Why is porn the killer Virtual Reality app?
Right now, adult is simply the killer app for virtual reality. Games will eventually carry that torch, but it’s going to take a couple of years for that to happen. At this point, porn, and porn alone, is the entertainment field that best illustrates the power of VR content over non-VR content. The difference between VR porn and non-VR porn is vivid and unmistakable. The wow factor it elicits is massive. Palmer Luckey ought to consider extending a finder’s fee on every sale of his Rift to every adult VR studio.
How is VR porn changing the porn industry?
VR porn is not changing the porn industry—not yet, anyway. The industry as a whole is excited about it. After all, this industry is a tech industry, and VR is an exciting, new tech innovation. The studios are excited about it. The performers, too. The former, because it’s a spark suggesting that content matters for the first time in a while. The latter, because VR allows them to get even closer to their fans. However, a lot needs to happen for VR to change the industry. In the same way that a lot needs to happen for it to change mainstream cinema or gaming. Simply put, consumer uptake must increase dramatically. I’m confident it will, but it’s largely dependent upon hardware improvements: hardware improvements that will reduce the prices of mid and high-level HMDs to a price point that is going to be deemed reasonable to the majority of consumers—not just enthusiasts, gamers, hobbyists and developers. It’s all so nascent right now.
How is affecting producing/directing films?
VR porn production is very different from normal porn production. It requires different cameras, different rigs. And the cameras just aren’t there yet. Solutions like Nokia’s Ozo or the Vuze Camera don’t cut it for VR porn production. Their frame rates are an abysmal 30 FPS. As well, it’s a different kind of shooting technique. In a perfect world, a VR scene is shot in one take, no cuts, so rehearsals are paramount. As well, because VR is so new, getting it right requires a lot of experimentation. There’s no Dummies guide. You’ve got to get your hands dirty. It’s a ‘learning-while-doing’ experience.
What is filming VR porn like for porn stars? (pro/against it)
For porn stars, the process is new, exciting, challenging. The blocking is rigid. Eye contact, or lack thereof, can make the difference between a great scene and a mediocre scene. Male talent, if the scene is POV as most are, must epitomize the term ‘Stunt Cock.’ The less they move during a scene the better, the quieter they breathe, the better. The best male performer in a VR porn scene is the one who can stand, sit and lie as still as a statue. All those challenges aside, performers are keen to star in VR scenes. For one, the most obvious: it’s new, it’s cutting edge, it’s different. As well, where the female starlets are concerned, because VR is so innately immersive, it allows them to connect more closely with their fans. VR porn breaks the 4th wall, so fans aren’t just watching a scene, they’re in it.