Virtual Reality is known as the budding new technology of the year 2016 where this next gen technology draws the best from all the major domains including art, engineering, animation and game design and development.

In the wake of looking out for young and energetic talent that can infuse the young vibrant spirit into the Virtual reality immersive experiences, NYC Media Lab in collaboration with Viacom is presenting a VR fellowship for the summer 2016 with Viacom’s New Experience Team (NEXT).

The program involves six fellow students participating from four NYC campuses to compete and challenge themselves in the art of storytelling through unique VR experiences that may work best for these young fellows.

Viacom’s fellowship program is the second of its Seed Projects with NYC Media Lab after the Outrage Machine Big Screen interactive storytelling project with NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP). The seed projects are specially structured for the Corporate members at NYC Media Lab to indulge in the cutting edge new techniques and meet the young rising talent to know more about the advanced techniques and the research taking place on the same genres across the NYC’s Campuses.

Viacom’s NEXT is reported to be led by Chaki Ng alongside Rob Ruffler and David Liu to mainly focus on VR which makes this fellowship a unique and intriguing new way to foster the budding talent while promoting sharing of new techniques and ideas betwixt the local NYC Universities which further cultivate enthusiasm and interest for VR and prototyping the new ideas in VR.

NYC Media Lab is known to have sourced the applications for the program from campuses all across NYC including NYU Courant, Columbia Engineering School, Parsons School of Design and School of Visual Arts. From all the applicants belonging to the campuses six fellowship members were selected to participate who over the next eight weeks will create unique and compelling VR storytelling prototypes.

The fellowship program extended over duration of eight weeks will involve access to the most high tech and well performing VR gadgets in the market such as HTC Vive as well as links to Viacom mentors from Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures for the show and tell feedback sessions.