by Bonnie Adams
Virtual reality is proving transformative for the gaming industry with many major titles now playable with a VR headset. Even new casino sites are beginning to integrate virtual reality technology into their casino games. This creates increased engagement and a longer amount of time spent on the sites.
The next industry that is quickly looking at ways to adopt and implement virtual reality technology and concepts is the film industry. The film industry has been a key provider of entertainment to people around the world for over a century.
Over the last century, the industry has continually reinvented itself and adapted to continuously changing technologies. The technologies used to produce and distribute films 100 years ago have very little in common with the technologies used today.
Virtual Reality has the potential to impact the film industry as much as the move from black and white to colour, analogue to digital, or the rise of computer-generated graphics.
Virtual Reality allows for the creation of truly immersive experiences by filmmakers. Instead of appearing as a bystander watching the action the audience can instead be in the middle of it. This allows the audience to experience the story from a unique perspective and vantage point. In much the same way that 3D movies created an enhanced experience in the cinema, virtual reality has the potential to do the same. Movies such as Avatar owe their success in part to the use of 3D and CGI technology.
Good filmmaking is about storytelling, and while technology is no substitute for a good story it can enhance it. Cutting-edge technology of the day has supported a number of films in achieving success at the box office. Virtual Reality has the potential to be transformative to the way filmmakers tell their stories.
We can all remember the choose-your-own-adventure stories of old. The ability to re-read the story and follow a different path made them more engaging than a regular novel. This Interactive storytelling is made possible by virtual reality. Interactive storytelling is the opportunity to allow viewers a fully immersive and interactive experience where they can make choices that impact the outcome of the story. This sense of impact is something that cannot be replicated by traditional films.
This interactive storytelling allows for the creation of non-linear stories that viewers can experience within a 360-degree environment and even allow for the telling of multiple stories simultaneously. Ultimately using virtual reality in this way could see the lines blur between what films are and what are games.
Media agencies such as Forbes started reporting on the use of Virtual Reality in the creation of movies back in 2018, but as yet we have not seen a major blockbuster made using this technology.
Virtual Reality can not only impact the viewer’s experience but materially alter the way in which films are produced. Filmmakers are able to use this technology to simulate complex film scenarios ahead of time and use them to train crew members, stunt men or even the actors in a cost-effective and safe way.
Allowing actors to experience Computer generated graphics (CGI) in real time can improve the quality of the interactions between real and digital characters and environments.
Virtual Reality can also be used to create interesting and engaging marketing opportunities to promote the film. This can include immersive movie trailers or other promotional experiences that will create an interest in the upcoming film.
While not yet mainstream many VR movies have already been made and can easily be viewed on a VR headset in the comfort of your living room.
With the many applications for virtual reality in the film industry identified in this article, it is likely that we will see its use more in the future. However, Virtual Reality is an emerging and quickly evolving technology. It is therefore likely to continue to offer new and exciting opportunities for filmmakers. Many of these opportunities will not have even been imagined yet.
Regardless of the future, though, Virtual Reality can create completely immersive film experiences that are indistinguishable from reality today. Filmmakers just need to be brave enough to be pioneers.
