Page 57 - AVN October 2015

programs designed to play the images are for the most part still a work in
progress, and no standard has yet emerged from the several currently available
that would enable an amateur to gear his/her VR footage to software that
potential viewers are likely to possess—and these days, everyone is wary about
downloading unknown programs from the internet, having heard that that’s
the primary method by which malware is introduced to their computers.
But for the performers, appearing in VR scenes and movies will have an
extra bonus.
“For the full hologram stuff, performers will get residuals,” Shuster
promised, “and what I love about that is, once we’ve gone through the whole
process of capturing them as what we call a Synthologram—that means a
fully interactive hologram where we scan them so we have their skin, hair,
their facial features, their body features, soft-tissue movements, all of that—
we convert that all to a Synthespian hologram and the performers will get a
residual then any time somebody subscribes to become that Synthespian, or
any time somebody wants sex with that Synthespian, they may be paying a fee,
like a subscription fee. Even performers who have been out of the business
for years will be able to keep providing enjoyment for their fans through their
Syntholograms and keep making money from that.”
But getting HoloFilm Productions up and running will be no easy task.
“To produce actual hologram technology, it costs as much as a quarter
million dollars a minute,” Shuster advised, “so I have assembled the
technology to do that, but it’s just cost prohibitive. ... But with the help of
porn users and the crowdfund, we’re going to be able to drive those prices
down to hundreds of dollars a minute within a few months. ... If we can bring
the cost of the technology down that quickly, then we’re going to be able to
produce content, multiple shoots per week with all of the superstar performers
and really get this technology out to the industry, and it’ll help Hollywood
too; it’s really going to help everybody in terms of what virtual reality is going
to be able to deliver, and of course, the porn content level is going to be so
spectacular, it’s going to get better and it’s going to get cheaper.”
HoloFilm’s crowdfunding campaign is through Indiegogo, and uses the title
(and hashtag) #GivePornAHand.
“We’re hoping to unite everybody who loves the idea of virtual reality,
everybody who loves porn,” Shuster said, “have them all come in and maybe
do a $20 million or $30 million crowdfund, and with that kind of money, we
can absolutely change the industry and start to deliver the most amazing,
never-before-experienced-by-human-beings level of XXX content in terms of
holograms and syntholograms and all kinds of other immersive environments
interactive experiences, and it’s really going to change everything.”
Shuster realizes that he’s got his work cut out for him. As a 20-year veteran
of the adult internet industry, he’s well aware that companies don’t jump into
new technology easily—a problem he discovered Way Back When while trying
to interest producers in posting their scenes on websites.
“This internet thing is frightening, is really what they were saying, and
I hear the same thing about virtual reality: It’s frightening, it’s disruptive,”
Shuster said. “We’re making money as it is, but once we demonstrate the
power of the crowdfunding campaign and the power of the technology and
the enthusiasm of users, then I am absolutely going to invite other studios to
come in, use our technology; I’ll assemble a massive video district within Red
Light Center where users can come and get all their virtual reality in all the
different flavors all together in one massive adult district, and I’m excited to
see what other studios will produce with the technology that we ultimately
achieve here.
“I want the industry to benefit across the board,” he added. “I want every
performer, every contract girl, every viewer to have their favorite studio be
able to participate in this technological revolution. We’re going to start to see
superstars grow out of hologram technology.”
Beyond ‘Flat Porn’
On September 8, HoloFilm
Productions came to the AVN
office to offer examples of what
will likely be the next big thing in adult
entertainment. An array of industry
folks—performers, directors, agents—got
to see adult entertainment that, unlike
“flat porn,” allows viewers to feel like right
in the room watching performers going at
in just inches away from them.
Looking through prototype Oculus Rift
and Samsung VR headsets, guests were
transported to another space, surrounded
by lively nude girls. One could see the
entire room—from the ceiling above to
the floor below, with cast-off panties strewn about—and it was tough to resist the
temptation to reach out and try to touch the players.
Director Manuel Ferrara was among the people there for the launch. He effused, “I
didn’t realize how good this was going to be,” he said of the scene. Having directed
adult movies since 2001, Ferrara said he’s looking forward to new ways of producing
entertainment: “The same porn over and over is not exciting.”
Also there was Kayden Kross, Ferrara’s partner in both life and work. They work
together on all their projects, Ferrara said, and they “want to do all kinds of porn
well.” Seeing VR as the next big challenge, both have signed on as ambassadors in
the Indiegogo campaign.
Other emissaries from porn’s future were on the scene. Anikka Albrite, Mick Blue,
Abella Danger, Cherie Deville and Veronica Vain all came by to enjoy the big reveal.
The mood was upbeat, but no one was more excited than Shuster, whose
passion for alternative realities is evinced by his virtual adult world at
RedLightCenter.com. He and Lee gave detailed explanations of each type of
content and handed out cardboard VR headsets that can be used with any
smartphone.
In addition to the Synthologram porn, which the viewer watches from
the center of the room, Shuster also showed hologram images of Lily
LaBeau that could be viewed from multiple angles, including extreme
close-ups. And Shuster also showed a simulation of his Holy Grail of VR:
full-on sex with holographic avatars.
His company, of course, pioneered sexual interactive experiences
with avatars in RedLightCenter.com—including a collaboration this
summer with Kiiroo, creator of the Onyx and Pearl devices, with which
intimate moves made by avatars could be experienced by flesh-and-
blood players.
This technology, which Shuster has called “the tele-touch revolution,”
will take the holographic experience to “a massively better level” in
which fans will be able to see, hear and feel the action.
It’s clear there is plenty of support among top performers in the
industry to bring about the dawning of a new era of VR porn. The question
is, will fans step up to provide that vital helping hand? The Indiegogo
campaign offers many levels of support, each with a corresponding perk,
culminating at the top of the pyramid with VR Producer (putting the donor
in charge of the next Synthogram scene) and VR Celebrity (which includes,
among other rewards, a permanent monument in the VR Hall of Fame and
immortalization as a holographic avatar).
To get a concise overview of the campaign, go to GivePornAHand.com.
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