1- Download the VRideo app

 

Download Vrideo to your smartphone, tablet (or desktop for Oculus Rift headsets). Links below: 

Samsung Gear: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/gear-vr/825540764230831/

Oculus Rift: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/rift/947925018649053/

iPhone + Cardboard:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vrideo/id1040030777  

Android + Cardboard:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vrideo.app

 

 

2 - Open the app

Tap the app on your phone to start it.  Search for: "Project Empathy" and select "The Letter" or "Left Behind" to screen it.  

 
 

 

We highly recommend that you use headphones to experience the content as the audio is just as important to these films as the visuals, and the sound is designed to be experienced with headphones (the higher quality headphones, the better). 

3 - Plug in headphones


4 - Put on a headset

Immersive:

Samsung Gear/ HTC VIVE / Oculus Rift:  These will provide the most immersive experiences.  Go to the Vrideo app in the Oculus app library and search for Project Empathy (The Letter and Left Behind)

Basic VR Viewing:

Google Cardboard: Select the headset icon on the app and insert your smartphone into the front flap of the cardboard headset and hold it up to your eyes. 

Non-VR viewing

I do not have a headset: You can watch directly from the app by moving your phone around to experience all 360 degrees. NOTEThis is not recommended as the content was not shot, edited or designed to be viewed in this manner.


5 - Turn on the volume and hit play

 

Make sure your volume is turned up to a comfortable level.

With a headset: You will select play with your headset on by moving the curser with your head movements and either hovering over the play button or tapping the side of your headset (depending on which model you are using).  

Without a headset: Simply tap play with your finger.  Make sure to move your smartphone around to experience the 360 degrees.


Frequently Asked Questions

 

What's the difference between watching the VR shorts with a headset and without one? 

The Project Empathy content we have created is written, produced and designed to experience with a VR headset that contains special lenses that allow you to see in 2D and 3D and fully immerse yourself in a different world. We did not create the shorts for audiences to view them on a computer or just a mobile phone.  

A VR headset does not just optimize the viewing experience, it transforms it into something entirely different from watching it online.

Imagine watching a TV show without the picture, reading a book without punctuation or listening to hip-hop without the beats -- many of the basic elements are there, but it's a different piece of work entirely.  That's what watching VR without a headset is like.

What's the difference between the headsets? 

Think of each headset as different kinds of movie theaters, all playing the same movie.  

Lower-fi: The Cardboard headset is the most basic -- like watching a movie in someone's backyard with a consumer-grade projector and the audio delivered on a Jambox.  This is the cheapest and most accessible kind of theater, but you miss out on a lot of the cinematic experience. 

Good-fi: The Samsung Gear is like watching VR in an art house theater where the where the picture is crisper and the sound is superior to a make-shift backyard theater, but it still doesn't allow you to experience the full fidelity of the work.

Higher-fi: The HTC Vive is like watching an amusement park cinema where the quality is higher than an art house, but the real quality of the experience comes from the interactivity. 

Highest-fi: The Oculus Rift is like an Arclight or AMC theater with Dolby surround sound. It's as state-of-the-art as it comes (for now) and allows you to experience the content with much higher fidelity. 

How do I get Google Cardboard?

You may purchase a Cardboard directly from Google here. You may also put in a request to receive a free cardboard for the Project Empathy by completing the form here

What do I need to view VR with Cardboard?

You will need an Android version 4.1 or higher, or iOS version 9.0 or higher smartphone.

Will I feel sick? 

Some people experience slight motion-sickness  while watching, though many do not.  If you are feeling physically uneasy, take off the headset. We recommend you watch the content while sitting down. 

I have more questions and would love to give feedback about Project Empathy and virtual reality in general. How can I get in touch?

We would love to hear from you. 
If you have any questions about Project Empathy, please email us.