A detailed presentation on Cinematic VR (Fiction/Narrative Storytelling in 360VR) and what India's only lab is doing to ensure that we train & educate both students and the industry in Cinematic VR!

1. CINEMATIC VR

2. IMMERSION

3. SENSES
◻ How many senses do humans have?
◻ The obvious answer is five: SIGHT, hearing,
touch, smell & taste.
◻ But in reality, there are 27.
◻ In addition to the above-mentioned 5 key
senses, there are:
¤ Perception-based senses (Non-organ
based)
¤ Organ based senses
◻ Perception based senses
(non-organ based)
¤ Time
¤ Agency (control)
¤ Familiarity
¤ Sensing gravity

4. SENSES
◻ Organ Based Senses
¤ Balance
¤ Temperature
¤ Proprioception (Kinesthetic sense)
¤ Pain
¤ Sexual stimulation
¤ Hunger
¤ Thirst
¤ Breathing
¤ Suffocation
◻ Organ Based Senses
¤ Intoxication
¤ Vasodilation (Blushing)
¤ Digestion
¤ Swallowing / Vomiting
¤ Gagging
¤ Urination
¤ Vasodilation caused Pain
¤ Cardioception
¤ UV Radiation Detection

5. And…
◻ IMMERSION
While it has not yet been ‘officially’ identified as a sense, the impact of immersion on
other senses (that it has the ability to overpower many other senses) has caused several
scientists to treat immersion as a sense. Further, science has yet to classify it on a
perception / organ scale.
◻ Two ways of being Immersed:
¤ Physical Immersion / Technical Immersion
¤ Cognitive Immersion
■ Spatial Immersion
■ Temporal Immersion
■ Spacio-Temporal Immersion
■ Emotional Immersion

6. AR/VR/MR/XR
DON’T GET LOST IN THE JARGON

7. VR, AR, MR

8. CINEMATIC VR
FICTION/NARRATIVE STORYTELLING IN 360VR

9. Approaching Cinematic VR
◻ Technology
◻ Business
◻ Content
and finally,
◻ Problem Solving

10. Technology

11. The Gartner Hype Curve for Emerging Technologies - 2017

12. The Gartner Hype Curve for Emerging Technologies - 2018
Virtual Reality is not an
‘emerging’ technology
anymore, but one that has
‘emerged’.
Neither is it ‘hype’
anymore.

13. VR
The Dunning-Kruger Effect

14. Tech Pipeline – Starting to fall into place
Acquisition Production / Post-
production
Distribution Playback / Viewing
Cameras with 2-16
sensors/lenses
In-camera
stabilisation
• Stitching – both
local & cloud
• Edit + Effects
• Finishing /
exporting to
required format
• Stereoscopic /
monoscopic
• Tethered to
server
• Download video
& playback
• Streaming
Head Mounted Displays:
• Headsets for cellphones
• Google Daydream
• HTC Vive
• HTC Vive Pro
• Oculus Rift
• Oculus Go
• Samsung VR Gear
• Sony PS VR
Inside-out 360deg displays

15. Business

16. VR – Users

17. VR – Revenue

18. There is consumer interest in VR content
.
Source: 2018 VR/AR Consumer Study
Note: data through April 4, 2018

19. VR Business Models
Low Volume High Volume
Low
Value
High
Value
Tethered
HMDs
Location-Based VR experiences
Wireless
connected
HMDs
Mobile + Headset
Home-based Seated /
Multi-sensory experiences

20. Content Format/Structure/Experience

21. VR Content Structure – Question to be solved…
Film / Theatrical TV Digital VR/AR
Platform
Viewing Details
Fixed frame, large screen,
2D & 3D,
Captive Community
viewing
Fixed frame, small screen,
2D, Non-captive Family
viewing
Fixed frame, mini screen,
2D,
Non-captive Individual
viewing
No fixed frame
(FRAMELESS), 2D & 3D,
Captive Individual viewing
Duration &
Structure
110-180 mins
60-100 scenes
1-8 shots / scene
22–44 mins
8-10 scenes
1-20 shots / scene
3–60 mins
2-20 scenes
1-4 shots / scene
??? (60secs - 60mins)
(15 mins – health advisory
for mobile-based VR)
Fiction Content
Structure
Primarily stand-alone,
marginally serial
Primarily serial, marginally
stand-alone
Equal amount of stand-
alone & serial content
???
(expected to be similar to
Digital)
USP
Larger Than Life,
Audio-visual narrative
spectacle
Appointment Viewing,
Story & Character
development
Individuality,
High concept, writing-
focused, pace is critical
???
(Immersive & interactive is
all we know currently)

22. VR Content Experience – to simplify
Image courtesy Nick Bicanic - Founder RVLVR & member of the WW VR Lab’s advisory board

23. VR Content – Production Complexity

24. Problem Solving

25. Problems to solve in VR
◻ Standards

26. Global Best Practices – The VRIF
◻ The VRIF (VR Industry Forum) is a global collective of the leading organisations in VR.
◻ The VRIF’s goal is ‘to further the widespread availability of high quality audiovisual VR
experiences, for the benefit of consumers.’
◻ The VRIF is working to establish guidelines for Security, Interoperability, Distribution &
Production of VR content
◻ WWI is a member of the VRIF (the only organisation from India) and is a member of the
Production Guidelines Task Force.

27. VRIF Members

28. Problems to solve in VR
◻ Standards – VRIF
◻ Security – Quality of HMDs / 3DoF v 6DoF

29. Degrees of Freedom

30. Problems to solve in VR
◻ Standards – VRIF
◻ Security – Quality of HMDs / 3DoF v 6DoF
◻ Acquisition – Cameras / Data management

31. Problems to solve in VR
◻ Standards – VRIF
◻ Security – Quality of HMDs / 3DoF v 6DoF
◻ Acquisition – Cameras / Data management
◻ Computing Requirements – On-set / Post-prodn

32. Problems to solve in VR
◻ Standards – VRIF
◻ Security – Quality of HMDs / 3DoF v 6DoF
◻ Acquisition – Cameras / Data management
◻ Computing Requirements – On-set / Post-prodn
◻ File Formats, Workflow & Distribution – OMAF / Pipeline

33. The File Formats, Workflow & Distribution Solution – OMAF
Reception of Full 360
Latency
Needs 20ms
photon to motion
latency
Low Latency
Low Bitrate
Bitrate
High
Latency
Very low
latency
requirement
for Viewport
only
Very high
bitrates for
Full 360
SweetSpot
Viewport++
ViewportFull 360 Image
12% - 14%Viewport
High Bitrate
Reception of a
Viewport only
Viewport + extra
33

34. Problems to solve in VR
◻ Standards – VRIF
◻ Security – Quality of HMDs / 3DoF v 6DoF
◻ Acquisition – Cameras / Data management
◻ Computing Requirements – On-set / Post-prodn
◻ File Formats, Workflow & Distribution – OMAF / Pipeline / Quality of HMDs
◻ Awareness – Industry / Brands
◻ Content & Content Creators

35. © Felix & Paul Studios Do not photograph, do not distribute

36. Problems to solve in VR
◻ Standards – VRIF
◻ Security – Quality of HMDs / 3DoF v 6DoF
◻ Acquisition – Cameras / Data management
◻ Computing Requirements – On-set / Post-prodn
◻ File Formats, Workflow & Distribution – OMAF / Pipeline / Quality of HMDs
◻ Awareness – Industry / Brands
◻ Content & Content Creators
WWI’s focus

37. THE
Creating a VR-ready India!

38. Vision & Mission
Vision
The Whistling Woods JIO Virtual Reality Lab will work with all stakeholders – Digital Content
platforms, Technology Creators, Content Creators, Viewers & the Indian Film & Media
industry, to ensure the proliferation of VR as the 4th platform in India & globally.
Mission (2018-2021)
The Whistling Woods JIO Virtual Reality Lab’s goal is to educate the first generation of
Cinematic VR content creators for the
Indian Media & Entertainment industry.

39. The Whistling Woods JIO VR Lab
◻ Why a Lab ?
¤ Fiction / narrative content / experiences for VR at a nascent stage. No
creation guidelines (curriculum) for the same exists.
¤ Whistling Woods alumni are Film-ready, TV-ready & OTT-ready. We
now want to make them VR-ready as well.
¤ If we have to do the same, we have to write the curriculum for
Cinematic VR.

40. The Whistling Woods JIO VR Lab
◻ Activities:
1. Bring in the infrastructure, education, & training to create Cinematic VR content.
2. Undertake multiple iterations for VR fiction filmmaking.
3. Distill best practices from them to lay-down curriculum for Cinematic VR.
4. Repeat 1-3.
◻ Goal:
¤ Curriculum for fiction / narrative content creation in 360VR.
¤ Educate & train Whistling Woods students and industry professionals.
¤ Build industry awareness for Cinematic VR.

41. The WWI JIO Virtual Reality Lab – Areas of Activity
The Lab’s key activities:
◻ Creating an always-current Tech Pipeline in VR
◻ Industry outreach – Advisory Board
◻ Understanding Global Best Practices
◻ Educational Outreach
◻ Academic Guidelines / Framework (Curriculum) creation, by iterative
content creation in 360VR with close academic supervision.

42. The WWI JIO VR Lab partners
many more in conversation…

43. The WWI JIO VR Lab Advisory Board
◻ VR fiction commercial content / Technology creators & enablers:
¤ Ravindra Velhal – Head of Intel VR
¤ Chris Bobotis – Head of Immersive, Adobe
¤ Lewis Smithingham – VR Filmmaker & President, 30 Ninjas
¤ Nick Bicanic – VR Filmmaker & Founder, RVLVR
¤ Clyde D’Souza – Realvision Dubai
¤ Zain Memon – Memesys Culture Lab
¤ Karan Butani – The Rumour Project
... Many more in the pipeline…
* In conversation, yet to be finalised

44. Global Best Practices – Workshops
Hands-on workshops
with our Advisory
Board members &
other partners for
technical and creative
aspects of Cinematic
VR.

45. Educational Outreach
A series of
monthly/bi-
monthly
seminar-
workshops -
24 seminars
planned from
2018-2021.

46. Educational Outreach
Hands-on
workshops with
the Indian Film &
Media industry
on technical and
creative aspects
of Cinematic VR.

47. Content Creation & Academics
◻ The Lab will produce multiple VR
fiction shorts with industry
professionals, WWI students &
alumni, with detailed academic
oversight.
◻ Distill best practices & start
laying down curriculum for
Cinematic VR.
◻ Incorporate it in the WWI
filmmaking programs; make all
WWI graduates VR-ready.

48. WHERE ARE WE NOW?

49. VR Content ‘guidelines’: What do we know, What have we learnt?
◻ There are only 5 rules:
¤ Don’t bore people – ‘experience’ without anything else is pointless
¤ Don’t confuse people – VR content is not a treasure hunt
¤ Don’t give people whiplash – Keep it contextually 360deg but content-wise
between 160-210deg.
¤ Don’t make people vomit
¤ Backup your Data – Coz there’s LOADS of it

50. VR Content ‘guidelines’: What do we know, What have we learnt?
◻ A VR 'film' is actually an experience of which the Story, Visuals, Sound, Immersion
& Interactivity are all parts.
◻ Cinematic grammar needs to be re-written given frameless / immersive content.
◻ A deeper study of Immersion is needed by the filmmaker.
◻ Directing Attention is the new craft to be learnt by the filmmaker.
◻ Solving people’s FOMO is the big challenge.
◻ Think of why & how you would look at something. Replicate the same in your film.
◻ The viewers eyes are your viewfinder & your frame
◻ Every VR shot is a VFX shot.
Much much more to come...

51. WHAT NEXT?

52. VR Business Models
Low Volume High Volume
Low
Value
High
Value
Tethered
HMDs
Location-Based VR experiences
Wireless
connected
HMDs
Mobile + Headset
Home-based Seated /
Multi-sensory experiences

53. Cinematic VR’s expected journey from 2019-2022
◻ Widespread fiction narrative interactive immersive content – in all the business models.
◻ First generation of Cinematic VR content creators to emerge. (If everything goes well at
the Lab, by 2020-21)
◻ Increased Festival inclusion, dedicated VR film festivals.
◻ Tech pipeline to get better:
¤ High quality, film-grade sensors, cinematic lenses, 6 DoF, VolCap, Point Cloud & Photogrammetry
¤ Stabilisation of VR workflow using the OMAF / HEVC / MPEG-H codecs
¤ Adequate computing & graphic computing power
¤ HMDs to get better – 4k / wireless / nearly-weightless
¤ 5G for High Quality Streaming
◻ And…
¤ Complete Sensory Experiences with Brain-Computer interface / haptic suits
¤ Alternate world habitation (Staramba) – Ugh!

54. THANK YOU
Chaitanya Chinchlikar
Lab Head, Whistling Woods JIO VR Lab
Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Whistling Woods International
chaitanya.c@whistlingwoods.net