No Money or Time to Travel? Discovery's New VR Series Wants to Fix That
Addison O'Dea, writer and director of the new virtual reality show "Discovery TRVLR," discussed how his team used VR on the series.
The show takes "travelers" across the globe with help from a virtual reality headset.
O'Dea discusses the impact the technology has on the art of filmmaking and how immersive the experience becomes for both the subject and the viewer.
He calls a virtual reality camera a "truth machine" adding that it forces him as a director to almost take a backseat in the process because it captures things as they happen.
He shared the process of casting for the show, as each episode follows a different person with a specific role in their community. The characters are labeled in the series as "explorers," "guru," and "entertainer," depending on their occupation.
O'Dea talks the future of VR when it comes to making media and his current focus on using the medium in upcoming projects.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Cracker Barrel is sticking with its new logo. For now. But the chain is also apologizing to fans who were angered when the change was announced last week.
Elon Musk on Monday targeted Apple and OpenAI in an antitrust lawsuit alleging that the iPhone maker and the ChatGPT maker are teaming up to thwart competition in artificial intelligence.
