With Oculus\u2019s place at the forefront of virtual reality technology becoming shakier with the departure of its CEO Palmer Luckey, the news that the company was shutting its filmmaking division, Story Studio, was a surprise. Some have accused Facebook \u2014 the company which owns Oculus \u2014 of being behind the move, as a way of prioritizing the social functionality of VR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whatever the motive, what was hailed at its inception as \u201cthe Pixar of virtual reality\u201d is no longer a going concern. But will the former Oculus Story Studio staff \u2014 who counted former Pixar employees amongst their number \u2014 simply take their talents elsewhere? Or is this a flare sent up to the industry that VR film isn\u2019t worth making to begin with?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
” An offer we can\u2019t refuse: Is there a market for virtual reality film?<\/em> “<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Firstly, it is worth noting that when people talk about virtual reality film, what they are really talking about are movies shot with a 360\u00b0 camera. This has led those in the industry to take pains to note that 360\u00b0 film isn\u2019t really \u201ctrue VR\u201d, as it lacks the interactive element \u2014 virtual reality is, by definition, entirely computer-generated, after all. Last year, UploadVR convincingly argued the case for \u201cTrue VR\u201d being reclassified as \u201cresponsive VR\u201d<\/a>, in the hope that both 360\u00b0 cinema and VR experiences could coexist peacefully in the eyes of the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at the Cannes festival in 2016, Stephen Spielberg told journalists of his scepticism towards VR filmmaking. \u201cIt gives the viewer a lot of latitudes not to take direction from the storytellers but make their own choices of where to look.\u201d This may seem like futurephobia from the director of some of the most beloved films of all time, but it\u2019s a view shared by those in the VR industry as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Virtual reality production company REWIND have noted that, as a film medium, VR can be technically dazzling, but lacking in story: \u201cthere is no certainty that anyone watching a film in VR will even notice the plot points of the narrative going on around them\u201d. However, with most virtual reality films clocking in at under ten minutes apiece, the best virtual reality film content will arguably strive to strike the ideal balance between story and spectacle. This is where the pros come in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
” The beginning of a beautiful friendship: the VR industry and Hollywood “<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
As far back as 2015, commentators were claiming that VR film would \u201cfavour creative experimenters\u201d, which may explain why so many Hollywood luminaries are eager to work in the medium. April\u2019s Tribeca Film Festival may have premiered \u201cThe Handmaid\u2019s Tale\u201d and the new documentary from Werner Herzog, but some of the festival\u2019s biggest names were there to promote their VR work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
” If you build it, they will come: Can VR film go beyond just being content? “<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The first celluloid films were even shorter than their VR counterparts, limited in length to under a minute by the bulky cameras and nonexistent editing technology. By comparison, VR films are generally only 10 minutes long (though \u201cMiyubi\u201d, a 40-minute feature, has been garnering some of the medium\u2019s best reviews yet).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The form\u2019s brevity could be down to the health risks some have associated with spending too long in VR worlds, though the bitesize nature of virtual reality film has given some studios alternative ideas about how it could be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n