Varoom 35: Virtual Reality

‘I had always believed that my line was fairly regular, but to see the many gestures and marks created in front of me made me realise how diverse the lines are – that they’re only ‘regular’ when viewed from one direction.’ – Roderick Mills on the Google Tilt Brush.

In these extracts from the Varoom 35: Storytelling article, Peter Lyle puts the current fuss around VR into perspective and asks pioneers in the field to share their insight into a medium that may change our experience of storytelling and the commerce that relies on it. Interviews with drawing tutor Roderick Mills, Swiss Design studio Apelab,  illustrator Jan Rothuizen, and an interview by Shane Walter of Felix Massie, CEO of Nexus Productions. The full article is available in Varoom 35: Storytelling.

Every story is a virtual reality. Perhaps that’s a smartarsed, even pedantic, observation to make, but it’s also an important one. Especially at times like these. When creatives, coders, brand-wranglers and customers alike are all getting to know a ‘new’ technology, opportunity and risk lurk round every corner.

Now any story is a virtual reality because a story is something that takes place over chronological time, yet postulates physical space. That’s the wonder of stories: ‘Once Upon A Time’ is a way of admitting your tale is fictional, non-verifiable, but is also an invitation to enter its world anyway.

 

‘I would suggest really thinking about what the content is, why it’s relevant for Virtual Reality, and how you can make it into a fully-fledged experience that is worth paying for. If you can find how to make something unique, that could not be done outside VR I think you make it worth the price of buying all the hardware.’ – Emilie Joly, CEO and co-founder of Apelab

 

 

‘I think in VR (as it is in storytelling in general) it is never so much about what one can see and do but much more about what one can imagine. In the reportage drawings I do of  ‘real’ places I use no colour and little shading – I want the drawings in combination with hand-drawn words to function as a translation of reality.’ – Jan Rothuizen, illustrator. 

 

‘Although it’s a linear story, you feel you have control of the experience by literally being inside a world where your ‘gaze’ can change your perspective every time. Nexus and Massie have wrestled the technological, visual, sound and story possibilities with creative invention to produce a piece of pure disarming charm.’ – Shane Walter on Nexus’ Rain or Shine. 

 

The full article is available in Varoom 35: Storytelling.

Back to News Page

Share