New 360 VR footage shows life as a Dublin fan on Hill 16

26 Aug 2016

Ahead of Dublin’s All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry, a new 360-degree video has been launched showing what it is like to be a Dublin fan on Hill 16 in Croke Park.

360-degree videos are increasingly becoming the new favourite way for organisations to connect fans with a particular experience, and the new Hill 16 experience from the perspective of a Dublin fan is no different.

Created as part of a collaboration between AIB and the content agency, Radical, the video follows Dublin county footballer and Ballymun Kickhams club man Alan Hubbard experiencing Dublin’s All-Ireland quarter-final victory over Donegal in Croke Park.

Not just using VR for the sake of it

Marking the first time that a GAA event has been filmed using 360-degree video, the content is being aimed towards those who own a virtual reality (VR) device, whether that be an Oculus Rift or an entry-level device like Google Cardboard.

With additional ambisonic sound, the video can also be watched on a desktop computer, but Radical advises that the most immersive experience is through mobile while wearing a pair of headphones.

To access the video using Facebook, users are advised to search for ‘AIB GAA’ in their app, while YouTube users can type ‘AIB GAA 360’ into the search bar.

Radical’s director, Eve Conboy, said of its new video: “We’ve wanted to use VR for some time, but it needed to be right for the idea, not just for the sake of it.

“Letting fans experience the goosebumps moment of standing in the middle of Croke Park on match day is a perfect demonstration of the future of emotional storytelling, using technology to bring great creative to life for audiences in a new way.”

Dublin at Hill 16 image via Florian Christoph/Flickr

Colm Gorey was a senior journalist with Silicon Republic

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