HTC Vive Studios releases its first feature film in virtual reality

I have played with different virtual reality (VR) headsets over the years. The content I saw and interacted with, however, was brand new. It was really cool, but not cool enough to make me want to invest in hardware or cool enough to give me confidence in VR as a concept that has lasted. It sounded a lot like the insane hype around 3D technologies – which never lived up to expectations and is practically dead at this point. A new VR feature film from HTC Vive Studios is the type of content that can differentiate VR and deliver value beyond being a fun party conversation starter.

‘7 Miracles’, an award-winning film at the 2018 Raindance Film Festival, is an immersive virtual reality adaptation of the Seven Miracles of Jesus Christ recounted in the Gospel of John. Combining these well-known myths with cutting-edge filming technologies allows the film to deliver a unique experience of the parables that could define a new generation of feature films.

About “7 miracles”

The film was shot in Rome and Matera, places where blockbusters like Ben Hur and The Passion of Christ were filmed. The VR movie was produced by Enzo Sisti (Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Passion of the Christ) and Joel Breton of Vive Studios (Pirates of the Caribbean video game, Unreal video game, Anno 1602 video game, Terrarria video Game).

‘7 Miracles’ is a 7-part episodic feature film that totals 70 minutes of content, making it Vive Studios’ first full-length cinematic experience. This is the first in a series of similar films currently slated to focus on different historical figures.

The team harnessed cutting-edge VR capture technology – photogrammetry and volumetric video capture – to produce a 360-degree experience in 8k resolution. The result connects the audience to the events of the story and makes viewers feel like they are there in this ancient environment. The effect makes the audience feel like they are part of the story and interact with the characters in the story.

Create an immersive VR experience

I had the opportunity to speak with Enzo Sisti, one of the producers of ‘7 Miracles’, about the effort involved in creating a feature film in virtual reality and the difference between the experience and the work on blockbuster productions like Wonder Woman. He told me that there was no significant difference in the execution of the shoot and the production of a film between a big budget film or a low budget or independent film.

Sisti said his part in making the film is similar to his work on other projects: picking locations, building sets to provide the artistic vision he has in mind. He told me that the biggest differences with a project like ‘7 Miracles’ actually happen in post-production.

However, there are also differences with the actual filming. On a normal set, everything happens in front of the camera, but when you’re shooting 360 degrees you have to find creative ways to hide everyone and everything, so that they don’t show up in the shot. People and equipment that cannot be hidden should be edited in post-production.

Sisti described how they often included the film crew as extras in the crowd, putting them in costume to blend in with the shot. This allowed them to have someone among the cast to give direction and tell people what to do while being in the shot, and also provided the opportunity to have the unique perspective of the shots from. the crowd.

Discover “7 miracles”

‘7 Miracles’ is available now on Google Play and Viveport. Myths of Jesus isn’t my top choice for content, but they are entertaining stories told in an epic way. Either way, ‘7 Miracles’ demonstrates what is possible. I would like to see more compelling stories like The Da Vinci Code or The Martian with immersive 360-degree VR treatment.