What if? A question I would bet daily comes to most minds and flows out of your mouth. It is not always one of regret, but many times it surrounds wonder and imagination. Now thanks to, “Virtual Reality”, that what if is slowly but surely being answered as VR is transforming curiosity to responses in a real-time display of fantasy and possibility. The result is What’s Next?
The very question we were asked in our #EMPJ class. During this Journalism Master’s Degree adventure of course, my thoughts turn to VR Storytelling. The step seemed simple, but guess what here I was back to that What If? It was then I saw the headline, “9 Dallas Airport Workers Admit to Drug Smuggling Plot”, and I knew what’s next
These 8-men and another not pictured are former baggage handlers of the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. They have all admitted to saying they would smuggle anything on airplanes for money. The list includes drugs, weapons, and plastic explosives. They were busted after a 2-year sting operation, which caught them smuggling drugs on Spirit Air and Envoy Air planes.
To me this was too real and at just one airport. So what’s next right? It almost plays out like a VR game right, but this is no game. Here is where VR can really play a role. How about develop the recreation of this crime for training purposes for law agencies and federal workers in all airports, train stations, and bus terminals. Here is where it goes to a new level, the exercise consists of these personnel being placed in situations where this type of plot plays out, and it’s up to you to sniff it out and stop smuggling or whatever danger in it’s tracks.
What about the storytelling? The stories are multiple and scratch the surface on safety. You have this incredible VR scene you can recreate: you have the comments and admission of guilt to display this smuggling spree. You can lead your viewers on a path of prevention by showing the scheme, and let’s not forget the other scenarios at other places like train stations and bus terminals.
The reality is that VR is a device and tool that can be used on all media platforms, and if not crime safety, environmental safety, or school safety. Gone would be those outside file video of airports, train tracks, and buses rolling down a nameless street, and enter a real display of imagery that suddenly takes the viewer in the screen with the ability to track and react to this VR news.
Okay, maybe there are some what if’s there, but investigations with VR come on you know it could be what’s next, and why not.
Brad's Blast 