BEIJING (AP) – Critically acclaimed Chinese director Jia Zhangke says he will make a virtual reality film next year with a romantic story as he and viewers get used to the new medium, and declared: “I think VR is going to be the next big thing.”
The director, better known for films that depict China’s social changes and acts of violence, told The Associated Press that the short film would be a gentle romance as “it takes time for people to feel comfortable” in virtual reality.
“The speed and direction of movements may make people feel physically uncomfortable, so we’re starting with a romantic story,” he said in an interview.
Virtual reality entertainment consists largely of video games, but film festivals are starting to showcase VR films as directors venture into the new medium. It offers a much more solitary experience compared to watching a movie in a packed theater.
VR requires a headset that blocks out your surroundings and lets you wander through a story in a different world – either by moving a few steps in various directions or sitting on a swivel chair and moving your body to look around a 360-degree scene.