When Walt Disney Co. became an investor in Jaunt, a Silicon Valley startup developing virtual reality technology, it made a high-stakes bet on what might be the next big thing in entertainment. The Burbank entertainment and media company was joined last month in a $65 million series C funding round by Evolu-tion Media Partners in Los Angeles, China Media Capital in Shanghai, Madi-son Square Garden Co. in New York, ProSiebenSat.1 in Munich and Axel Springer in Berlin. Jaunt said it will use the funding to ramp up virtual reality film production, continue development of camera hardware and software as well as add staff to its Palo Alto headquarters and new studio in Los Angeles. In total, Jaunt has received $100 million since its founding in 2013. Marty Shindler, an entertainment technology consultant at Shindler Perspective in Encino, said virtual reality has been around for decades but that it is digital technology that has improved the experience and makes it available to consumers. The goal of virtual reality headsets is to give users a 360-degree, 3-D view of content and make it seem like they are right in the middle of the action. Headset manufacturers include Sony Corp. with its Morpheus product; Oculus VR, acquired last year by Facebook Inc. for $2 billion; and South Korean conglomerate Samsung. Disney has long been a leader when it comes to new technology, whether it’s Imax and 3-D films or digital distribution on iTunes. Investing in virtual reality is another example of that, Shindler said. “It will tie in to their movies and not just Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm but from the (Disney) studio and feature animation,” he added. Disney might be preparing virtual reality content connected with the December release of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” whether it is a trailer or original content that can be viewed with a headset, Shindler continued. “Even if people don’t see it before the ‘Star Wars’ movie is released, Disney is playing its cards that people will go back to see the movie and watch the virtual reality (content) whether it’s the trailer or specially made for that experience,” he said. Jaunt has developed Neo, a camera that captures 3-D video in 360 degrees. The company has also produced virtual reality content for mobile devices, working with brands such as apparel maker North Face; mass media company Condé Nast; and ABC News, a Disney-owned operation. Other companies, too, see the importance of making cameras similar to what Jaunt is doing. GoPro Inc. is developing a rig bearing 16 of its small cameras to capture 360-degree images and Ricoh Co. Ltd. has done the same with its Theta cameras. “Jaunt is not the only one out there but is the first to market and if they do a good job they will stay ahead (of the competition),” Shindler said. Jaunt Chief Executive and co-founder Jens Christensen said the new funding furthers the company’s commitment to advancing cinematic virtual reality for filmmakers and audiences. “With the support of these world-class companies, we will explore new avenues, building on our leadership position to deliver amazing experiences using best-in-class tools, technology and creative teams,” he said in a prepared statement. Trailer Music Megatrax, an independent music company in North Hollywood, has formed a new division, A-List Music, to bring together top composers to license their material for motion picture trailers and movie marketing campaigns. A-List, operating out of Van Nuys, has 60 custom compositions for movie trailers, and an additional 50 tracks of sound design elements. The tracks were recorded by a full orchestra and choir. JC Dwyer, creative director at A-List, said the new venture raises the bar when it comes to scoring trailers and advertising campaigns. A-List’s material will rival the best blockbuster film scores, he added. “Three years in the making, A-List Music offers movie marketers a world-class label designed to deliver picture-perfect cinematic sounds,” Dwyer said in a prepared statement. Dwyer is also an executive producer at Megatrax. Among the 20-plus contributors to A-List music are Emmy Award winner and Oscar nominee Bruce Boughton; composer, songwriter, producer and arranger Jeff Caruthers; TV and film composer Jim Dooley; and theatrical advertising campaign composers Ryan Andrews and Mark Denis. iHeart Concert Television network the CW renewed its agreement as the exclusive broadcaster of the iHeartRadio Music Festival. The channel will also begin airing the annual holiday iHeartRadio Jingle Ball concert. This year’s festival took place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and the CW aired performances in a special across two nights last month. “The iHeartRadio Music Festival kicks off our fall each year with high energy and terrific music, and we are very pleased that we will continue that tradition in the years to come,” CW President Mark Pedowitz said in a prepared statement. The CW is co-owned by Burbank’s Warner Bros. Entertainment and New York’s CBS Corp. IHeart Radio is owned by San Antonio’s iHeartMedia Inc., formerly known as Clear Channel Communications Inc. IHeartMedia also operates the live performance venue iHeartRadio Theatre at Burbank Studios. Staff Reporter Mark R. Madler can be reached at (818) 316-3126 or [email protected]