Condition One, a developer of mobile software that allows user interaction with video playback (you control the camera angle), has announced that it's begun development of the world's first 3D, 360 degree movie where the viewer will be able to decide where they look at all times, thanks to its compatibility with the Oculus Rift.
Called Zero Point, the film is focused on the pioneering developers of the technology, following the researchers and developers as they build on the original Rift and develop it into a virtual reality experience generator. It will be broadcast to the viewers in full stereoscopic 3D, with a 360 degrees virtual screen.
“Our software is capable of projecting high-resolution video at high frame rates into a full virtual sphere, with stereoscopic images and full head tracking,” said Condition One via its blog (thanks PCGamesN). This creates a powerful sense of being inside the video – giving the viewer an unparalleled sense of scale and depth as they look around. It’s like sitting in a 3D IMAX theater, except the screen surrounds you on all sides. We hope to help pioneer a new era of virtual reality through advanced graphics engineering and content innovation.”
Of course this sort of thing will be perfect with the documentary/movie that Condition One is looking at making. For a traditional movie it might be harder, but I'd love to see the results. Horror movies could turn on the viewer, with characters suddenly breaking the 4th wall in a new fashion – attacking the viewer, or at least acknowledging their prescence.
KitGuru Says: A horror movie where you can look wherever you want could be pretty terrifying. Imagine looking away during a death scene only to look back and find the supernatural ghost, girl, thing standing right in-front of you staring at the “camera.”