Virtual Reality (VR) can be used for many things and in many different ways; for work, for entertainment and for education. One aspect that continues to be investigated is VR’s capacity as a creative medium for the cinema, and as recently as yesterday VRFocus brought you news of Steven Spielberg’s opinions on the matter via comments made as the legendary director presented Ready Player One at San Diego Comic-Con. A film that actually focuses on VR but as its use as a means for people to escape a dystopian future world.
Spielberg is not the first Hollywood representative to be active in VR or comment on VR’s potential role in the industry and he won’t be the last either. As revealed today was that American film director, and man responsible (in full or in part) for some of the special effects in a variety of classic science fiction movies, Douglas Trumbull, would be the guest of a keynote fireside discussion at Future of Immersive Leisure (FOIL). Trumbull, who directed the film Silent Running and contributed effects to films such as Blade Runner, the first Star Trek film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and Spielberg’s own Close Encounters of the Third Kind will be “Taking A Wide Angle View Of Next-Generation Immersive Entertainment” at the event taking place in Las Vegas from September 13-14th 2017.
Trumbull will be bound to have some interesting views on VR, having previously worked on interactive theatre simulators and served as Vice Chairman of the IMAX Corporation, a firm which already has a number of ties to the VR industry. Trumbull also worked with Universal to develop the iconic theme park ride for Back to the Future and Trumbull’s own company Trumbull Studios has already revealed details they will be utilizing immersive technologies in their new MAGI cinematic format, which will no doubt be discussed in-depth during the fireside which will be conducted by VRFocus‘ own Kevin Williams.
VRFocus is a media partner for FOIL and will be bringing you more news and updates about the conference in the run-up to its debut.