YouTube really wants to make virtual reality video a thing. Case in point: The Google arm now has someone solely devoted to convincing others to make content for it.
YouTube Now Has a ‘Global Virtual Reality Evangelist’
A virtual reality dealmaker for startup Jaunt jumps to Google.
Jaunt VR
Scott Broock, who led partnership deals for virtual reality startup Jaunt for the past two years, has moved to YouTube. He’s now “Global VR Evangelist” for the world’s largest video service.
https://twitter.com/ScottBroock/status/690334614779363328
What does that mean? Google declined to comment.
But it’s likely he will do what he did at Jaunt, which was ink deals with content providers in the music, movie and TV industry to provide content for VR. Broock was behind getting Sir Paul McCartney to belt “Live and Let Die” for Jaunt, which makes 360-degree VR cameras.
Earlier this month, as we first reported, Google set up its inaugural VR division. It’s not clear what it will do, beyond hawk Google’s thrifty Cardboard headset. But the unit is likely to partner with YouTube, which is rolling out its VR platform and a 360-degree camera for VR film with GoPro. (That puts Broock’s old employer, a startup backed by Google Ventures, in an awkward spot.)
Getting content made for VR is a very important, if not the most important, step in getting people to use VR. Facebook is charging ahead with VR video. And the Financial Times reported that Google’s other rival, Apple, has hired a VR expert.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
