LOS ANGELES — VR content developer Rascali, which is a division of Reload Studios (http://reload-studios.com), recently debuted trailers for its first episodic VR projects on YouTube, Facebook/Oculus Video, Jaunt, Littlstar, Vrideo and Samsung MilkVR. The Raven and
Storybox trailers were produced in partnership with China's multi-screen entertainment and media company Youku Tudou, and premiered at a live event as part of the Youku VR platform launch.
Raven is a live-action sci-fi series, while Storybox is an animated fairytale. The projects are the first 360-degree narrative projects developed by Rascali, which launched last November as the VR content lab division of VR game developer Reload Studios.
“When we launched our new Youku VR platform, we wanted to have examples of compelling content that showcase the potential for episodic programming in virtual reality,” explains Ryan Cheung, vice president of finance at Youku Tudou. “We turned to Rascali because we knew that they had the experience to bring Hollywood caliber production quality and storytelling to VR projects.”
“Aligning with an online video leader like Youku Tudou brings us closer to our vision of becoming a premium content studio in the global VR marketplace,” says head of Rascali, Phillip Moses. “These trailers are just the tip of the iceberg, and we look forward to expanded partnerships with additional production/distribution partners to further develop this next generation of episodic programming.”
In the sci-fi saga Raven, viewers follow a team of astronauts on their quest throughout the galaxy to find a new home for humanity, which has turned the Earth into a toxic environment. The otherworldly adventure allows viewers to travel through uncharted space with 360-degree views of the galaxy and the Earth below.
In the trailer for the animated series Storybox, viewers become immersed in whimsical fairytales via humorous and lighthearted retellings of classic bedtime stories. Each story places the viewer inside a theater presenting wraparound tales that appeal to kids of all ages and the young at heart.