a16z Podcast

a16z Podcast: Writing a New Language of Storytelling with Virtual Reality

Dec 18, 2015
Chris Milk, a filmmaker and founder of Vrse, discusses the transformative power of virtual reality, calling it the "ultimate empathy machine." He explores how VR can create deep emotional connections and transport viewers to new experiences. Milk dives into the psychological impact of VR, revealing how it can evoke instinctive human reactions. He also examines the future of storytelling in VR, emphasizing its potential for immersive narratives and shared experiences that redefine traditional cinema. Get ready to see storytelling in a whole new light!
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INSIGHT

A New Language For Storytelling

  • Virtual reality requires a new storytelling language rather than copying film grammar.
  • Creators are still discovering basic narrative rules and what VR uniquely enables.
INSIGHT

VR's Default Is Belief, Not Distance

  • First-person, high-intensity mechanics often feel wrong in VR because you inhabit the body.
  • Calmer, steadier perspectives work better than violent, close-range interactions.
ANECDOTE

UN Films Put Viewers Inside Crises

  • Vrse partnered with the United Nations to place viewers inside humanitarian situations like a Syrian refugee camp.
  • Their first film followed 12-year-old Sidra who fled through the desert and now lives in a camp in Jordan.
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