Why Virtual Reality excited this young filmmaker, who is now going places with VR
- Samyuktha K
- Jul 13, 2017
- 3 min read
A young Indian filmmaker's three Virtual Reality films, including Bollywood's first ever VR talkie featuring Radhika Apte, were screened in London Indian Film Festival (LIFF). Sairam Sagiraju's tryst with VR which lead to years of efforts into drawing up content for this latest technology began with something as simple as a short animation of a dinosaur. Today the Bengaluru boy and co-founder of Meraki VR Studio is ecstatic to be one of the first generation of VR filmmakers and to contribute to the medium's grammar. He tells us what's the future of VR in India and what exactly it means to the filmmakers and answers other big 'Why' questions.
I had my first Virtual Reality (VR) experience in 2015 with a rather short and simple animation of a dinosaur. It felt so real that I got hooked! I began exploring storytelling specifically for an immersive experience for VR. The reason I've been at it for almost two years now is simply because VR throws a lot of challenges at a filmmaker. And today after the LIFF honour, I can say that to be a part of the first group of VR filmmakers and to contribute to the medium's grammar is truly gratifying.
With VR, filmmakers now more than ever need to go back to the drawing board. Visual art has had a tradition of using a frame and a surface, be it film, painting or photography. Here's a medium that is taking you inside the frame so that you can inhabit the space that a creator has imagined.
Why VR is drawing inspiration from theater more than movies...
To tell a story in VR, a creator must ideate keeping in mind the space, which is why we borrow some elements from theater. Traditional film-making is used to the concept of cuts and close ups which is not normal to the human eye. Our eyes don't zoom, do they? When a close up of a face was first used in cinema, the audience thought the head was cut. We have gotten used to and accepted this grammar over the decades.
Why businesses are lapping up VR...
Meraki's worked with several Fortune 500 companies to bolster their business using VR. An IT major that used to fly down existing and prospective clients now gives them a virtual inspection of their facilities using VR. Similarly, a leading jewelry brand gives its customers a virtual walk-through of their manufacturing facility. Our VR solution has helped them cut costs resulting from flying their valued customers to the manufacturing facility.
Why people should get used to having VR around...
VR is a very big ecosystem of which films and entertainment are a small part. Coupled with Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality, the technology could replace phones and change the way we work. The virtual and the real world will blend seamlessly to enable us to transition between work and 'life' seamlessly. The fate of this technology in India is linked to the technological advancements in the west.
Although VR will not replace existing film mediums like 2D but will be niche area for filmmakers, VR is seeing some great content creation that's pushing the boundaries of imagination. It would be sad for both the audience and the creators if works of art aren't consumed and appreciated. One cannot force a population to adopt any technology. However, time and necessity will force people to, like in the case of smartphones.
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