About
Instant escapes and a virtual retreat dedicated to Mindfulness, Meditation and Relaxation...
“It’s hard for us to travel. With VR we can escape to anywhere!”
This was the answer I received to my question about why there were so many VR headsets owned by the residents of the specialist paraplegic accommodation I was working at.
I had been commissioned to produce a 360 VR tour of the facility that specialised in short-term and long-term accommodation for paraplegic residents and the answer I received made perfect sense. Travel was incredibly challenging for the residents so virtual reality wasn’t just technology; it was a gateway to the world, a means to traverse boundaries and experience the unattainable. And that got me thinking…
I’m lucky enough to have full mobility and to live in a stunningly beautiful part of the world. I deeply appreciate both. But I also appreciate that millions aren’t as fortunate and don’t have easy access to escape to beautiful spots.
How great would it be to offer instant immersion in beautiful locations to the wider world? How many people could appreciate such content?
And that’s where the idea for SitAwhile360 was born.
The first iteration of SitAwhile360 just featured my ever-growing collection of 5 to 10-minute 360˚ videos with spatial audio captures of the various beaches, rivers, and natural locations I visited. I also added some “sightseeing” videos and captured some of the “experiences” I was lucky enough to have.
Here at SitAwhile360, our mission is to make the immersive experiences we capture as accessible to as many people as possible. We aim to offer an escape, a momentary respite from the daily grind, through the enchanting world of 360 VR.
And so now, we embark on our latest venture: refocusing SitAwhile360 as a Virtual Retreat dedicated to Mindfulness, Meditation, and Relaxation. By providing a diverse array of guided 360˚ experiences along with ‘director’s cut’ 16:9 versions, we aspire to enrich more lives, offering a sanctuary where the mind can wander freely, and the spirit can soar.
Ocean
Water
Nature
Sightseeing
Experiences
Sit With...
About Nigel Miller
Nigel is a producer/director/camera operator with over 35 years of experience working in TV, video and event production. He’s worked for a number of major production companies both in London and Sydney, was the General Manager of a satellite broadcast company and was the founder of a couple of Sydney production companies. Today, he works for both agencies and his own clients with a specialisation in creating story-led, emotive videos for major corporates. Recent clients include Nestlé, Sanofi, Jabra, Art Gallery of NSW and Carolina, amongst others. He is also the co-founder of an online retail training business, The Road to Retail Pty Ltd.
Throughout his career, Nigel has always embraced early the challenges of new media and new production techniques. His experience involves working on projects ranging from large-scale audio-visuals, to industrial theatre productions, to surround experiences. He produced multimillion-dollar multimedias for a London client from Sydney, produced one of the first business websites in Australia in the early years of the internet for Hewlett Packard and was also involved in setting up one of the first broadband video streaming solutions in Australia.
Several years ago, Nigel embarked on his first 360 VR “proof of concept” project for a major Australian bank. Using 7 GoPros on a rig to capture the content and a phone clipped into a headset to view the end product, the technology was cumbersome and complex. Stitching and editing were also an absolute nightmare.
Today, 360 VR creation is still not simple but the content creation process has improved a long way in a short time. The one thing that is undeniable, and one of the reasons Nigel embraced 360 video so early, is that it is powerfully immersive. It is that immersive experience that he hopes to provide you here on SitAwhile360.
“The incredible thing about the technology is that you feel like you’re actually present in another place. People who try it say it’s different from anything they’ve ever experienced in their lives.”
"Virtual reality is the 'ultimate empathy machine.' These experiences are more than documentaries. They're opportunities to walk a mile in someone else's shoes."
"VR is not a media experience. When done well, it's an actual experience."
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- Incredibly immersive
- The brain processes the interaction as an "experience"
- Immersive sound reinforces the experience
- More powerful narrative transportation experienced compared to video
About "Marvin" and our creation process
“Marvin” (otherwise known by his Insta360 Pro 2 label) is the chap that actually does most of the work in this relationship. Regularly found sporting his Zoom (HR-3 VR) ambisonic microphone hat, Marvin uses his 6 eyes to capture 8k 360-degree stereoscopic video.
The Man Who Inspired This Site
The initial seed that started the idea for this site was a conversation I had during the filming of an interview with a lovely man called Bruce Bennedick.
I recently tried to contact him to tell him about this site but learned that he has now passed.
He was a really lovely gentleman with a mischievous humour so I thought I’d post up his story here in memory of a true Aussie Battler.