DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS AND GOOGLE ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF GROUNDBREAKING VR SERIES “DISCOVERY TRVLR”
“The Seven-Part, 38-Episode Epic is the First VR Series to Take Viewers to All Seven Continents”
Discovery Communications and Google announced today the launch of “Discovery TRVLR,” a groundbreaking new immersive series from Discovery VR and Google’s VR team. The first chapter of the 38-episode series will launch on Friday, November 3 exclusively on YouTube and DiscoveryVR.com and on the Discovery VR app. It can be experienced in VR with the new Google Daydream View headset as well as with Cardboard. The series can also be viewed through the web, Android and iOS phones.
The one-of-a-kind immersive series takes viewers beyond the television screen and drops them directly into the lives of fascinating locals in every corner of the globe across all seven continents. Exploring unique cultures through a visceral 360-degree storytelling experience, “Discovery TRVLR” explores the mind-blowing rituals, obscure traditions and life-threatening quests that define a variety of cultures in North America, South America, Asia, Australia, Africa, Antarctica and Europe. As viewers enter these worlds they will be surrounded by extraordinary environments; sights, sounds and stories that reveal the extremes of human nature. “Discovery TRVLR” gives viewers the feeling that they are actively participating in the rare discoveries that make traveling the world a life changing experience.
“Discovery’s viewers look to us for innovation and expect to be taken places that satisfy their desire for exploration and adventure,” said Rebecca Howard, SVP Emerging Platforms and Partnerships, Discovery VR. “Like Discovery, Google’s VR team shares a passion for VR storytelling and we are thrilled to partner with them on ‘Discovery TRVLR,’ our most ambitious endeavor to date.”
There are seven chapters in the “Discovery TRVLR” series, each exploring a different continent. Each chapter begins with an amazing sunrise and each chapter closes with a magnificent sunset. In between these ethereal bookends, the episodes are centered around fascinating locals including the Guru, the Renegade, the Entertainer and the Explorer, who will share the unique rituals, traditions and quests that encompass their culture. Chapters for North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia consist of six episodes each, while the chapter for Antarctica features two episodes, for a total of 38 episodes in the series.
Discovery Communications has a long history of combining emerging technologies with quality and innovative storytelling. Discovery VR continues that tradition by creating stimulating content that enriches the lives of audiences delivering a robust programming lineup of over 160 experiences, with new content added regularly across multiple platforms. Launched in August 2015, the Discovery VR app has accrued 4.3M downloads and over 123M organic views to date.
Episodes filmed in North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe were written and directed by Addison O’Dea and produced by experience studio Here Be Dragons. Episodes filmed in Antarctica were directed by Barry Pousman and produced by Yes Please Thank You. Emmy Award-winner Saschka Unseld served as Creative Producer for the series.
About Discovery Communications:
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) satisfies curiosity and captivates superfans around the globe with a portfolio of premium nonfiction, lifestyle, sports and kids content brands including Discovery Channel, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. Available in more than 220 countries and territories, Discovery’s programming reaches 3 billion cumulative viewers, who together consume 54 billion hours of Discovery content each year. Discovery’s offering extends beyond traditional TV to all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio and Discovery Kids Play; over-the-top streaming services such as Eurosport Player; digital-first and social video from Group Nine Media; and virtual reality storytelling through Discovery VR. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
