San Diego Sport Legends Bill Walton, Rob Machado and Tiffany Joh Team with JIVA VR & SDSI to Send a Positive Message of Enjoying the Outdoors with Social Responsibility

May 28, 2020

Patience and respect among the key messages communicated in Virtual Reality video aimed to inspire viewers to responsibly return to the active pursuits they love

May 27^nd, 2020, SAN DIEGO, California – As quarantine restrictions are slowly lifted across California and the rest of the nation. San Diego Rising, a live-action 360° video short, aims to inspire viewers to continue acting responsibly as they return to the active pursuits they love by practicing gratitude for these activities, following guidelines and paying respect to those on the front lines and others around us. Filmed in scenic locations across San Diego county, the video documents the introspective journeys of local sports icons, providing an intimate look into how they have stayed mentally and physically active during quarantine.

Featured local sports ambassadors include:

• Bill Walton: Hall of Fame NBA player and avid cyclist.
• Rob Machado: Pro surfer and environmental activist.
• Tiffany Joh: Professional golfer currently on the LPGA tour.

On May 27th, 2020, San Diego Rising will be available across select virtual reality platforms as well as San Diego Sport Innovators community media channels. As the outdoor spaces that nourish our mental and physical health were closing around us, Jiva VR and SDSI felt compelled to act opposed to sitting on the sidelines. The video was created 100% pro bono and all athletes donated their time and energy.

The uplifting scenic and panoramic video is an ode to sports, and a meditative exploration of the connection to the places and activities that many hold sacred. Rob Machado, one of the world’s greatest surfers and environmental activists, speaks to the ocean and nature in the video, “Recently when I’ve needed you the most, I’ve needed to leave you alone, but maybe you needed that time to heal and I needed that time to reflect.  You will demand my respect like never before and that is all I will give you.” Filmed entirely with GoPro 360° camera systems, this production style enabled creators to capture footage while maintaining a safe distance from all subjects.

San Diego Rising was developed by local virtual reality content studio Jiva VR in collaboration with San Diego Sport Innovators (SDSI). Led by NBA legend Bill Walton, SDSI represents 1,200 local businesses and 40,000 local jobs across the Sports, Active and Healthy Lifestyle Industry in San Diego County.

“If we want to return to enjoying our passions, we have to work together,” said Walton. “Be patient, be kind, and respect the guidelines. Anything else will just prolong and intensify our problems. More importantly, respect each other… and, our earth.”

“Health care workers; Thank you. Golfers; Let’s do our part to keep our communities safe,” says, LPGA Golfer Tiffany Joh. “Go during off-peak hours. Play as a single if you can. Avoid touching flags, bunker rakes, and skip the driving range. Pretend the parking lot and clubhouse is hot lava and hustle to open spaces and away from people.”

Video can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/_gmA6-2EG98

To access the media kit that includes behind the scenes footage, still shots and various synopsis, view this link: SD RISING MEDIA KIT

To get involved – contact us directly: Creators: steve@jivavr.com and jay@jivavr.com. Executive Producers Renne@sdsportinnovators.com and Bob@sdsportinnovators.com

About Jiva VR

Jiva is a collective of cinematic storytellers, outdoor adventure enthusiasts and visual artists, specializing in creating immersive training, marketing and entertainment content. After working with industry leading companies across numerous sectors, Jiva has developed a formula for understanding, analyzing and distilling complex processes into user-friendly Virtual Reality experiences. We are motivated to put our expertise to use in helping solve some of the most critical problems in the world today. www.jivavr.com.

About SDSI
We are a not-for-profit organization of entrepreneurs, executives, business leaders and community leaders on a mission to establish San Diego as the home of Sports, Active and Healthy Lifestyle Industry (SAL). We support healthy living companies in all stages by fostering innovation, facilitating cross vertical partnerships, providing business mentorship and building communities. The Sports, Active and Healthy Lifestyle Industry represents 1,200 businesses, has a $3.6B direct economic contribution to San Diego County and is responsible for nearly 40,000 jobs. www.sdsportinnovators.com.