Cinematic Virtual Reality

With reference to traditional film theory and frameworks drawn from fields suchas screenwriting studies and anthropology, this book explores the challenges andopportunities for both practitioners and viewers offered by the 360-degreestorytelling form. It focuses on cinematic virtual reality (CVR), a format thatinvolves immersive, high quality, live action or computer-generated imagery (CGI)that can be viewed through head mounted display (HMD) goggles or via onlineplatforms such as YouTube. This format has surged in popularity in recent yearsdue to the release of affordable high quality omnidirectional (360-degree)cameras and consumer grade HMDs. The book interrogates four key concepts forthis emerging medium: immersion, presence, embodiment and proximity throughan analysis of innovative case studies and with reference to practitionerinterviews. In doing so, it highlights the specificity of the format and provides acritical account of practitioner approaches to the concept development, writingand realisation of short narrative CVR works. The book concludes with an accountof the author's practice-led research into the form, providing a valuable exampleof creative practice in the field of immersive media.