5
 
 
 
4:16 PM Wednesday, April 24th, 2024:
 
Kyrie: "People at home can see that in VR?"
 
Me: <shake my head yes>

Kyrie:  "Ha ha... welcome!"
 
There are moments in these Virtual Presence adventures where you just blink really hard and suddenly realize how isolating this journey is. I feel like a singular dude from the FUTURE, coming back and documenting moments that NO ONE UNDERSTANDS in the present time. I know that someday they will - but I'm the only one experiencing this. I'm the only one who had someone of Kyrie Irving's stature talk to me in a VR headset and say "Welcome." He singlehandedly proved why I put a GIANT VR sign on my camera: some players will instantly understand and have fun with it. In a world where the execs and powers that be are so (understandably) hyper concerned with their people crossing a line and annoying a player... 2 little letters communicates everything so I don't have to say ANYTHING.
 
Now ideally... if this all goes forward and we're covering multiple sports/games on a weekly basis? We're gonna have to let the teams know, let the players know and have a bit more access in terms of approaching everyone. This time however I had to be a ninja and stay out of EVERYONE'S way. So to get THAT? From HIM? Holy shit... absolutely golden. Kyrie, you may have just handed us a contract. Goodness.
 
So yeah - it went really, really well. And since it was a playoff game, my options were super limited. My guy told me that even with the security being ok with me being in certain places? That I still shouldn't push it. His point is simple: just get a taster for the reel and then let us show them on their time... and they will then give us the world. Imagine Ballmer siting in a headset seeing what I got without ANY help or ANY set-up... then imagine how happy he'll be to hand it over. So I didn't push it, I got a tiny bit more than I probably should've but it was honestly because the security kind of PUT me in a position during the announcement of the starting line-ups (and Westbrook walked RIGHT UP to me and hyped himself up for like 30 seconds) and I really couldn't move. I then just jetted out of there. Got a couple plays for the lead-in to the broadcast truck shot and was gone.
 
Oh and then I said this:
 
 
It's so funny, I feel guilty as fuck posting this as a VR180 film on, say, Meta or DeoVR because unless you read these entries, it's such an absolute NON video, ya know? Of course longtime followers of this project on YouTube understand the written part is the glue and sometimes the videos are indeed pretty abstract. What I'm really doing is just documenting the actual day for later. That was me, walking from the arena... knowing I just did something amazing. It's a very personal moment considering how hard this journey has been and the fact that I'm now doing it completely alone... well, it's not how I wanted it. The whole "Messy Luck" side of this really hits home during these moments because it didn't need to be like this. Then again, it wasn't my choice. I certainly offered... I certainly forgave... c'est la vie.
 
Thankfully, it looks like the time could be coming soon where JD gets to be part of this crew and honestly all of the other VR filmmakers that I've been talking with all over the country. After seeing yesterday's footage? It's absolutely undeniable.
 
So now I piece together everything and it looks like some meetings will happen after the first round of the NBA/NHL playoffs. Probably the week of the 6th. I believe they want me to shoot the MLB stuff then as well, but to be honest I can pitch this with NFL/NBA/NHL and the AAA minor league stuff no problem. I'd rather secure something than just keep testing. We're wayyyyy past the test phase. The idea is that we get this all lined up and ready to go by the end of summer. Seems doable, but goodness this shit takes time.
 
Can't believe I was able to get this far... the sky's the limit now.
 
Adam