As the sun beats down on the backs of Miller Pata and Linline Matauatu, a beach volleyball pair from Vanuatu, the camera shifts to the ball as it is set high into the air. As Pata comes storming in for the spike, the camera rotates behind her hand as it comes crashing down on the rubbery cover, looking as if she has deflated it. The duo are filming a documentary short, “A Fighting Chance,” which brings fans into the lives of these Olympic hopefuls.
In partnership with Neville, the documentary encompasses their quest to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympics, defying the barriers and challenges they will face along the way coming from a small country. Pata and Matauatu talk about their dedication and willingness to push through knowing their country will be proud of them no matter the outcome.
Samsung’s video, “Vanuatu Dreams,” is a 360-degree virtual reality (VR) excerpt from “A Fighting Chance,” that provides the viewer with a personalized beach volleyball experience through Samsung Galaxy smartphones and Samsung Gear VR, powered by Oculus. As the camera teeters on the edge of the net, you are immersed in the footage. The video captures 360-degrees of every bump, set and spike.
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In the three minute excerpt, the camera is positioned just 10-12 inches from the athletes without interfering with their play. The purpose of shooting using VR is to provide the viewer with an experience as if they were dropped right onto the sandy court. The video tracks in slow motion, capturing the sand kicking up behind the duo as their faces glisten in the setting sun.
The Rio 2016 Olympics have been full of headline stories. Whether it is the movement to combat the Zika virus, or the journey of paralympic long jump champion, Markus Rehm, the stories are endless. And since London 2012, the Olympics have seen a number of technological changes. Inclusion of GPS tracking, digital lap counters during swimming trials, the list goes on and all these advances lead to greater storytelling opportunities.
Volleyball and beach volleyball will receive some much needed camera capability updates in 2016. Teams are now permitted to use video replays in order to challenge a referee’s call. A second referee will use the television footage to confirm the ruling on the court and display the footage on the arena’s big screen.
Virtual reality technology will also be used outside of the sport of volleyball during the opening and closing ceremonies thanks to the Olympic Broadcasting Services, as they plan to include a sport a day into their virtual reality plan.
In fact, Getty Images plans on investing heavily in virtual reality for Rio 2016. After launching its first 360-degree images for the Oculus Rift, Getty announced that each photographer fro the Rio Olympics will be equipped with a 360-degree camera to capture the games in virtual reality.
The documentary featuring the duo of Pata and Matauatu is only the beginning of VR’s capabilities and future Olympic advancements. For now, we have been given the perfect set to spike technology into the future of the Olympic games.