Company
Penrose Studio
Software
Unreal Engine
Timing
5-10 minutes
Narration
No narration, just music, sound effects and “hmms ” and “humms,” anyone can understand the story based on the visuals and choreography.
Subtitles
The is a beautiful title and text which is typographic and magical, the credit text is 2d and flat in the immersive world, but subdued lighting, so the focus is clearly on the text which is highly stylised.
Story Arch
The Socrates Method with a very simple story of a lonely guy on a planet who discovers a rose. It happens in one view where you can see everything in a kind of “space.” We see a day go by.
Cinematography
This was all Gaming environments with a bit of CGI animation. It was highly illustrative in the looks/the planets were stylised and the color palette was refined as it would be in a beautiful story. The lighting was incredible and the contrast of day and evening scenes were so well done and highly effective. The use of particles as snow and debris was also used and a good edition for filming.
Framing
Only one very full shot, you saw a little solar system, the characters were quite small and moved about one planet which was directly in front of you. It was as if you were standing in a diorama as a giant. What was a bit remarkable was that the characters (this boy and a rose) appeared very clearly, despite their small size.
Color Palette
Full colour, but selective in the illustrative art direction and lighting. It was like a stop motion film, such as the Boxcars film.
Composition
It was a full scenography, like a theatre set, designed with 360 environments and also above and below. It was unique in that there was no direct horizon line, but as if you were floating in space.
Point of View
The user is a bystander floating in space, we aren’t acknowledged or a part of the narrative.
Looking Around
The user can interact with the scene moving in a real space to see from different angles, but the story happens mostly in front, so you end up not moving much. In the very beginning, before the story begins, we watch a planet move overhead which helps you look about the space and understand your bearings before the characters appear.
Storytelling
It’s a linear story and you don’t have a role in how you experience it. The introduction is quite nice as it is a collage of music, setting up a nostalgic and jazzy atmosphere, which was very interesting to set the space.
Sound
Sound is 3d with a soundtrack and sound effects, the music was composed for the story and works incredibly well because there is a well developed soundtrack. The intro and ending start with a black scene with music collaged and playing snippets, like the tuning on a radio. It’s very nice.
EEL VR Storytelling Research 