Leading filmmakers use 360-degree video, 3D-game-like environments, immersive sound, head mounted displays, motion chairs and even scent emitters to pull movie fans into the action.
One of this summer’s most anticipated movie releases, Spider-Man: Homecoming by Sony Pictures, brings the expected shots of the spandex-clad superhero navigating cityscapes by shooting ultra-strong, sticky webs from his wrists to scale skyscrapers and swing from building to building.
But it’s different this time.
Movie goers can now don Peter Parker’s webbed suit, glide in his airborne steps, fight the villain Vulture and perform death-defying feats from Spidey’s New York City apartment – all from the safety of a theater lobby or a living room – thanks to the magic of virtual reality (VR).
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Zim said that was why Sony Pictures partnered with CreateVR and Intel.
The award-winning developers at CreateVR used Intel hardware and software tools, including dual Intel Xeon processor-based Dell workstations to create and render the 360-degree, ultra-high resolution graphics of New York.
“We want people to walk away from this really knowing what it feels like to be Spider-Man,” said Jake Black, head of the CreateVR team.
Spider-Man: Homecoming VRE is currently available at kiosks in select Cinemark theaters across the U.S. and at special events worldwide. On June 30, free availability extends across all major VR platforms outside the theater, including PlayStation VR, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. Spider-Man: Homecoming opens in theaters July 7.
Adding Le Musk to the Mix
India’s A.R. Rahman, the two time Oscar and Grammy-winning composer turned filmmaker, was one of the first innovators in the VR cinema space. He’s behind the soon-to-be-released Le Musk, considered to be the world’s first VR, multi-sensory feature film.
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“It was a promising step toward the realization of a VR theater ecosystem down the line,” said Velhal.
Immersive Tech and Endless Possibilities
It’s only recently that tech has evolved to the point to make such immersive experiences possible.
“The sheer file size and quality of the media moving through the VR workflow pushes most available technologies to the limit,” said Velhal. “While the vast majority of existing pre- and post-production processes have been optimized for standard HD and 4K media, the 360-degree immersive VR format has to work with media that is exponentially larger in size, higher in resolution and performs complex operation on that media.”
With its tech expertise and data capabilities, Velhal said Intel is poised to play a significant role in the growing field of VR cinema.
As the technology continues to evolve, content creators will have the opportunity to create virtual realities on par with a Star Trek holodeck.
“The future of cinematic VR will be totally immersive,” said Velhal. “Multiple sensory experiences will keep on improving in quality, while the line between the real and virtual worlds will continue to blur.”
Source: IQ