Amazon Studios has tapped Genna Terranova to help guide the company’s foray into virtual reality content.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Terranova, who used to run the Tribeca Film Festival, will report to Joe Lewis, Amazon’s head of original programming. The publication cites sources who say Amazon’s VR strategy will include licensing content as well as producing originals. Also, the report points to an Amazon job listing from earlier this year that suggests “mixed reality experiences” could be part of the strategy as well.
As the Verge reported back in May, Amazon has been seeking someone to help the SVOD giant with "building the Virtual Reality experience within Amazon Video."
Judging by its desire to push into original VR content programming and offer mixed reality, it seems plausible that Amazon Prime is planning to offer actual 3D viewing experiences on its platform.
So far, competitors like Netflix that have jumped into VR have offered apps that create a virtual reality environment but still rely on regular old 2D content within that environment.
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While content companies like Amazon as well as studios like 21st Century Fox and sports leagues like the NFL and NBA have begun to test the waters with VR, the headset market is continuing to mature.
Recently, Sony, Google, Facebook and other companies announced the formation of the new Global Virtual Reality Association (GVRA).
The GVRA has been tightlipped thus far concerning its goals but in teaming up with Facebook (which own Oculus) and Sony (which recently launched PlayStation VR) Google and the industry as a whole could help combat the early fragmentation appearing in the VR headset space.
“The organization will foster dialogue between public and private stakeholders in VR around the world and make education and training material available to the public. Working groups will be organized around important topics for the industry, enabling us to produce relevant research and guidance,” the GVRA said on its website. “We will also host and participate in international discussions on important topics in VR to shape the public discussion on the technology. Ultimately, the group will develop best practices and share them openly.”