Today, virtual reality covers a wide range of audiences. This technology has been changing on a constant basis and it is also being used in the film making procedure. There are many different ways in which virtual reality is changing film making. Film makers are getting a new way to explore complex narratives with the help of this technology.
What is VR?
VR or virtual reality is a new form of experiencing video content. This technology immerses the viewer in the middle of a situation or scene through a headset that the viewer needs to wear over his/her eyes. After wearing the headset, the viewer can look around in any direction in virtual reality rather than viewing a movie passively. Viewers can choose what they want to focus on and even walk though a scene if they wish to.
360 video is the simplest form of virtual reality which can be easily viewed on a tablet, computer scree or the smartphone. The user can look around them in 360 degrees by moving the screen. The user can also use a headset and move their range of view for a more immersive experience.
How VR is being used in the film industry?
Besides gaming, entertainment and journalism, virtual realty has also gained new currency in the mainstream film industry. Directors are embracing VR for creating immersive experiences in order to draw more audiences. They are using the technology for re-inventing cinematic practices because VR is giving them the opportunity to complement as well as push the traditional fold of storytelling.
Through virtual reality filmmaking, viewers are getting to enjoy an experience they have never had before. They are not just watching a story, they are in that story because directors are using VR or 3D virtual reality to create an environment that can be explored and not just watched. Viewers are able to control where they want to look, when and how they want to look and so on.
In virtual reality filmmaking, the timelines are more flexible. When compared to regular filmmaking, viewers can look at different things or different paths as many times as they want to. They can jump in for 72 hours or even 72 seconds compared to regular filmmaking in which every theatrical release is 72 minutes or more.
With virtual reality, camera movements also change in filmmaking. Since virtual reality is immersive, some camera movements can give motion sickness to viewers. The camera can be moved; however, there are certain limitations on how it can be done. In this type of filmmaking, the camera control can shift from the filmmaker to the viewer or it can be a combination of both. There is still a lot to experiment as far as camera movements in virtual reality is concerned.
Virtual reality is gaining popularity like never before. It is getting more intricate and precise due to which it is being used in various other industries beyond entertainment and gaming.
