“Thursday Millennials” Event Report
Reality or Super-Reality? Ultra-Immersive VR Drama Experience
Thursday, June 21. An ultra-immersive VR drama experience was provided at the “Thursday Millennials” event with the support of Toboggan Inc. The participants experienced the Hollywood born VR drama, “Dinner Party,” and Kaz Shinagawa, CEO of Toboggan Inc. presented his thoughts on the present and future of VR.
Is the world we see in VR all just a dream? Or is it in fact, reality?
◆Kaz Shinagawa
Creative Producer / Executive Producer
Toboggan’s Tokyo CEO built his producing career in Los Angeles, where he was the founder of Kaz Coordination Inc. Trusted as an artist and executive on both sides of the Pacific, Kaz is in business to make the impossible possible.（https://tobogganz.com/）
What is VR?
VR (Virtual Reality) enables users to experience and interact with a 3D world generated by computer through a display and some form of input tracking. Typically a head-mounted display (HMD) which is split at the eyes are used to create a stereoscopic 3D effect with stereo sound and together with input tracking, it creates an immersive, believable experience. The level of immersion differs according to the precision of the device used, but with Toboggan Inc., anyone can get the chance to try on the highest quality VR machines!
Why VR? There are worlds and experiences that only VR can make believe.
“The ability to view a 360° world liberates people from the limitation of ‘watching’ something.” Says, Kaz.
Having a clear view even after turning around physically, is something that the conventional 180° audiovisual technology could not offer. In the real world, we can actually feel what is happening around us even if it’s out of our vision. In the VR experience, participants were able to “feel” the virtual world surrounding them. This entire “experience” that exceeds “watching” may be the true gem VR offers to its users.
Furthermore, this drama is designed so that even if the user is not looking at the main storyline, there are other interesting things around them to see. That is indeed what VR experiences can offer. Having a world that is visible 360° provides users the freedom to see what they want to look at, which may change their entire experience.
VR developers sometimes even design the trace of gaze of the users to provide the right experience.
Kaz states that, “Even with the same script and theatricals, the outcome may differ greatly between a movie and VR.”
Japonism of VR contents trending in Japan
So what do current VR trends look like?
Kaz raised that there is a difference between contents trending within Japan vs the rest of the world.
In Japan, an anime VR content, “One Room,” has attracted much attention and its sequel is currently on air. This VR content allows users to experience living with a virtual character, while immersing themselves in the Japanese lifestyle culture.
Kaz defines this kind of content to be the attribute of VR which brings something that doesn’t exist in the real world, to life. He analyzes that this is similar in context to contents such as Miku Hatsune, Noh performances and Rakugo storytelling — All a product of the uniquely high-context culture of Japan.
On the other hand, overseas markets (especially in the US) are focusing on duplicating the real world in VR with extreme reality. The VR drama presented at this event, “DINNER PARTY” was at least no less than real to the participants.
Kaz’s summarized this beautifully. “The difference in VR use may be simply, whether you want to pursue turning dreams into a super-reality or to deliver a reality as real as possible.”
Turning “behind-the-scenes” into content with a 360° vision
VR is applicable to many things, but some content, such as current TV programs, may be difficult to turn into VR in its current format.
This is mainly because there are things that TV program producers prefer to hide. Backstage elements such as prompters for variety shows and stage sets for example, can no longer be hidden in a 360° VR environment.
However, I personally thought this might be an opportunity. What if these we intentionally expose these “behind-the-scene” elements as entertainment content? This may become another unique experience that can only be consumed through VR.
VR Drama Experience, “DINNER PARTY”
Moving onto the main part of the event, the VR drama experience, “DINNER PARTY.” The moment we put on the head-mounted display, we were immersed in the world of the drama.
At the introduction, the program was designed to make us look down at the floor and we all physically had our heads turned down. Considering the fact that visual contents were always in front of us, this was most likely my first experience facing downwards to see some computer generated content.
Going beyond sight and sound, I found the VR enabled me to enter deeply into the world of “DINNER PARTY.”
The story is based on a kidnapping incident that really happened in 1961. We first hear the victim’s recorded voice talking of the incident under hypnosis, then we experience what had just been said. There was intensity in the character’s eyes and tangible suspense in the air.
As Kaz promised, VR provided an experience that exceeded visual information, stimulating all senses in the body.
The future of VR
VR will most likely going expand into all types of entertainment content, from delivering a non-reality in super-reality through to live broadcasting of the Olympics with intense reality. Currently VR is used in many different applications — simulations of natural disasters and evacuation exercises, inspections of real estate property even before building, previews of overseas travel, employee trainings, seeing world-class fashion shows by the catwalk or simulation of surgeries.
The strongest attribute of VR is that it provides a full body experience, exceeding the conventional audiovisual experience. Creators will develop more and more contents that only can be fully potentialized with VR. Stories that change according to what the user sees and hears, reproduction of reality such as live performances, simulation experiences. The supply for VR contents will definitely increase, but will VR be accepted by the mases?
Reflecting on my reaction, this was my first VR experience with a head-mounted display. It was an unfamiliar feeling to see a completely different world to where I usually am, regardless of where I turned my head. I actively explored the world around me, but I had to make a conscious effort to physically move my sight around or else I would have probably looked at the same space in front of me, just like I do in traditional viewing of audiovisuals.
The normal audience, such as myself, may take some time adapting to this whole concept of having a 360 vision that offers a unique experience to each user. However, it is not hard to imagine that VR will continue to offer a completely new spectrum of entertainment of the senses to the world.
Toboggan Inc.
https://tobogganz.com/
Founded in 2010, Toboggan offers a broad range of services including movie production, advertising/promotional content planning and PR at an international scale. Toboggan provides global quality work leveraging its extensive world-wide connections.
