Watkins Glen: Looking Forward

Summer 2017

The village of Watkins Glen, NY is part of a New York State revitalization program where every year, towns and villages across the state pitch for a $10 Million grant to develop and improve growth.

The 2017 pitch came down to three finalists, with Watkins Glen up against larger neighboring townships. I was asked by the local authorities to find a way to impress the panel of state judges to win the grant, and we settled on VR.

We captured the natural beauty of the town, its neighboring lake and gorges, and the famous racetrack in mono 360 video. It was stitched and edited for GearVR playback, and I led a small team on a 30-person 360 video simulcast to the reviewing board on the day of the pitch. There was no room for error, and the simulcast was flawless.

From capture to simulcast delivery was two weeks. The village won the grant and is now using the money to improve infrastructure and bring tourism to the area year-round for economic growth.