Virtual reality film hybridization

1 . A computer-implemented method of forming a unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video comprising:

(a) receiving a plurality of first two-dimensional images captured from a first point of view;

(b) receiving a plurality of second two-dimensional images captured during the capture of the plurality of first two-dimensional images and from a second point of view that is different from the first point of view;

(c) overlaying a first image window over each of the plurality of first two-dimensional images, wherein overlaying the first image window comprises shaping the each of the plurality of first two-dimensional images to match a shape of the first image window, wherein the first image window does not comprise the plurality of second two-dimensional images;

(d) overlaying a second image window over each of the plurality of second two-dimensional images, wherein overlaying the second image window comprises shaping the each of the plurality of second two-dimensional images to match a shape of the second image window, wherein the second image window does not comprise the plurality of first two-dimensional images; and

(e) combining the plurality of overlaid first two-dimensional images and the plurality of overlaid second two-dimensional images to form the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one image of the plurality of first and/or second two-dimensional images is captured using a cell phone, smartphone, tablet, or a film-making camera.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the cell phone, smartphone, or tablet comprises a side-by-side mobile device comprising (a) at least one of a right wide sensor, a right medium sensor, or a right long sensor, (b) at least one of a left wide sensor, a left medium sensor, and a left long sensor, (c) a right microphone, and (d) a left microphone, wherein the right wide sensor, the right medium sensor, the right long sensor, the left wide sensor, the left medium sensor, the left long sensor, or any combination thereof is configured to capture the plurality of first and/or second three-dimensional images.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein a distance between the centerpoints of the right wide sensor and the left wide sensor, the right medium sensor and the left medium sensor, the right long sensor and the left long sensor or any combination thereof is between 0.25 inches to 600 inches.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein a distance between the centerpoints of the right wide sensor and the left wide sensor, the right medium sensor and the left medium sensor, the right long sensor and the left long sensor or any combination thereof is adjustable between 0.25 inches to 600 inches.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video is viewable on a cell phone, a smartphone, a tablet, mixed-reality goggles, hybrid augmented reality goggles, virtual reality goggles, or a wearable headset.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(a) receiving:

(i) the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video;

(ii) a directional input for a location of the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video;

(iii) an accelerometer measurement; and

(iv) a see-through camera image of a virtual reality headset;

(b) determining a relative orientation angle between the directional input and a viewing direction of the virtual reality headset, about one or more axes;

(c) displaying, on a screen of the virtual reality headset, the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video when the relative orientation angle is within a set angle; and

(d) displaying, on the screen of the virtual reality headset, the see-through camera image when the relative orientation angle is greater than the set angle.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the displaying of the see-through camera image in (d) permits a user who is wearing the virtual reality headset to detect, observe or sense a surrounding environment proximal to the user.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the displaying of the see-through camera image in (d) permits a user who is wearing the virtual reality headset to detect, observe or sense a reaction or presence of another adjacent user who is wearing another virtual reality headset.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the see-through camera is configured to capture other users and located in a peripheral of the virtual reality headset worn by the user.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video fades into view of the user as the user's perspective shifts away from another player.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein another player fades into view of the user as the user's perspective shifts away from the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video.

13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the set angle is 60 degrees to 180 degrees.

14 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising fading the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video, the see-through camera image, or both, when the relative orientation angle is within a threshold from the set angle, wherein the threshold is 5 degrees to 30 degrees.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a first viewing axis of the first point of view and a second viewing axis of the second point of view are parallel or oblique.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first image window and the second image window are congruent or incongruent.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first image window comprises a primary first image window for a first portion of the first two-dimensional images and a secondary first image window for a second portion of the first two-dimensional images, and wherein the second image window comprises a primary second image window for a second portion of the second two-dimensional images and a secondary second image window for a second portion of the second two-dimensional images.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the primary second image window and the secondary second image window are incongruent.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a vertical and/or horizontal field of view of at least one of the first image window and the second image window is 80 degrees to 200 degrees.

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of second two-dimensional images and the plurality of first two-dimensional images are captured by a camera with a probe lens.

21 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a hybrid unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video by combining the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video with:

(i) a plurality of two dimensional images of the plurality of first two-dimensional images captured from a first point of view,

(ii) the plurality of second two-dimensional images captured during the capture of the plurality of first two-dimensional images and from a second point of view that is different from the first point of view, or

(iii) both,

such that scenes from the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video are interspersed with a plurality of two-dimensional media scenes from (i), (ii), or (iii).

22 . The method of claim 17 , wherein an entirety of each of the first image window and the second image window comprise one or more shapes.

23 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the shape of the first image window is different from the shape of the second image window.

24 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the viewing direction comprises a direction of a head together with the virtual reality headset.

25 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(a) receiving, for each user of a plurality of users:

(i) the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video;

(ii) a directional input for a location of the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video;

(iii) an accelerometer measurement; and

(iv) a see-through camera image of a virtual reality headset;

(b) determining, for the each user of the plurality of users, a relative orientation angle between the directional input and a viewing direction of the virtual reality headset, about one or more axes;

(c) displaying, on a screen of each virtual reality headset, the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video when the relative orientation angle is within a set angle; and

(d) displaying, on the screen of the each virtual reality headset, the see-through camera image when the relative orientation angle is greater than the set angle, wherein at least one user of the plurality of users is shown the see-through camera image and at least one user of the plurality of users is shown the immersive three-dimensional video.

26 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising allowing, via the screen of the each virtual reality headset, the each user to independently decide whether to view the see-through camera image or the immersive three-dimensional video depending on the each user's viewing direction.

27 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(a) receiving, for each user of a plurality of users:

(i) the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video;

(ii) a directional input for a location of the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video;

(iii) an accelerometer measurement;

(iv) a see-through real-world camera image of a virtual reality headset; and

(v) a see-through camera image of other users of the plurality of users;

(b) determining, for the each user of the plurality of users, a relative orientation angle between the directional input and a viewing direction of the virtual reality headset, about one or more axes;

(c) displaying, on a screen of each virtual reality headset, the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video when the relative orientation angle is within a set angle; and

(d) displaying, on the screen of the each virtual reality headset, the see-through real-world camera image when the relative orientation angle is greater than the set angle,

wherein the see-through camera image of other users is configured to allow each user to see the other users while viewing either the unidirectional immersive three-dimensional video or the see-through real-world camera image.