My animation research has been looking at storytelling and narrative using VR. It’s immersive and presents new and innovative methods of telling narrative. The viewer can play an active role in the story and be part of the adventure by making choices within the narrative. VR also allows the audience to become fully submerged in the actual scene and see the action close up. This is a fairly new method of storytelling although books like Dungeons and Dragons gave readers the option to choose different endings, VR is much more immediate and intimate. This is a fairly new method of storytelling and research is constantly being undertaken into ways of making this more accessible on a larger scale e.g a large audiences watching this at the same time to create a shared experience.
During the construction of this project, I was in regular contact with other VR directors for advice. These included David Johnston at the BBC, Jack Reynolds and Chen Zhilin. There are many things to consider when creating stories in VR. VR directors can’t rely on the usual devices used in film like camera angles and moves. Sound instead becomes a very useful method of guiding your audience through the story
This VR film was created in 2D and 3D animation and it has been made into a game using Unity. This is the beginning of a journey into the possibilities of VR and storytelling.
VR - Discovering New Methods of Narrative
VR is an exciting and new method of storytelling. VR is exciting because the rules are just being discovered and I feel I can have some influence over this new medium.
Inside the VR headset
I put the animation into the game engine to test it. You can see animated hands, and these hands represent your own hands and you can hold and grab objects within the VR environment. Once the hands pick up the right object, the story wil continue.
Character Design 1
The previous design was too complicated so I made the 2D animated characters simplier so that they were more like the 3D characters.
I still made the design drawings with wire, because I think it is better for making CGI models. It can clearly let me see the edges of the model so that I can make the model according to the design drawing.
Character Design 2
2D Animation Design
I created a storyboard for the 2D part of the story. The 2D part gave the backstory of the character and insight into the present day.
The CGI animation
There is not much difference between VRCGI animation and traditional CGI animation. It’s just that the use of the camera in the animation is different. .
