A virtual reality and 360 workshop opens up scope for immersive films at Exeter's Two Short Nights film festival

New developments of Virtual Reality and 360 video, and their scope for creating an immersive film experience will be explored at a talk and workshop during the Two Short Nights film festival at the Exeter Phoenix.

Cineon Productions in collaboration with the University of Exeter will be putting on a joint workshop as part of Two Short Nights that will give attendees the opportunity to try out some more up-to-date virtual reality and 360 video as well as gaining an introduction to the filming techniques involved, says the blurb.

‘There will also be a lecture by the psychologists from the university introducing the way in which these techniques have been used in their research and its applications to industry.

‘This will include an introduction to eye-tracking technology. Eye-tracking is powerful tool for capturing human response and there will be a deconstruction of a favourite movie scene with some audience participation that will prove a unique insight for filmmakers and actors alike.’

The collaboration between Exeter University and Cineon Productions began as Cineon explored ways to improve the training videos that it produces.

‘We started talking to the Exeter University Psychology department about human performance. They run research looking at how people perform under pressure and how people can change the way they behave in order get a different outcome,’ said Cineon’s Toby de Burgh.

‘One of the things they found is that if you put people into a particularly realistic situation or simulation, it’s a much better training tool. And this has always appealed to me.’

The initial draw for Toby was back in the 1990s with Virtuality’s pterodactyl game, along with his early exploration of immersive environments in Alien War.

The aim now is to create films, possibly as training films, that go beyond normal video.

‘It’s about breaking down the fourth wall and really getting an emotional response from footage rather than just watching it,’ said Toby.

‘We’ve been trialling a number of different techniques -playing with virtual reality, but also looking at the immersive experiences. There’s a lot of open air theatre and escape the room type of things, that put you into the situation. And we’ve been to secret cinema, where it’s all part of the experience before you actually watch the film.

‘We’re trying to experiment along those lines -creating an experience which takes you beyond cinema and beyond TV and beyond sat in front of a screen: something that makes you feel like you’re part of that scene.’

The first part of the Two Short Nights event will be Toby sharing his experience and experiments, followed by the psychologists from Exeter University talking about the work that they’ve been doing. That’s not just virtual reality, but includes using eye trackers to find out what people actually look at when they’re looking at a screen or in a real situation, and how they engage with their environment. Ideal for filmmakers and actors alike.

But will these new gizmos of VR and 360 films take off?

“At the moment we’re experimenting to see how good it can be, how immersive it can be, what works, what doesn’t,” says Toby.

“In normal filmmaking there’s a list of rules -what you can and can’t do and what creates a good and enjoyable viewing experience, like ‘crossing the line’ and the ‘rule of thirds’ works well in terms of image composition. Quite a lot of it doesn’t really apply with 360.

“Personally, ultimately I’d like to create a 360 short film in the next six months or so, something that’s more creative and dramatic and to see if it works with the medium.

“It is quite interesting to see, not only in the fact that it’s a different way of perceiving media, but it’s also a different viewing experience because it’s quite isolating in terms of having to watch it on your own, you don’t necessarily watch it with lots of other people.

“I think it’ll take a little while, because the technology is a little bit new, but I think there’s so much you can do with it, so many places you can go. I don’t think it’s ever going to replace conventional film, it is an entirely different experience.”

But there is one essential similarity for all filmmaking, be it VR, 360, training films or as entertainment. Here’s Toby again: “In a lot of the training that we’re doing for high risk industries â€“ surgery environments, or nuclear environments or construction environments â€“ people can make a decision that can cost lives.

“I believe the way to train people for those environments, and the way to make people take something away from training is exactly the same as the way you take something from a good film -it makes you feel something, and it makes you think.”

The Talk and Workshop: Immersive Video Technology take place from 10am to 1pm at the Exeter Phoenix during the Two Short Nights Film Festival on Friday, December 2. Book your tickets.

And for those of you who want a stroll down memory lane, here’s on GamesMaster.