As much as the camera-loving public enjoys capturing the moment in video, the proverbial “big picture” often gets lost. Sure, there’s a focal point in every scene, but the context of the surroundings may be cut off when played back. Condition One, a graduate of this spring’s TechStars NYC class, developed a platform that can help viewers see more of the visual field captured by cameras.
Danfung Dennis, CEO of Condition One, says his work as a war photographer in Iraq and Afghanistan made him want to change the way the images are viewed. So Condition One (or C1 for short) developed a media player that lets users change their viewpoints within any scene. Details that may have been missed from one angle can be discovered from other angles in a near-panoramic experience. “We’re trying to give the perspective of being there,” he says.
Condition One is backed by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who was introduced to the company through the TechStars NYC accelerator program and invested $500,000 in the seed round. Dennis says Cuban is developing the AXS TV network—which was rebranded this month from HDNet—for live music, sports, and entertainment news. Condition One’s platform offers a way to bring immersive content to the network, Dennis says.
Dennis says about thirty million cameras on the market are enabled to shoot Condition One–style video. “We’re using commonly available hardware and we’re capturing 180 degrees of video,” he says. That video footage is mapped onto a three-dimensional model. The platform, he says, leverages technology in mobile devices to let viewers change the perspective of videos as they are playing. “Once you have this 3D representation, we can tie that to the gyroscope or accelerometer of an iPad or iPhone,” he says.
There is an opportunity, Dennis says, for media companies that use his platform to include more details in movies, television shows, and ads. The technology can create in-depth videos that include the action taking place in the margins of the screen. “We’re starting at the higher end of the market with [producers] who already have existing audiences,” he says.
Condition One licenses its platform to content creators and is providing the
