Opportunities, trends & developments: VR in the film industry

[jrineakter]

The technology within VR is getting better and better. And the possibilities are endless. What do you think of gaming, movie trailers, music videos, series, festivals or concerts in VR? And if we think one step further: what do you think of customer service in VR? But where do we stand now within VR? I spoke with the production team of a VR film about the process and the possibilities of VR in the film industry.


Have you ever been to a virtual reality film premiere? I have. On June 30th, The Secret Lab and Midnight Pictures hosted the premiere of the VR film The Invisible Man. I spoke with the production team about the process and the possibilities of VR in the film industry.

The challenge
the invisible man

The entertainment industry is on the eve of a major change. Especially for gaming, the possibilities are endless. Later this year, the Sony PlayStation VR will be released, making argentina telegram number list playing games in virtual reality accessible to the masses. Sony promises to immediately launch many titles on the market. These will mainly be 3D games that are 'rendered' while the game is being played.

Completely changed decor
With film, things are a little different. There will undoubtedly be VR animation films released, but also films with real actors, real sets and real 'props'. At first you might not think about it, but since you can look around you 360 degrees, the entire shooting location changes into the set. The concept of 'behind the scenes' literally disappears. Where is the director? Where are the studio lights? Where are the other cameras? The entire set is in view, so the production team has to be creative with that. That is the biggest challenge. It also takes some getting used to for the actors. They are left alone and then have to dive into their role.

The concept of 'behind the scenes' literally disappears. Where is the director? Where are the studio lights?

It gets even more complicated. A professional 360-degree camera consists of a cube of 6 cameras, each filming its own image. The separately recorded images are 'stitched', making it look like one image. As soon as an actor moves in the space, he also moves to another camera. For the viewer, this camera transition must be as smooth as possible. The technology is getting better and better, but there is still a lot of manual work involved.

'The Invisible man'
On the 14th floor of the brand new A'dam tower, the premiere of the VR film 'The invisible man' took place. With a beautiful view over Amsterdam, the guests were entertained by speakers and music. Everyone was also provided with snacks and drinks. But where was the film?

In the corner were chairs where the guests took turns. The film was watched with the Samsung Gear VR or an Oculus Rift. Separated from the surroundings, a Quentin Tarantino-like story was watched. The makers have succeeded in keeping the viewer captivated for ten minutes, watching a film that actually consists of one scene. The film was published on YouTube and Facebook that same evening , so that everyone can watch the film at home. I can certainly recommend that, because the film has a twist. This makes the viewer suddenly feel very involved. The makers have used the VR element in the script. A creative and successful choice. Curious? You can see the film below. Watch the film with VR glasses (or Google cardboard) for the best effect.