Getty Images and Jaunt partner up to create a cinematic Virtual Reality database of 360 degree images and video.
VR content continues to make its way into new and exciting industries, and now, thanks to a recent partnership between Jaunt and Getty Images, content creators and media publishers can discover and license cinematic VR content via Getty Images VR.
Jaunt is known as a leading producer and publisher of fully immersive cinematic VR content—but they also make hardware, software, and applications to enable cinematic VR—and have been a leading voice in creating industry standards to empower creators of such immersive experiences.
Meanwhile, Getty images is one of the world’s largest and most used sources of visual content, already boasting over 200 million assets including photos, videos, and music used widely by photographers and videographers worldwide. The partnership between Jaunt and Getty Images will drive further exposure of immersive imagery as we move toward mass adoption.
“Today’s partnership with Jaunt takes us into the next frontier of immersive experiences and we look forward to working with them to provide our customers with a level of VR content not yet seen in this space,” said Head of VR at Getty Images Anthony Holland Parkin in a statement. “By including compelling VR content as part of our core offering, we are facilitating the growth of – and driving demand for – this exciting new medium that is revolutionizing the way we experience the world around us.”
This exclusive global distribution partnership is set to transform Getty’s database of imagery and content and enable it to provide premium cinema-grade VR video to content creators, with customers gaining access to Jaunt’s immersive 360° stereo video experiences through Getty Images’ websites alongside its existing collection of over 25,000 360 photographs.
Getty is betting on VR content to enhance its brand and business model, and this new content will be available to brands and agencies to utilize via a multitude of channels including apps, mobile phone handsets and now this new image library. The new partnership symbolizes their confidence in this pioneering technology industry, underlining the statement that VR content is going to enter the mainstream and be a key part of consumption for consumers.
“Just as meaningful as producing premium VR experiences is to Jaunt, it’s equally important to help facilitate others to create quality 360 and VR content,” said Mitzi Reaugh, global head of strategy & content licensing at Jaunt. “We aim to do all we can for the growth of this powerful emerging medium, and this is but another step in that direction.”
The deal follows Getty’s partnership with Google, which saw the company supplying hi-res VR content from current events around the world for Google Expeditions. The company also has relationships with other big players in that space such as Oculus Rift, 360Cities.net, AirPano, Laduma and Yellowbird.
“In 2017 scepticism [sic] around VR has finally taken a backseat. What has become clear to brands and the public alike is that VR is here to stay,” said Parkin. “Undoubtedly, it has the potential to transform the way the public consumes and engages with brands. At Getty Images we are embedding VR content technologies into the core of our business and ensuring that, as use of VR continues to grow, its users are further enhancing their experience with access to the world’s best content.”
Image Credit: Getty Images / Jaunt
