In this article, we will look at the current state of streaming and try to determine if it has resulted in viewers having more or less choice when it comes to accessing their favourite films and TV programmes.

Swimming Through Streaming

The biggest streaming services are currently Netflix (around 232 million subscribers), Amazon Prime Video (over 200 million) and Disney+ (around 146 million).

Other popular services like Max, Paramount+, Hulu, Apple TV+, Starz, Peacock, ITVX and more also have sizable subscriber bases of their own. And more streaming services may be coming further down the line.

Positives

With so many streaming services, each offering original productions and access to a library of classic and modern projects it seems like there is a huge amount of choice available to customers. And there are definitely benefits to the current state of streaming. For example, it ensures many projects are available to wide audiences in accessible ways. And it has encouraged viewers to watch more international media. However, the industry has been accused of using many tactics that have negative consequences for customers.

The Illusion of Choice

The WGA West recently released a report into the anti-competitive practices of the biggest three streaming services. Although some of their critiques also apply to smaller streamers. The document lays out how Disney uses its industry position to constantly acquire new companies (it currently owns the ABC network, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Fox, and a majority stake in Hulu) increasing its market control. Resulting in an overall decrease in media output. It has also withdrawn content it owns from other streaming sites (something other studio-owned streaming sites are now doing). It limited the content shown on its platforms to mostly Disney-owned work. Also as a result of its market dominance, Disney has been able to pressure viewers to accept price hikes to retain access to their platform. 

The document also says Amazon has been able to disadvantage competitors by demanding fees to allow viewers access to their services through their Fire TV platform (one of the leading ways people access streaming). Thus depriving viewers of any choice that would not result in them collecting extra fees.

Netflix through increasingly making self-produced content rather than collaborating with third-party production companies, its acquisition of other production studios (increasing its market share), and its use of power to increase subscription prices while reducing investment in content is increasingly depriving customers of choices regarding projects and access plans.

There are also egregious examples of streaming services cutting content from their libraries. Leaving viewers no way to access them physically or digitally. As well as some companies restricting access to their site by cracking down on password sharing, not exactly providing a great amount of options for viewers.

What This Means?

If all practices outlined in the WGA report are accurate it’s clear that despite the number of streaming services increasing it has done little to give viewers more choice. In fact, it has taken away a lot of choice by restricting access to media, pushing up prices customers pay for access and increasing the subscriptions needed to access the same content.

What was once considered a disruptive distribution model that would give customers convenient access to a diverse array of media is fast becoming a gatekeeping exercise for big companies to retain control of their films at the expense of customers.

Also Read: How the Streaming Revolution Has Fuelled Movie Piracy

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The Boys

The Boys deal with the uncomfortable truth of what superheroes might actually be like, not noble protectors but selfish, careless and cruel people. Take A-Train for example, the fastest man in the world who in the first episode literally runs through someone to Superman-esque Homelander who is about as terrifying as it gets. And these are the “heroes”, not supervillains, loved by the people and celebrated with endorsements, movie deals and more. William Butcher is the self-appointed judge of these superheroes, trying to get the world to realise how dangerous and messed up they are (as well as killing them from time to time). With no superpowers of his own Butcher has to be creative in his methods and many times is not much of a hero himself.

Good Omens

Good Omens was an Amazon-BBC co-production series based on the book of the same name by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. The show revolves around the antichrist, the apocalypse and the coming war between Heaven and Hell but after an administrative error by some satanic nuns the antichrist is misplaced and brought up in a quiet English village. A demon and an angel, who actually quite like Earth and don’t fancy this apocalypse business decide to stop it by raising a morally neutral antichrist but realise they have been watching the wrong child. It is a phenomenal show about friendship, love and the virtuous and vile aspects of humanity, for example, Crowley, the demon, has been tasked on making awful things happen on Earth. But he doesn’t do that, instead simply takes credit for the terrible things humans do without any outside interference. The pair of Crowley (David Tenant) and the angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) is a constant joy before we even get into the witch Agnes Nutter, her descendent Anathema Device, and of course, God, voiced by triple Oscar winner Frances McDormand.

Catastrophe

Catastrophe is a sitcom written by and starring Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney (whilst they are not playing themselves their characters are called Sharon and Rob). Their characters have a brief relationship which results in Sharon becoming pregnant and they decide to get married and raise the child together. The show is hilarious and has an angry edge lacking in most sitcoms, it shows the characters at their worst as well as their moments of kindness and love. They have arguments, unpleasant, fierce arguments where nasty things are said and difficult truths shared, they are shown making mistakes, being selfish, of not being their best. And again, it is hilarious.

The Vast of Night

The Vast of Night is a very clever sci-fi film from a couple of years ago set in 1950s small-town America. A radio producer, Everett, picks up what might be a signal from aliens and he and a telephone operator, Fay try to investigate what’s going on. The film is eerie and unsettling without a great deal of big events happening – this is not Independence Day. The cinematography is amazing and it’s a joy to simply watch fantastic shot after fantastic shot, with painstaking attention to detail to make it appear the 1950s and some spectacular tracking shots that follow the action.

The Big Sick

The Big Sick is based on the real-life relationship of Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon (who wrote the film together and Nanjiani stars in the film, the main characters are called Kumail and Emily) detailing the difficulties of this relationship when Kumail’s family strongly disapprove of him dating someone not of his ethnicity. This problem is brought into sharp focus when the character based on Emily becomes extremely ill, going into a coma, and soon her parents come to help take care of her. With their relationship in a very odd place Kumail is at a loss as to how he should be with Emily’s parents, leading to some fascinating interactions. It’s a touching and very funny film with a great cast but it was a delight to see Emily’s parents played by the legendary Holly Hunter and Ray Romano (having never liked his sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond he is great in this).

Also Read: Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The New Game of Thrones?

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Just over seven years ago Geek and Sundry started streaming a group of people playing D&D, literally, people sat around a table playing the game for about four hours once a week. This show was called Critical Role and was notable for the fact that the cast were professional voice actors (Ashley Johnson played Ellie in The Last of Us for example). Critical Role was spectacularly successful, episodes routinely get over a million views on YouTube – the first episode of season 3 has 5.6 million views. Several years ago the Critical Role team took a gamble and decided to launch a Kickstarter to make an animated adaptation, a purely narrative story and not people playing a game. Their goal was to raise $750,000, they actually raised over $11,000,000. So skip forward several years and The Legend of Vox Machina arrives on Amazon Prime.

The show is twelve episodes detailing two stories from Critical Role with the original actors playing their characters, Dungeon Master Matt Mercer (in the game the Dungeon Master will play every NPC (non-playable character)) provided voices for many of the characters. The show does not presume knowledge of Critical Role or D&D but undoubtedly you’ll get more out of it if you are familiar with these things. As a standalone fantasy animation, it is amazing, a story of complex characters, thrilling adventures and great peril. It is funny and exciting and at times absolutely horrific. A fight scene in Episode 4 where the party fight ghosts features black blood oozing from eyes, Exorcist-like body contortions, and literal skull-crushing kicks. Like Critical Role the show combines action, silliness and a surprising amount of emotion, with Percy’s search for revenge and Keyleth coming into her own and gaining confidence striking very hard.

Whilst Critical Role started on Geek and Sundry being streamed on Twitch this was an existing game, these people had been playing as these characters for some time, indeed the show Critical Role starts midway in the story. This was a game played in a house for fun that became a streaming show and something that could relatively easily raise millions of dollars from fans.

The Cast

Typically when creating a character in D&D players choose a race (e.g. dwarf, human, elf) and a class (a brief outline of their character’s abilities – e.g. wizard, barbarian), here is a rundown of the cast, their characters and the roles they take –

Matt Mercer – Various – main part is Sylas Briarwood.

Marisha Ray – Keyleth – a half-elf druid – nature-loving magic-user.

Laura Bailley – Vex’ahlia – half-elf ranger – outdoorsy fighter and has a bear.

Liam O’Brien – Vax’ildan – half-elf rogue – sneaky assassin-thief.

Travis Willingham – Grog – Goliath barbarian – big reckless fighter.

Ashley Johnson -Pike – gnome cleric – divinely powered magic-user/healer.

Sam Riegel – Scanlan – gnome bard – charismatic musician & magic-user.

Taliesin Jaffe – Percy de Rolo – human gunslinger – has a gun

Aside from these the cast also boasts David Tennant, Stephanie Beatriz, Rory McCann and more with great actors taking small parts.

Although I love animated shows there are not many where I find myself wowed by the art, this is more about my lack of appreciation than the lack of talent of the artists in other shows, but I was very impressed by The Legend of Vox Machina. It looks amazing and has a very distinct look. This is particularly evident in the looks of the monsters – dragons, zombies, ghosts and how these creatures appear in action sequences.

The actual plot of the show revolves around Vox Machina, a party of adventurers and mercenaries who are down on their luck, and as often as not mess things up. They are based in the grand city of Emon and when at their lowest ebb they see a request from the sovereign to fight the monster that has been plaguing the kingdom they take the opportunity – despite everyone being aware that this adventure is out of their league. Whilst this is a great introduction the show really gets going with the arrival of Silas and Deliah Briarwood, mysterious and sinister figures with a connection to Percy’s past. As a show in its own right, it’s a hit but for fans of Critical Role, it is an absolute triumph.

As well as TLOVM there is an official Dungeons and Dragons movie being made and it does feel the time is right to try this again – a Dungeons and Dragons movie was released in 2000 to almost universal hatred. Not only is the game seeing a surge in popularity but the geek culture that was once derided is now a central piece of popular culture. Not surprisingly there is a big overlap in fans of The Lord of the Rings and D&D and the massive change in how fantasy was perceived after the LotR films have benefitted D&D as well. Comic Relief regularly runs D&D games with comedians, celebrity D&D games abound, actor and impossibly handsome man Joe Manganiello has been running a game in LA that features Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello, professional wrestler Paul “Big Show” Wight and Game of Thrones co-creator D.B. Weiss, and again, this is not a show, they just play for fun.

With an abundance of streaming shows, a great animated series, a film in the works and more, this is the perfect time to find out how much fun Dungeons and Dragons can be.

Also Read: Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The New Game of Thrones?

Your contribution to Big Picture Film Club will allow us to continue to produce content. No matter the amount your contributions are greatly appreciated.

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Sarah is the maid of honour for her sister’s wedding and as she is very much the black sheep of the family it is not a day she is looking forward to. At the depressing party after the ceremony, she meets the bizarrely dressed (for a wedding ) Nyles who gives a brilliant off the cuff speech that reduces guests to tears with his poignant insights on love. This oddly beguiling figure with seemingly no concern for the consequences of his actions charms Sarah and the two leave the party and after an odd series of events, Sarah follows Nyles into a cave. She wakes up a moment later but is back at the hotel, waking up on the day on the day of the wedding. Sarah and Nyles are trapped in a time loop – to put it simply it’s Groundhog Day but with two people stuck in the loop.

Behind The Scenes

The film is directed by Max Barbakow, a director I am unfamiliar with but is also the director of the documentary Mommy, I’m A Bastard and he deserves some praise for that title alone. The film is written by Barbakow and Andy Siara, again another person I’m not familiar with but has worked with Barbakow before.

In Front of The Camera

The film stars Andy Samberg (best known for Saturday Night Live and Brooklyn 99) and Cristin Milioti (who has appeared in How I Met Your Mother, season 2 of Fargo, The Wolf of Wall Street and more), with a very fun supporting role for Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons. First of all, I defy anyone not to be charmed by Nyles and Sarah. Nyles who has seemingly been stuck in the loop for a long time, maybe thousands of days, has adopted a make-the-best-of-a-bad-situation attitude and concentrates on having a nice time and, importantly, not hurting people. He is permanently dressed inappropriately and virtually always has a beer in his hand. Nyles has already been through the disbelief, anger, attempts at killing himself or flying to the other side of the world and is resigned to this life. Sarah starts off defiant but quickly adopts a similar attitude to Nyles but likes to try and have a bit more control. J.K. Simmons is on top form as another wedding guest who has some issues with Nyles and takes it to extreme lengths.

The Setting

The film’s title is taken from the setting, Palm Springs, a resort town in California and I think it’s worth taking a moment to talk about this. Groundhog Day’s title focuses on the day it is, this film’s title, on the location. They are effectively on holiday, away from their homes, in Sarah’s case surrounded by family and people she has known for years, whereas Nyles is very much a plus one for another guest. Swimming pools are a surprisingly constant feature of the film and often the best thing they think to do with their time is lounge in the pool drinking beer. The other feature of the setting is that it’s a wedding which certainly for Sarah is bringing up all kinds of feelings about family, her life and the bad things she has done. A wedding is seen by some as of huge significance and Nyles and Sarah are forced to watch someone go through something so important and special while they are stuck, never having any significant events.

Does It Work?

The film is very enjoyable and has very poetic and insightful moments about life. The part of the film that is the most fun is when the pair first start heading off adventures after accepting their lives – whether alcohol-fuelled excess, wild parties, impossibly elaborate practical jokes or becoming experts at often trivial tasks it is very funny.

Neither Sarah nor Nyles were particularly happy at the start of their loop and more and more details of the exact circumstances that lead them to the wedding and their own views on life. Sarah often states that she messes things up, has messed up her life, and so this state of affairs where she can step away from her life is very tempting. At the same time, part of the nature of her loop is being confronted by mistakes in a very real and direct way so no matter what she does or how far she funs she always comes back to it.

Inevitably you can’t help but think what you’d do in this situation – there are no consequences so do you take a path of hedonism? Of achieving perfect knowledge? Or horrific murder sprees knowing that things will reset when you go to sleep? Maybe you do them all – the endlessness getting to you in different ways.

The final third of the film is a little less satisfying than the rest of it but does try and do something different to films and tv shows that have explored this idea. There are various “solutions” explored but I’m not aware of anyone getting out of it this way and an interesting example of a character being very proactive. Perhaps the most satisfying thing we get in Palm Springs is the discussions between the characters who are going through this together, especially as one has a different perspective as they have been stuck in the loop far longer than the other. The film also doesn’t shy away from some of the darker and even nihilistic ideas that could be explored in this scenario. I feel I am still making my mind up about the ending – trying to decide if it is good but conventional or if it really goes against what you expect.

This is a film I’d definitely recommend – very funny with a great partnership of the two leads.

Rating: (4 / 5)

Also Read: The Film Fan’s Guide To Time Travel

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Recently, many people that had films uploaded on Prime suddenly found that their content was no longer there. With only a brief notice that it is no longer being accepted. Just what exactly is going on?

What is Prime Direct?

Prime Video Direct is a system that lets filmmakers upload their work onto Amazon Prime. The service lets them control various aspects, such as whether it is included with Prime, what countries it is available in etc. It also lets them control a rental price and potentially earn royalties from ads. As Prime is such a recognisable site, being able to upload films on there is a big deal for indie films.

This isn’t the first time this has happened. In early 2019, many creators suddenly found their content was no longer on the service, even after they had been approved recently. It’s not uncommon for content to disappear from a streaming service, like when a license expires, but this is a different situation. One of the things that make Prime stand out from competitors is that users can upload their own content. Unfortunately for the creators, whether the content stays up or not is purely at Amazon’s discretion.

Why Is Amazon Purging Content?

The short answer is, nobody really knows. Until Amazon offers up an explanation all we have are theories. Considering that the first “purging” of content was never explained, it is unlikely that this one will either. This could be something they decide to do every few years, which while concerning, is within their right.

The most prevalent theory is that it’s “decluttering” the library. The fact that anyone can upload a film on there means that the quality won’t always be as high as it some other streamers. Likewise, some with little to no views that no one knows are actually on there. This is the most plausible answer, although many well-rated submissions are also being removed alongside films with lower ratings.

A less likely but more hopeful option is that Amazon are separating their channels, and creating a separate space for its submissions. Prime has so much content on there it is often difficult to find anything, let alone a very obscure indie film. The purge could be to clear them from the site in hopes creators will post them to a new site. This seems unlikely though, as submissions are not closed.

Final Thoughts

The downsides of streaming have made themselves known as the medium has gone on. With things being removed seemingly with no warning, or being edited and censored. While this is an important debate, these arguments are always focused on established entertainment, this effects new and upcoming filmmakers. Creators that rely on revenue from their content have lost a huge platform for it, and as a result, potentially a large audience. At the time of writing, Amazon are still not accepting various submissions or have offered an explanation. Although it is unlikely we will get one, we can always hope.

Also Read: Alternative Streaming Platforms

Your contribution to Big Picture Film Club will allow us to continue to produce content. No matter the amount your contributions are greatly appreciated.

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Big Picture Film Club is conducting a survey on movie / TV streaming platforms available in the UK: what features you like about them and what you would want to see improved.

We would love for you to take part, the survey will take less than 5 minutes to complete and is available below.

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Today we are going to give five categorical recommendations of gifts that will please any film fan. Hopefully, this will give some of you an idea about what to get. So, let’s begin.

Collector’s edition DVD’S/Blu-rays

Nothing makes a film fan happier than owning the best editions of their favourite films. Regular DVD’s/Blu-rays are nice but there is a certain pleasure in unwrapping a collector’s edition with filmmaker commentary, documentaries, interviews, analyses, and a gorgeous transfer. Although collector editions are available from various sources, in the UK if you want the best, you can go to one of five companies:

• Arrow Video – Specialises in cult releases (see also, Arrow Academy which specializes in critically acclaimed work and Arrow Films, which focuses on new releases)
• The Criterion Collection – Specialises in releasing important films from world history
• Eureka’s Masters of Cinema and Eureka Classics label – a UK counterpart to Criterion which puts out works of cultural importance and well-regarded niche films. If criterion doesn’t have your film, Eureka probably will.
• BFI – They provide gorgeous transfers of historically significant work from Britain and around the world
• Curzon Artificial Eye – Provides extra ladened releases of world cinema titles, new and old.

If your friend loves a film released by one of these companies, you owe it to them to get it. They are a little more expensive than other DVD/Blu-ray releases but for the quality of the content, it’s worth it.

(Also recommended 88 films, 101 films, Powerhouse Films, and Second Sight Entertainment)

Film Merchandise

This category really has the power to surprise and delight. Film fans adore minutia to brighten up their homes and there are so many options for what to buy.

You could get them a classic poster of their favourite film to give them something gorgeous to hang on their wall. You could buy them a Funko Pop of their favourite film characters to liven up their work desk. Or, why not buy them replicas of famous movie props. To allow the recipient to live out the fantasy of being a part of their favourite films.

These items vary drastically in price but no matter what you pick, your film loving friend will have a big grin on their face.

Subscription Viewing

There really is nothing better to get your friend to ensure that their movie viewing needs are cared for all year. But, what service should you get them? Well, what do they like?

• Netflix – For a range of well-known classics, critically acclaimed modern and original films (£5.99-£9.99 monthly)
• Amazon Prime – Provides modern favourites and many obscure older titles. Also includes prime next day delivery for those who frequently use Amazon (£79 a year or £7.99 monthly)
• Shudder – A streaming service for horror fans. Stocked with well-known and obscure horror titles from around the world (£47.98 a year or £4.99 monthly).
• Now TV with Sky Cinema subscription – Provides a range of classic and little-known Hollywood favourites (£55 a year)
• Mubi and Mubi Go – For those with a taste for auteurs, independent and foreign language films. And Mubi Go allows the owner to attend one specially selected film screening a week at selected cinemas (£59.88 a year)

Or perhaps if your friend likes visiting the cinema, you could get them a subscription card for their favourite cinema chain. Cineworld has unlimited, Odeon has limitless and many cinemas have their own loyalty program. So, if your loved one likes visiting the cinema, this could help them keep up to date with new releases.

You won’t see your friend for a few weeks after they get their gift, but be assured, they are appreciative.

Home Cinema Equipment

What’s better than getting a good quality Blu-ray or DVD of your favourite film? Watching it on good home media equipment. Whether it be the latest 4K television that allows you to see a higher quality image or a home surround sound system to provide a more immersive sonic experience, it makes a nice little addition to any film watchers home.

Filming Equipment

Finally, every film fan likes watching films, but do they also want to make their own films? Well, this year why not give them a helping hand.

Firstly, find out what the person you are buying for is interested in. Do they make films solo or are they interested in one particular area of filmmaking? Once that question’s been answered, we can proceed.

If they want to make films themselves and you have a bit of extra cash, then you could buy them a nice DSLR camera. Which allows them to shoot their own stuff on the go and have a great input into how the image will look. If you don’t have enough cash for that, why not try a nice phone gimbal? To allow them to use their phones in a more cinematic way.

Do they want to be an editor? Why not buy them some editing software like Final Cut X or Premiere Pro? Hopeful directors can always use a viewfinder. For those interested in sound maybe a new microphone may be in order. And there is a myriad of other equipment available online to help start your friends on their journey towards becoming the next Spielberg. So, I encourage you to look around.

Conclusion

So, there are just a few suggestions of what to get your cinephile for Christmas. I hope this has at least given you some idea about what is available out there and wish you all the best of luck with your Christmas shopping. If you have any further ideas of what to buy, then please let us know in the comments and stay tuned for more festive articles coming soon.

The post A Christmas Buyer’s Guide for Film Lovers appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

Earlier this year Sci-Fi horror Annihilation suffered a similar fate, going directly to Netflix for its international release. And with 11 million viewers in its opening 3 days, the Netflix original Bright, starring Will Smith, was a glimpse into what a big-budget feature film can do while still being premiered on a streaming service. So, how does the rise in straight-to-Video-On-Demand platforms change how we should view the film charts? When can a VOD movie be considered a commercial success? And what does this mean for the film industry?

Where do they stand?

The basic cinema experience hasn’t changed in the last 100 years. Major film companies like Warner Bros & Paramount Pictures have primarily worked based on a theatrical release of a film. This has meant we’ve had a fairly consistent measure of what the current popular films are as a measure of revenue generated at a cinema’s Box Office on any given week. For the UK cinema Box Office, this information has been collated by analytics company ComScore since 1991. Cinema admissions in the UK have remained fairly stagnant over the last 10 years, with most annual admissions in this timeframe being between 165 million – 170 million. Therefore, the growth in domestic ticket revenue has been driven by higher ticket prices and premium cinematic formats such as IMAX & 3D cinema.

On the other hand, by the start of 2018, over 11 million households in the UK held a subscription to Netflix, Amazon or NOW TV, up 25% from the same period the year before. This represents just over 40% of UK households signing up for a Subscription Video-on-Demand service. More notably, streaming revenue is expected to overtake traditional Box Office revenue in the UK by 2020.

Although both industries have their differences, comparisons can be drawn from the music industry. A key watershed moment in the U.K music industry landscape was in 2004 when digital downloads were included in the charts, which saw Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” land the number 1 spot from digital downloads alone in 2006. 10 years after the introduction of digital downloads, the UK’s Official Charts Company incorporated streaming data into the charts for the first time in 2014. While the music industry has arguably had a tougher time monetising its music and avoiding piracy, it has in recent years been more receptive to changing its measures of success to better reflect how people are consuming music. Although the Box Office remains the gold standard for measuring the commercial success of a film, the growth of Netflix, Amazon Prime and others will surely begin to question how we measure success within the film industry.

A measure of success

As part of the eligibility criteria for feature-length films, both BAFTA (British Academy of Film & Television Awards) & Oscars require films to have a commercial theatrical release, with films that have had their first exhibition on streaming platforms ineligible for consideration. Smaller, more niche film awards like the Streamys & The Webbys have emerged in an attempt to fill this void. This resistance of the ‘old guard’ to acknowledge new media is nothing new in arts and entertainment. The recent banning of Netflix at the Cannes Film Festival is further proof of this. Despite opposition, the Venice Film Festival is bucking the trend and will screen 6 Netflix films this year. Whilst it’s a risky move for the festival, ultimately it is one that would see it on the right side of history in years to come.

In a world shifting towards Netflix & Amazon, great talents within the filmmaking industry are still not properly being acknowledged for their work on those platforms. A large part of this issue is what our measure of a successful film is in this day and age, an intermediate solution might a secondary industry-recognised film chart based on streaming. Or maybe we should look into adopting a version of the music industry model?

In the immediate future, expect the Box Office chart based on cinematic ticket sales to remain. However, in an industry where money talks this discussion will continue, particularly as the revenue and influence of subscription streaming platforms continue to grow. If the music industry has successfully amalgamated digital, streaming and physical retail sales into a chart to accurately reflect the most commercially successful films of the moment, surely the movie industry can too?

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VR in Games

VR currently has a 90% public awareness, according to YouGov. Further indicators of early mass adoption of VR can be seen in the gaming industry. VR Systems saw a 23.5% year-on-year rise in 2017, cracking the £100m barrier for the first time. Currently, 6% of the British population owns virtual reality headwear; At the equivalent time, after widespread release, wearables had 4% penetration, and tablets had 3%. The gaming industry has led the charge in this area with PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift & HTC Vive making up the vast majority of sales and with more game developers working on games specifically for VR, growth in VR games looks to be strong moving forward.

The major film studios have been a lot slower to adopt VR as a way to exhibit films. However, VR  is used as a medium to create immersive experiences based on a film title, rather than actually making a movie to be watched via VR. In this instance, particularly with horror films like The Conjuring 2, a VR-based experience acts as a great promotional tool to complement a wider marketing rollout.

Should We Expect a Breakout of VR Films?

A current problem is that there simply aren’t that many platforms designed for VR films – particularly feature-length ones. Currently, Video-on-Demand powerhouses Netflix & Amazon Prime do not support VR, tech giants Facebook & YouTube have enabled 360 VR videos to be uploaded onto their platforms. This makes the two social media platforms a key testing ground for the wider adoption of films in VR.

Many more experimental independent filmmakers have begun to explore VR as a method of producing short films. The Invisible Man (shown below) is an example of how the medium can be utilised to produce a compelling film.

 Moving Forward

Since its inception over 100 years ago, how we experience film has remained largely unchanged; however, what we have seen through television/VoD services, as well as 3D cinema, is complementary user experiences running parallel to traditional cinema. At least in the immediate future, what seems most probable is that VR will add another dimension to the ways we can experience the “moving picture”. With new technology, new ways to creatively exhibit films will surely soon follow.

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