Are you curious about what it feels like to step inside your favorite movies? You don’t have to imagine the feeling anymore. You can live the experience with the advent of virtual reality movies. But what exactly are VR movies?
Virtual reality movies use virtual reality technology to place audiences inside the world of the film. Unlike traditional films with a fixed narrative, VR movies let viewers explore the environment and even change the storyline.
However, VR movies also have another definition, which we’ll teach you below. We’ll also cover how VR changed filmmaking and the list of virtual reality movies that have been produced in the past.
What Are Virtual Reality Movies?
A virtual reality movie takes advantage of virtual reality (VR) technology to create a fully immersive cinematic experience.
If you don’t know VR, it refers to a three-dimensional, simulated environment that a computer creates. It allows users to interact with virtual objects and perform specific tasks inside the computer-generated world. Most VR operates with a special headset that you can look into.
VR movies use the medium of film to transport individuals to another virtual world. Users wear a traditional VR headset, such as the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, to fully immerse themselves in the environment. So, instead of being a simple viewer, you feel like you’re in the actual film. You can move around and see things from another perspective. You can even influence the storyline in some films.
However, VR films are still a new thing. They’re not yet perfect, but they have potential for growth as technology advances.
Virtual reality movies can also refer to a regular movie you see in theaters with a plot centered on VR tech. We’ll show you samples of VR movies later on.
How Do You Shoot Virtual Reality Movies?
By now, you know the definition of virtual reality movies. However, you may be curious to know how professional filmmakers shoot these types of immersive media.
It is impossible to make a VR simulation with traditional cameras. Instead, professionals use 360 cameras. These devices capture a 360-degree view of the world around you, hence their name. They offer many benefits to the viewers, including feeling like a part of the VR environment.
However, the use of 360 cameras also presents a challenge to many filmmakers. For one, they cannot frame a shot because the audience can look in any direction in the digital realm. As such, they need to think of other ways to guide the viewer while still giving them the freedom to roam around the virtual world.
As for audio, actors can only use lavalier mics that easily clip on clothing. The boom mic traditionally used in regular filmmaking is impossible to hide in a VR film.
Editing a VR movie is also tricky because cuts and transitions don’t exist. Professionals must guide the audience in the right direction and scenery to advance the plot.
How Has VR Changed Filmmaking?
Virtual reality, or VR, has redefined the art of filmmaking. It allows for a different viewing experience, in which audiences have more control over what they watch.
That doesn’t mean that filmmakers and directors have less control, though. Using VR tech simply encourages a non-linear narrative approach, where a story doesn’t need to follow a straight path. Viewers are free to choose their own storylines within the virtual reality world.
A VR movie can also enhance your connection with the characters. Since you are now virtually a part of the world, you feel more strongly about the fictional characters. Your decisions and actions can affect their fate in the story.
VR cinema also affects the creative process. Scriptwriters need to create a world that is both visually believable and structurally traversable. Cinematographers must learn how to use spatial visuals to guide the narrative. Meanwhile, directors must lead the viewer’s eyes. Finally, editors must stitch everything together to create a cohesive VR film.
Is There VR in Hollywood?
Hollywood uses virtual reality technology to some degree.
For example, the live-action remake of The Lion King from Disney used virtual cameras to capture the lions in Africa. The filmmakers specifically put on HTC Vive virtual reality headsets to scout the perfect location and add or remove virtual elements as they see fit.
Warner Bros. has also tapped multiple tech companies to promote a sci-film called Ready Player One. Steven Spielberg directed this movie which takes place inside a VR video game. It used VR experiences from Vive for effective advertising. And just recently, the entertainment company has partnered with Readyverse Studios to bring the book-turned-film franchise to Metaverse.
Twentieth Century Studios or Fox was one of the first major studios to see the potential of virtual reality in filmmaking. They developed The Martian VR experience on Meta (Oculus) Rift, which was based on the film of the same name.
What Is the List of Virtual Reality Movies?
There are numerous films that use virtual reality technology in the creative process. Below are some of the best virtual reality movies.
- Dear Angelica (2017)
- The Humanity Bureau (2017)
- Spheres (2018)
- The Limit (2018)
- The Great C (2018)
- Wolves in the Walls (2018)
- Agent Emerson (2019)
- Gloomy Eyes (2019)
- The Lion King (2019)
- Space Explorers: The ISS Experience (2020)
On top of the list above, we also included regular 2D movies with a plot focused on VR tech. Here are the most popular titles.
- Virtuosity (1995)
- eXistenZ (1999)
- The Matrix (1999)
- The Thirteenth Floor (1999)
- Avatar (2009)
- Ready Player One (2018)
Conclusion
VR films use VR technology to create a fully immersive experience for the viewer. They transport you to the world of characters, where you can control what you see and perform. These are viewed through VR headsets. VR movies can also refer to traditional films you can watch in your theaters or TV screen.
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