At this year’s Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, I had the opportunity to dive into a wealth of different virtual reality experiences. And without a doubt, Wolves in the Walls was one of my favorites of the show. The VR animated film boasts such involved dramaturgy that I felt compelled to dedicate three whole articles to the subject. While the first focuses on interactivity in general, this second one will take a closer look at specific interactions. In it, we will discover the crucial role immersive theater plays in the making of this masterpiece.
Game
Virtual Reality is a game medium. Whenever a game features lots of story and little shooting, you can find it here.
Wolves in the Walls: Interactivity Reimagined
One long year, I waited, and I hoped: when will I be able to see it? And where? For Wolves in the Walls promised nothing short of greatness. I finally got the chance to try the VR experience for myself at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. Not only that: after the fact, I sat down with the producer, Jessica Shamash, and the director, Pete Billington, who let me in on some of their secrets. This article is the first in a series revolving around the project that holds such importance for storytellers.
What Distinguishes an Interactive VR Film from a VR Game?
Interaction in virtual reality films: wouldn’t that be a VR game? Why even is interaction an issue? I gave the topic some thought and browsed through some of my clever books. Beware, things get a bit theoretical here. So, let’s go: where does VR film end and the VR game begin?