MOVIE MATTERS
MAKING SENSE OF VR
Getting a grip on geard Both Annie and BJ are self-confessed ‘big nerds’ with regard to traditional filmmaking technologies, something they consider was a prerequisite for the VR adventure they find themselves on. Being fluent with such things as digital codecs, understanding editing systems and having a working knowledge of sound capture technology and optics were all things that helped ease the move into new technology, and it was also useful to have a traditional narrative background and an understanding that all tech is supposed to be invisible. “The technology gets the story to the audience,” says Annie. “It’s not, in itself, the story. Losing sight of that can be easy when you’re working in a brand new medium. You could, for example, imagine there’s a single camera out there that’s the best for all situations because it has some shiny new feature. The truth is, as in traditional filmmaking, that camera and other cinematographic choices should always be rooted in story, while being constrained, of course, by budget. “We love the Jaunt ONE for low light situations, but it’s huge and hard tomove. An alternative is the light Z-Cam S1 Pro, which only has four stitch lines. In our narrative experience The Hidden we used the Nokia Ozo because we had to shoot in small spaces, had a long tracking shot and really liked the look for the hyper-real feeling we were trying to evoke. By the time it was discontinued - with various software and firmware improvements - the Ozo had come into its own as a phenomenal camera, and we mourn its passing. “As a team, we have a single, iron-clad rule in terms of kit for VR. Namely, try it: nobody has enough experience to guess in this medium. If your client doesn’t want to invest in a test-shoot, push back. There are concerns you won’t think of with every unit and you won’t knowwhat you’re up against until you’ve shot with it.”
“The technology gets the story to the audience; it’s not, in itself, the story”
Charleston, through which a model would move seamlessly while donning several different summer dress looks. “We shot each slice on a Sony PXW- FS5 turned on its side to get as much vertical capture as possible. We then took footage at several different positions to get material to use in constructing the sky and ground, using special tools found in After Effects.” While other clients still need to be encouraged to follow suit, the success of this project did open eyes and it has brought fresh commercial work through the door. There have also been more traditional VR-type projects to work on, such as a campaign for Toyota that looked to change the perception of the Camry, one of its models that was seen as being a rather dull family saloon. The Toyota: Thrill Ride was based around a high-speed driving experience, with the viewer wearing a headset and taking up a position inside the car. The four- minute film gave the impression of the ride and was used extensively in Toyota dealerships to give potential purchasers a feel for what the car is capable of. “The film plays in Toyota’s own Unity- created app,” says Annie. “The primary cameras we used were four Z-cams and three Kandao Obsidians, and these were mounted all over the car. Our external mounts included hostess tray, hood mount, wheel-well mount, and a trunk mount that was boomed up to suspend the camera above the car. All these mounts needed to be super secure so were triple secured so that the camera didn’t shake and make the viewer nauseous. The crash (dashboard) cameras were 3D Vuzes, and we had a few of these on
days for VR and 360° filmmaking, VPM is already proving that both have rock solid commercial viability, having taken on several high-profile commissions which have fully explored the potential of these mediums. One in particular, for fashion outlet Banana Republic, was a production that was very much exploring what a conventional advertising filmmight be trying to do but in a way that had been reconfigured for a more immersive treatment. In a really clever piece of filmmaking, a model is seen walking between segments, the clothes she’s wearing changing as she moves from one to the other with the viewer in control and able to look around the scene at will as the commercial is progressing. “This was a really fun shoot to do,” says Annie. “It looks great in a headset but the target we were asked for was online, namely Facebook 360 video. So, first and foremost, the video had to play well on a desktop with mouse navigation and on the phone. In consultation with the client, we arrived at the idea of producing 360° ‘slices’ of downtown
Coming of age While this might still constitute early
ABOVE The slices of fashion shoot for Banana Republic showed what could be done with VR. LEFT The campaign for Toyota was more traditionally shot but felt exciting.
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WINTER 2018 PRO MOVIEMAKER
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