Oscar-nominated filmmaker delves into 360-degree POV with “Zero Point”
By Derrik J. Lang, Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --Forget 3-D glasses.
Oscar-nominated documentarian Danfung Dennis believes the next evolution in filmmaking will be to surround viewers with images in 360 degrees — directly on their noggins.
Dennis, whose gripping 2012 film “Hell and Back Again” (nominated for a Best Feature Documentary Oscar) told of a soldier’s battle with post-traumatic stress disorder, is creating his next film project especially for the Oculus Rift, a virtual reality headset still in development that provides wearers with an immersive 360-degree view that doesn’t make them queasy.
So far, the prototype technology has mostly been tinkered with by video game developers and is several years away from being available to consumers.
“This is obviously going to take off,” said Dennis, who founded the visual technology company Condition One. “No one who tries this denies it’s going to work, but there’s a potential it could just stay with gamers. There needs to be experiences that don’t require you to know how to use a 20-button gamepad. Everyone knows how to look around in a world.”
Enter Dennis’ documentary “Zero Point,” which is set on a computer-generated space station with each room transporting viewers to different realms representing various developments of VR technology, akin to the fictional holodeck from “Star Trek.”
The film will be available later this year to developers working with the Oculus Rift. Dennis hopes the project will position Condition One as the first provider for premium content to owners of the Oculus Rift, once it’s released.
After a demonstration of three clips from “Zero Point” — a sweep of the space station, a glimpse inside a mock Afghan village and a stroll through a crowded convention hall — Dennis discussed the challenges of creating a film in 360 degrees:
Q: How do you compose shots when everything is surrounding the viewer?
Dennis: All the traditional rules of cinematography and editing are gone. The frame no longer exists. You’re inside the frame. The cut — the most basic technique of editing — is too abrupt and doesn’t work here. If you try to cut from one scene to another, it’s too disorienting. Nowhere in our waking life do we teleport, except make when we wake up. I’m finding that a new generation of storytellers inspired by gaming and cinema will have to create a new visual language with the syntax and grammar of how to tell a story with this technology. We’re just beginning down that path right now.
Q: “Zero Point” is a documentary, but could you see this technology being used for a fictional film?
Dennis: Absolutely. I think a fictional narrative film is probably an easier place to start. You have to really think about each shot to be able to convey a narrative, instead of just a pure experience. There needs to be a lot of thought about where the camera is and what type of cues can be used to guide people through a story. I think audio will be key to drawing people where to look. Otherwise, they might miss something. The challenges in setting up a scene would be incredible, but it would still be easier than the documentary method of shooting hundreds and hundreds of hours of footage to edit later.
Q: As a filmmaker, it seems like you have to give up a large amount of control to the viewer. How do you manage that creatively?
Dennis: It’s less about what the viewer sees and more about their position. As storytellers, we have to deliver viewers a raw experience and let them decide what the frame will be. They’re going to choose what’s interesting to them within that vantage point. We won’t know where they’re going to look. Yes, you do lose control as a traditional filmmaker, but I think what’s going to happen is that it’ll be more like gaming. You can still have deep narrative in first-person games. Ultimately, I think this shift will give birth to an entirely new medium communicated through virtual reality.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More