6. Framing in VR

“Cinematic grammar no longer applies. There is no frame in which to compose a shot.” — Andrew Marantz , The New Yorker

It’s not difficult to find quotes like the one above on framing in VR. This idea ties directly into the thinking that VR filmmaking requiring ‘a new paradigm in storytelling’. Again, this is simply not true.

Framing is nothing more than composition, and clearly, there is composition taking place in any image, spherical or otherwise. Yes, in terms of VR, this frame is adjustable by the viewer — but still, it is certainly there.

Filmmakers working in VR can use framing to their advantage to better engage the viewer, especially by utilizing Zero as well as blocking. As a quick example, let’s approach a common scene found in cinema: two people sitting at a table, talking.

To avoid people having to make sense of my stick-figure storyboards, I’m going to pull frames from Llewyn Davis. Here is our opening shot, this frame is easily achievable in VR by using Zero, and placing the VR camera-rig far enough away to achieve a medium of the two characters.

Let’s treat this as a one-shot — our wide will slowly push forward as the two characters talk. Now, because our frame (or FOV) is limited, once the camera has tracked forward enough, the viewer will not be able to visually fit both characters with the frame at the same time.

In other words, the filmmaker can ease the viewer into a position where they are required to (slightly) pan their view left and right as the conversation builds between the two characters.

Now, to emphasis an emotional beat, the camera-rig could slowly track away from, in this example, Llewyn, taking away the viewer’s access or ability to read both character’s facial expressions. This composition focuses the viewer on one person over the other through framing and camera position.

Framing is just as useful and unavoidable in VR filmmaking as it is in traditional cinema. I use the word ‘unavoidable’ because the moment you hit record, you’ve made a decision in composition, it’s simply a matter of you, as a VR filmmaker, making the most of that composition.