A one-take cinematographic experience in VR
In Veldwerk # 8, Leonieke Verhoog speaks with VR director Steye Hallema, (former editor of the VPRO Medialab)on the special form of film making, in the movie Ashes to Ashes, a surrealistic tragicomedy in virtual reality about wishes after death. The film plays with the possibilities and limits of VR.
"A bizarre story that really can only happen in VR." - Leonieke Verhoog
The story is set within a dysfunctional family whose grandfather recently passed away. Now the family finds out that his last wish was for his ashes to be blown up. Of course the family is confused by this wish and what they have to do with it. Ashes to Ashes is a project from Submarine Channel and AVRO TROS with three different directors; theater director Ingejan Ligthart Schenk, film director Jamille van Wijngaarden and VR director Steye Hallema.
The film starts as a normal film scene but quickly transforms into something that the viewer isn’t used to the set breaks open. This gives the viewer a choice. Where do I look? And where do I wanna go? According to Hallema, Ashes to Ashes is a story that really enhances what VR is all about. It plays with the boundary between reality and fantasy, as a viewer you never really know what is real.
Ashes to Ashes is the latest episode of our Veldwerk video series.
⇠ Watch the previous veldwerk episode Famous Deaths