Disney forges a deal to use Nokia's VR camera
The media giant will use Ozo to make its 360-degree experiences.
Nokia's Ozo virtual reality camera might have been a big gamble for a company best known for its former cellphone business, but it appears that this roll of the dice is paying off. Disney has struck a deal with Nokia to create VR "experiences" using the Ozo camera. Don't expect feature-length movies, at least not yet. This is more about making complements to those movies, such as the 360-degree cast interview for The Jungle Book.
The deal isn't entirely surprising. Nokia is one of the few companies building VR cameras specifically for pros, and what alternatives exist tend to be camera rigs rather than true, ground-up VR designs. Ozo gives Disney a ready-made tool that's meant to plug into its existing video production workflow -- it doesn't have to bend over backwards to offer a virtual set tour. Expect to see VR become a regular staple of Disney's big movie launches, even if it's not the star.