services that Realidyne is planning on offering in 2016? Please share a little bit if you can about some of the exciting projects that you and your crew are currently doing.

EMERGING TECH & SERIAL KILLERS

For 2016, we will continue to offer services around video production, photography and web development. However, there will be a keen emphasis on emerging technologies, namely AR, VR and 360° video.

Right now we’re collaborating with Monster VR in developing a series of short, 360° videos focused on a vlogger who just also happens to be a serial killer. It’s “Dexter” meets YouTube vlogger, “PewDiePie”, meets “X-Files”. We’ve named the series “VlogKill”. You can watch the episodes, and other related content, on VlogKill’s YouTube channel.

So far we’ve only released a trippy, 60-second trailer (that’s played in reverse) and have scheduled the release of VlogKill’s first episode for early February.

We’ve recently produced a number of travel experiences published on Ascape’s virtual tour app on both Android and iOS. Two of the experiences take place in Oahu – a Malaekahana sunrise, and a stroll around the North Shore’s Turtle Bay Resort. Our third virtual tour takes place in lovely Laguna Beach.

Realidyne is also in the planning stages with Monster VR and Harvik in producing a number of mobile, puzzle, VR/AR games. I can’t say too much about it other than it’s like the movie, “Saw”, meets the video game, “Portal”, meets “Indiana Jones”.

Sounds Really fun!! These are looking like some cool and creative projects. Since you and the crew have been at this for a while,  In your opinion, what are some of the key challenges around building solid, 360° content?

RETHINK

When making solid, 360° content you have to do a lot of rethinking and wrestling. You have to rethink the traditional, filmmaking approaches to storytelling. You have to rethink every phase of production (pre-production, production, post production) and you have to wrestle with the endless quirks you’ll naturally encounter with a nascent technology. It’s a lot to take into consideration, but that’s the fun and fulfillment of being a pioneer and an innovator.

STORYTELLING

One of the great things about producing 360° video are the possibilities. It’s about taking the age-old art of storytelling and creating a new level of experience. The creative challenge is making sure the technology doesn’t get in the way of the story itself. If the story is best told in VR, awesome, go for it. If not, find another way. One size does not fit all.

PRODUCTION

In most instances, 360° filmmaking has taken a staged play or 1^st person approach to storytelling where the director, crew, and production equipment (lights, camera, and audio) are out of view. So planning is critical to the success of your production. Before you shoot, if at all possible, be intimately familiar with your locations, lighting and audio situation, understand the idiosyncrasies and limitations of your camera rig, and keep in mind the post production workflow. Saying we’ll “fix it in post” is a lot harder than you think if just one of your cameras fails because it overheats and/or doesn’t have the have the same exposure settings of the other cameras.

What advice to do you have for up and coming content/film makers in this space ?

Be Creative .

For a while now, I’ve been watching Casey Neistat’s daily vlogs on YouTube. He’s an amazing filmmaker with an equally amazing life story. I whole-heartedly subscribe to Casey’s philosophy on how to lead a creative life. In order to be creative, you need to be consistently creating something. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s the aggregate, daily exercise of making something that brings you closer to perfection. Do the same when it comes to creating content. Shoot and shoot often. You’ll get better overtime.

Be Brave.

In addition to Casey’s creative philosophy, he also has a simple, philosophy on life that boils down to taking risks and working hard. Do the same. Don’t ever make life or career decisions based on fear. Invest heavily in your passions. Put in the long hours till you reach your milestones. Sure there are a lot of risks involved with creating 360° content, but the bigger risk is standing on the sidelines wishing for an opportunity you already passed up. So be brave and work hard. The future is awesome.

Pat, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experiences. We at VRhappening wish you all the best and will be closely following you and Realidyne as you launch these interesting and innovative creatives.

Good luck and Happy New Year to everyone at Realidyne !