360 Video Spotlight: National Geographic and The New York Times and CNN

Today, I came face to face with an elephant, accompanied Iraqi forces as they fought to retake Falluja, and I rode along with police officers in Flint, and I tended bar for Don Cheadle, and I examined the aftermath of an earthquake.

Storytelling is evolving and thrilling and sometimes dizzying. Here are three examples of how we might expand our traditional lenses on story.

1. National Geographic has been growing a very cool YouTube playlist of 360° Videos. These videos allow us to see things differently–to fly above the the canopies of the giant sequoias, to plunge into a Caribbean coral reef, or to go back in time to experience the breadth of a Viking battle.

Currently 17 videos allow you to experience a natural or historic setting by spinning your device to see the scene from multiple angles. Online, the video is pretty cool itself, but it’s far more spectacular when you view the experience on Google Cardboard or another virtual reality viewer.

You can keep up with new releases on the NatGeo Facebook page.

2. The New York Times has made a serious commitment to virtual reality storytelling and the stories they tell are truly stunning!

The free NYTVR app for iOS and Android allows viewers to immerse themselves in stories–to experience current events first hand, to travel back in history, and to explore dramatic new film making strategies.

Here are the Daily 360 channels:

Stories range from two to around 12 minutes and would create true engagement prior to the start of a middle or high school unit.

Check out he haunting and evocative Great Performers in L.A Noir where you will feel like you are tending bar for Don Cheadle. Nice to share with writing and film studies classes!

NYTVR not only allows us to immerse ourselves in a variety of types of storytelling, it presents for young storytellers some new models to consider whether they are aspiring journalists or screenwriters.

You can follow #NYTVR on Twitter.

3. CNN also offers a library of virtual reality videos. The site offers advice for viewing the videos in a variety of ways on a variety of screens. The archive allows you to directly immerse yourself in such news (and other) events as: