philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

23Jan/17Off

Sundance uses virtual reality to explore the future of interactive films

web-1796245“Dear Angelica,” an animated VR short film produced by Oculus Story Studio, is as much a meditation as a movie.

Swirling animations unfold around, above and below a viewer standing suspended in darkness. Neon pink words write themselves in the air, spinning, rising and falling as a woman’s voice reads a letter from a daughter to her recently deceased mother: “I’ve been watching all your movies again. … I miss you.”

Illustrator Wesley Allsbrook worked for seven months wearing a VR headset and drawing the scenes with a digital paintbrush in 360-degree virtual reality. The story takes readers through a whirling montage of memories that viewers can walk, squat and twist to look at from different angles, evoking a dreamlike sense of grief and remembering.

A still from "Dear Angelica" by Saschka Unseld. | Sundance Institute

Like other VR experiences showcased in the Sundance VR palace this year, “Dear Angelica” is short — less than 15 minutes. It gives readers agency to look at the images from different angles and notice different things, but not to manipulate the story.

A new canvas

Wilcox said he could see a future where PBS might create a branching story and allow users more control over how it moves forward. “But I would need to be really thoughtful about that and not make it too much like just a 3D-rendered game environment where they can run around and do goofy stuff,” he said.

“There will be places where you could meet halfway,” Hurst agreed. “But in the end, it’s all about the story. … I don't think that changes with any medium. Good storytelling is good storytelling. You’ve got to be careful and not overplay your hand.”

See the full story here: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671637/Sundance-uses-virtual-reality-to-explore-the-future-of-interactive-films.html

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