In Virtual Reality, the story is King

As an eminent audiophile once told me, “The problem with all the new technology is that people listen to the equipment, not the music.” It was a fair point and one that could equally be applied to the growth of virtual reality. In our desire to show-off the tech, it’s too easy to lose sight of the story. 

Across the world, there’s an undeniable demand for VR content in its many forms. Over the past couple of months, the Gaucho team has produced, directed or presented 360 shoots on two continents and in three countries. We’ve raced a car, skied with a pro, tested a Ferrari, watched the sun set over Malibu and even directed a travel film in Mandarin, which was certainly an experience.

Each shoot has brought its own challenges and key learnings. Everyone is still experimenting with the genre and anyone who professes to be expert is an only an expert blagger. Most of the solutions are Heath Robinson at best, but that’s part of the fun. Mental agility is more important than ever. 

For the first time we really do have eyes in the back of our head. We can put you in the passenger seat of a race car as thirty gladiators attack the first corner; we can take you to the Alps and hang you from a chairlift; we can transport you to Trafalgar Square and show you Big Ben and the National Gallery in a single shot. The VR technology can both inform and enhance the storytelling and it's developing at an exponential rate.

But it can also be used to produce a film remarkable only for its tedium. The presumption that slipping on a new-fangled VR headset will instantly make the story more interesting is inherently false. To borrow from my audiophile friend, we are assuming that everyone will be so wowed by the tech that they’ll ignore the paucity of the tune. 

If anything, virtual reality is even more demanding of the storyteller than a traditional film. Each shot is longer and more deliberate. Very little can be ‘saved in the edit’ by a clever cutaway or a fancy effect – you’re in the moment, whether you like it or not. The pressure on the director, camera operator and presenter to deliver on location has only increased, likewise the art department, lighting and sound. If the storyboard hasn’t been nailed before you shout ‘action’, the potential for disaster is huge.

At its best, virtual reality can add tremendous value to the user experience. There’s an immediacy and an intimacy that can’t be matched by conventional techniques. The ability to give someone an ‘experience’ is unmatched, but that experience needs to be fulfilling. For all the talk of stereoscoptic cameras and ambisonics, the old rules still apply. If an idea doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter which reality you’re in. As always, technology is no substitute for story.

Alistair Weaver is the CEO of Gaucho Productions. Find out more at gauchoproductions.com