Sky's first VR film will focus on the Williams F1 team Sky

Sky has launched a virtual reality film studio that will produce videos for Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear and online 360-degree video platforms.

Launching with the new Sky VR Studio are two VR films shot during Formula 1 testing with Williams. The two videos, launching on Facebook's 360-degree video platform, will show testing in Barcelona's pit lane, team garages and action from the track. Both videos will be available from 18 March.


Sky said it would be making at least 20 VR films during 2016. The studio team currently has four VR camera operators and is using staff from across Sky. Early videos will typically run to around five minutes. Neil Graham, head of VR production at Sky, said that the time was now right for the company to ramp up its VR production.

"The technology to film is there, the technology to view it on is there, and the platforms are there. What we need to do now is populate them," Graham said. "Our content plan over the next 12 months is to pick key moments through the year," he added. As well as F1, VR films are also being made for other sports along with Sky Arts and Sky News.

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"The technology to film is there, the technology to view it on is there, and the platforms are there. What we need to do now is populate them" Neil Graham, Sky

"We will be looking at how to cover news in traditional ways but most importantly how we can cover news in new ways," Graham said. Some news reports and short documentaries will be created specifically for VR.


Filming in VR requires a camera that, using multiple inbuilt cameras, is able to capture everything that is happening around it simultaneously. Consumer grade 360 VR cameras, such as the Samsung Gear 360, are already in production.

A 360 degree VR camera being fitted to an F1 car during testing in Barcelona Sky

Sky said it was also experimenting with how VR is filmed. "There are no rules, we're very much learning as we're going on," Richard Nockles, who is involved in producing the videos for Sky, said. Cameras on drones, zip wires and gyroscopes were all being used during production, Nockles added.

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Already planned for release during the coming months are VR videos covering boxer Anthony Joshua's bid to win a world title and a film following Team Sky cyclists as they attempt to retain the Tour de France title.

The first two videos will launch on Facebook and YouTube and show Barcelona's pit lane, team garages and action from on the track Sky

"It's not just about a view, it's about a feeling," said Steve Smith from Sky Sports. "We're looking at opportunities to put people into the action as well as seeing the action."

"You've seen shots of the garage before, you've seen shots of that car before, but you've never had the feeling of being in that car. You get the feeling of being behind the scenes and being part of that media scrum."


The VR films, according to the company, will also be released on a new Sky VR app that is still being developed for launch later this year.

Sky produced its first 360-degree video in November when it, along with VR startup Jaunt, produced a VR report on the European migrant crisis.

The satellite broadcaster isn't the only company starting to turn its hand to VR films. The BBC's R&D unit produced a 360-degree video of the migrant camp in Calais in June 2015, and the corporation's technology show Click has created a 360-degree edition of the show.