Skip to main content

Samsung seeks independent VR content creators for new Gear Indie channel

Qantas Samsung Gear VR
Image used with permission by copyright holder
As more and more virtual reality headsets hit the market, new owners of the hardware desire more than anything a steady flow of awesome content delivering exciting immersive experiences. Attempting to separate itself from the competition, Samsung has launched Gear Indie, a new video channel for its Milk VR video service.

While a number of big-name brands already have content on Milk VR, Samsung is aiming its new channel at smaller production houses that are seeking to build an audience for their original VR videos. According to Fast Company, the Korean company’s broader plan comprises three elements: a curated library of short VR movies for its new channel; various challenges to motivate and reward VR content creators; and a special initiative to put emerging talent in the VR content-creation field in touch with established pros so they can expand and hone their skills.

Matt Apfel, vice president of strategy and creative content at Samsung Media Solutions Center America, told Fast Company the Gear Indie channel launches with five short VR films, with another eight rolling out by the end of the week. Additional films will be added on a weekly basis, Apfel said.

The content will reportedly cover a variety of genres, including comedy, sports, and nature, with an experimental stop-motion piece shot in the Mohave Desert appearing as one of the channel’s early offerings.

Samsung has already said it wants its Gear VR platform to become a “daily habit” for users much in the way people now hit YouTube without thinking about it, though it knows it has to pump out great content on a regular basis to have any hope of reaching its goal.

The tech giant will be hoping to create a virtuous circle where an expanding library of impressive material will generate enough interest to push sales of its headset, persuading even more content creators to get involved.

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Samsung upgrades the Galaxy A52 5G with a stronger chipset, new mint color
Samsung Galaxy A52 from the back.

Samsung has announced the Galaxy A52s 5G, an upgrade over the A52 5G it released earlier in the year. The new phone comes with a powerful Snapdragon 778G chip, as well as a new color option.

If you've seen the A52 5G, you've seen this phone. It's styled similarly to the S21 series, square camera module and all. There's a nice, big 6.5-inch Full HD OLED screen with a 120Hz processor, an on-screen fingerprint sensor inside that display, a 4,500mAh battery, and a set of quad cameras that follows the usual midrange trope of two useful cameras and two throwaway ones.

Read more
The best accessories for your new Samsung Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, or S21 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S21 series

Samsung recently launched its hotly anticipated Galaxy S21 series with a trio of flagship smartphones in a range of sizes: The 6.2-inch S21, the 6.7-inch S21 Plus, and the massive 6.8-inch S21 Ultra. If you're considering any of these new phones, you will also want to pick up a few extra goodies to properly outfit them.

Despite Samsung previously mocking Apple for ditching the in-package charger for its iPhone 12 series, Samsung decided on imitation as the lowest form of flattery by doing the same thing. That means you may need to buy a charger for your new phone. Samsung Galaxy phones are, more than ever, humongous glass slabs for which you will want a protective cover before taking it into the wild of your neighborhood, subway, or bodega. But that's just the beginning. We put together a list of some of the best accessories we could find to help get your new phone up and running with the necessary accoutrements to ensure functionality and safety.

Read more
Samsung’s new display tech makes the Galaxy S21 Ultra even more power efficient
samsung galaxy s21 ultra review apps screen

It's safe to say that OLED displays are the gold standard on smartphones these days. What you might not know is that some OLED panels are better than others, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra features what may well be the best one to date.

Well, best may be subjective in some ways -- but the device's display is definitely the most power efficient. In fact, Samsung developed a new ultra-low-power OLED display for the new phone, and it reduces energy consumption by up to 16%.

Read more