Thematic Concepts and Practice of VR Filmmaking

Thematic Project Seminar 5: ‘Concept and Practice of VR Filmmaking‘ by Brigit Lichtenegger
3-Day seminar
10, 11 and 12 April 2017

In the last years VR has gotten a lot of attention. The tech companies have been pushing hard to make VR affordable for consumers, as well as making it easier to create content for this media. VR in itself is not new and artist have been using technology for the creation of immersive environments throughout history. What is new, is that the potential audience is much larger in numbers, which makes it naturally more interesting to use for artistic expression. But are VR and 360 degree video a hype that will soon pass, or can it be used to create a meaningful experience? If it can be meaningful, for what type of projects? And what type of projects can absolutely not be translated into a VR experience? In this seminar we aim to develop a vision of the medium by exploring its properties and effects. We will focus in particular on the following issues:

Linear storytelling in a non-linear environment
Where is the border between the physical and the virtual, and where do they overlap?
The tension between immersion and (dis)embodiment

Each day of the workshop focusses on one of the above topics. And we will explore it by examining how it was dealt with by other artists, as well as hands on experimentation.

Monday
Venue: Interaction Station WdKA
Linear storytelling in a non-linear environment
10:00 - 12:00: Introduction
12:00 - 13:00: VR Buffet: part 1
14:00 - 15:00: Instruction on filming and sound
15:00 - 16:00: Hands on Experiment
16:00 - 17:30: VR Buffet: part 2

The VR Buffet offers different VR Setups, and content to watch, experience, compare and discuss Hands on Experiment: As someone working with lens based media, you are used to tell a story by “framing” . A close up, or an overview, and what is left out of the frame etc. all help to convey emotion and direct attention. In a 360 degree panorama this ‘natural’ frame is absent. Think of a way to deal with emotion and attention in 360, and execute that in either an image, or a 360 video of max 30 seconds.
Prepare: Think about the topic for Tuesday, and whether to bring props etc.

Tuesday
Venue: Interaction Station WdKA
The border between the physical and the virtual, and where do they overlap
11:00 - 12:00: Presentation of ideas and plans
12:00 - 13:00: Presentation “Seamless Interfaces”
14:00 - 17:00: Hands on Experiment
17:00 - 18:00: Presentation of results
18:00 - 18:30: Introduction for the Wednesday’s topic
Prepare: Think about the topic for Wednesday, and whether to bring props etc.

Wednesday
Venue: Interaction Station WdKA
The tension between immersion and (dis)embodiment
10:00 - 11:00: Presentation of ideas and plans
11:00 - 13:00: Hands on Experiment
14:00 - 15:00: Presentations of results
15:00 - 17:00: Discussion and Conclusion

References: Virtual Art: From illusion to Immersion - Oliver Grau
Redefining the Axiom of Story: The VR and 360 Video Complex: https://techcrunch.com/2016/01/14/redefining-the-axiom-of-story-the-vr-and-360-video-complex
360-video-fundamentals: https://thefulldomeblog.com/2014/03/06/360-video-fundamentals/

Examples of 360 videos we will watch:
Invasion - Baobab Studios
Notes on blindness: Into darkness - Ex Nihilo, ARTE France and AudioGaming, in co-production with Archer’s Mark I Philip - Okio Studio & Arte
Waves of Grace - Chris Milk, Gabo Arora
Drawing Room - Jan Rothuizen, Sara Kolster