What role is VR porn playing in massive adoption of this technology?
It’s having an enormous impact. I joke frequently that Palmer Luckey ought to pay us a referral fee for every Oculus sale. Porn is important because it’s the only industry, at this point, that has a working business model for marketing VR content. That means we are in the position to constantly innovate, on both the tech side and content side. As well, it means we’re able to get the word out about VR to an enormous audience on a daily basis. That’s an advantage for the entire VR space, because, right now, VR is still so young. Most people still don’t have a clue that gear like Google Cardboard and Oculus Rift even exist.
What’s the role of porn industry in the adoption of other technologies in the past? (like Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS, etc)
Always plays a key role. Any time a new mass communication platform or technology hits the market, among the first questions the consumer asks is, “Can I watch porn on this?”
What are the key elements that make VR so appealing to the porn industry?
VR inspires passion, intimacy, empathy. That applies to any kind of content. It puts the user ‘there.’ Where porn is concerned, that’s a huge advantage. The industry is excited for a few reasons. The performers are excited because it provides them the best tool available to connect with their fan base. The producers and online marketers are excited because suddenly the consumer is willing to pay for recorded porn content again. And the directors are excited because they get to play with new camera equipment, new tech kit.
What kind of new experiences can be achieved with VR?
Anything is possible or will be possible. We are all only limited by our imaginations and the evolution of the technology, which, at this point, is quite nascent. The experience is new in that the user feels like he or she is inside the scene. It breaks the fourth wall.
Is VR the future of porn and, because of that, the future of the entertainment?
It is the future of porn. Once a person experiences VR porn, there’s no going back to 2D, or ‘normal,’ porn. It is definitely the future of entertainment as well. But it’s important that everyone understand that hitting that milestone will take years. Technology must improve. Headgear must be less conspicuous. Pricing must drop dramatically.
How do you shoot a VR porn production? What do you need in order to do that?
Most use GoPro cameras or Sony A7s. You need a rig for shooting VR. The rigs for shooting 180° scenes vs 360° are different. For the former, you need a rig that will house two cameras. For the latter, six or more. But VR production is very much a ‘learning while doing’ affair. I could, right now, give you a list of instructions explaining how to shoot VR. But there is no way you’d shoot it well without a lot of experimentation. The equipment and tech will improve to a point where it is more standardized, but right now, to get it right, you’ve got to experiment.
Is VR Porn a good source of profits right now? how many subscriptions do you handle right now?
It is indeed. BaDoinkVR is already profitable. While I can’t disclose revenue numbers, I can tell you that daily subscription volume has increased by hundreds and hundreds of percentage points since we launched last July. The fun part is that every time there is a huge, VR-related media event or announcement—whether it is porn-related or not—traffic to BaDoinkVR increases.