Future of StoryTelling (FoST) Behind the Curtain of The Wizard of Oz at Sphere — Carolyn Blackwood and Ben Grossmann
Dec 4, 2025
Carolyn Blackwood, studio leader who produced large-scale film and experiential projects, and Ben Grossmann, Oscar- and Emmy-winning VFX and mixed-reality technologist, discuss adapting The Wizard of Oz for a spherical, immersive venue. They cover technical feats like AI upscaling and VFX reconstruction. They also explore rethinking cinematic language for full-surround immersion and layering 4D sensory effects to place audiences inside Oz.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
AI Restores Performance Authenticity
- They used AI models trained on the original film to increase resolution and reconstruct missing visual detail while preserving performances.
- Training on character frames and high-res photos let models extrapolate authentic-looking video where footage was blurry or incomplete.
Recompose, Don't Replicate Cinematography
- Remove original cinematography constraints when adapting to a spherical screen and reconstruct scenes for the new medium.
- Preserve character performances but recompose shots so they work across a 180-degree immersive field of view.
Audience Placement Replaces The Camera Frame
- Sphere places the audience inside the story by controlling their position and movement rather than framing through a single camera keyhole.
- Designers must guide collective attention gently to avoid physical discomfort from rapid visual motion.
