*by Bethany Whiteman
Have you ever wanted to dive head first through a screen, into a movie? Or wished you could control the outcome of the film or a character’s storyline? Film studios are now able to offer their audience these kinds of out-of-this-world experiences through Virtual Reality (VR). This technology allows users to break down the 4th wall and invites them to engage with film through a fully immersive, digital experience that feels a little all too real. While Virtual Reality is still up-and-coming, many studios have successfully incorporated elements of the technology into their latest films. Below, we’ve put together a short list of movies that have done well to deliver a fully immersive, Virtual Reality experience that you can now try at home.
White Room: 02B3
Roddenberry Entertainment has re-released this feature film using Virtual Reality to intensify the experience of the story. The film is in a 360-degree format that allows the audience to explore the environment of a pshychiatric trial, where six random people are being held and forced to participate in an experiment against their will.
Dear Angelica
In this animated short by Oculus Story Studio, the audience will be able to go deeper into the mind of protagonist Jessica as she explores memories of her mother, Angelica. They will have the ability to guide the story and hone in on specific memories to learn more about the characters.
11:57
This short film takes the traditional horror film genre and turns it into an almost real life nightmare. Using Virtual Reality, each audience member is thrown into a 360-degree arena of horror as they transform into the main character of the film.