VFX Voice - Fall 2017

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VR/AR TRENDS element of what happened. So we made the choice to allow him to tell the story and created a photogrammetric version of a cattle wagon in Los Angeles. We created a version filling the VR wagon with found authentic pieces from the period, but they weren’t his artifacts. He was talking about what the items meant to him, but since they were not his, the applied ethic prevailed and we took them out. That’s the crux for us – just because you can create a visual effect does it mean that you should? The team worked very collaboratively to find a balance we could all work with and remain true to Gutter’s story and stay historically grounded. VFX Voice: What were you hoping to achieve with the project? Smith: The preservation of history is at the heart of what we do. We came to realize that by doing photogrammetry inside of the rooms at the concentration camp, we were creating a historical legacy document in a different medium. We see this as a digital hi-res archive, a way of preserving dynamic testimony and a whole new data set to pass down to the next generation as a point of reference. This use of VR represents a new way of capturing truth for the future. We aren’t afraid to push boundaries, but we are carefully considering using any innovation so that the awe of technology does not overtake the story. We’re very early in our understanding of what an immersive experience can do as people become voyeurs of others’ painful experiences. And we are cautious that with issues related to human suffering and struggle, these types of exposures can sometimes elicit pity but not compassion and empathy … and I’m not sure a headset creates that connection. But I believe the potential for education and impact is there, as long as it’s contextualized and avoids the specter of technical gimmickry. “How do you tell a real story in a real place and navigate spatially? … There is a meaningful relationship between narrative and the power of place in telling a story.” —Stephen Smith, Executive Director of the USC Shoah Foundation/Co-producer of The Last Goodbye TOP: Stephen Smith, Executive Director of USC Shoah Foundation, works with Holocaust survivor Roman Kent, the narrator of the VR film Lala, during the filming. BOTTOM: Holocaust survivor Roman Kent narrates his story for Lala. VFX Voice: Can audiences experience The Last Goodbye? What’s next in the realm of VR-based education? Smith: We are being thoughtful in developing the optimal venues to share The Last Goodbye. Since we made decisions about doing real-scale photogrammetry, it is quite difficult to place in multiple locations. For Tribeca, we had a designer create an experience including a trained actor to take people from the film festival floor to a curated space to experience the piece and then to a debrief afterwards. We believe there is a contextualized learning experience bigger than the VR piece in and of itself and that people should experience this in a safe and supportive environment. So we are working with Holocaust museums around the world to create installations in that contextualized environment. And we will likely present more than one experience at a time for the public to experience. [Author’s note: USC Shoah Foundation is also showcasing another VR project, Lala, an animated and live-action retelling of a story told by Holocaust survivor Roman Kent. The film is narrated by Kent himself, with the story of Lala (the family dog) 56 • VFXVOICE.COM FALL 2017
“The preservation of history is at the heart of what we do. We came to realize that by doing photogrammetry inside of the rooms at the concentration camp, we were creating a historical legacy document in a different medium. We see this as a digital hi-res archive, a way of preserving dynamic testimony and a whole new data set to pass down to the next generation as a point of reference.” —Stephen Smith, Executive Director of the USC Shoah Foundation/Co-producer of The Last Goodbye illustrated through animation. Lala can be viewed on a smartphone with a cardboard VR viewer, on a smartphone or mobile device on its own, or on a computer screen through YouTube, which allows viewers to click and drag the video around with a cursor to view the film from all angles. Developed in partnership with Discovery Communications, DiscoveryEducation and Global Nomads Group, Lala is part of IWitness360, a new space on IWitness for virtual reality films and supporting educational resources that made its debut at the International Society for Technology in Education conference in San Antonio this summer.] Smith: Lala is a short animated piece for children aged 5 to 10. It’s already breaking boundaries with young children as the target audience, and we’re thinking about the best ways to distribute it. We are trying to stay true to that ethical through line with the survivor serving as the narrator and appearing in live action at the beginning, middle and end of the animated piece. It’s tightly scripted, but the words are all from his testimony, which is essential in staying true to our mission. VFX Voice: And what has your experience been like working with the VFX team? TOP: Holocaust survivor Pinchas Gutter and USC Shoah Foundation Executive Director Stephen Smith (both facing the camera) conversing with filmmaker Gabo Arora (back to the camera) at the site of the sorting grounds at the Majdanek death camp. Smith: The Last Goodbye was a wonderful collaboration between USC Shoah Foundation and a tremendously talented and committed team – filmmakers Gabo Arora and Ari Palitz, Here Be Dragons, MPC VR and Otoy, in partnership with LightShed. The goodwill and genuine enthusiasm in the visual effects community has been outstanding. We’ve enjoyed great partnership on our path to harness VR to create poignant and accessible testaments to hope and survival. FALL 2017 VFXVOICE.COM • 57
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VFXVOICE.COM FALL 2017 VES 70: ALL-
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[ EXECUTIVE NOTE ] Welcome to Our V
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Page 22 and 23: MUSIC TOP: Coldplay in a 360 concer
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Page 71 and 72: TOP: Visionary director Darren Aron
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[ VES SECTION SPOTLIGHT: GERMANY ]
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[ V-ART ] Lorin Wood V-Art showcase
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CyberGraphix, one of the first Mac-
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VFX Voice - Fall 2017

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