Storytelling for Virtual Reality

John Bucher is an award-winning writer and narrative consultant based out of Los Angeles, California. He is a regular contributor to VirtualRealityPop.com, LA-Screenwriter.com, HBO.com, and MovieMaker Magazine. He co-hosts The Inside Out Story Podcast, The Westworld Watch Podcast, and currently teaches at the LA Film Studies Center, where he leads courses in Virtual Reality storytelling and filmmaking. A popular speaker, John has given talks on five continents regarding story, technology, and art. He is completing a PhD in mythology and depth psychology and is the author of several books including Master of the Cinematic Universe: The Secret Code For Writing in the New World of Media, Storytelling By the Numbers, and The Inside Out Story. He can be found on-line at his site, tellingabetterstory.com, and on social media @johnkbucher.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

FOREWORD

CHAPTER 1: A New Reality and How We Got Here

SPOTLIGHT ON DIRECTING: Storytelling in VR through Cinematic Directing

A Conversation with Jessica Brillhart, Principal Filmmaker for VR at Google

SPOTLIGHT ON CAMERAS: Storytelling in VR through the Lens

A Conversation with Paul Meyhoefer, VP JK Imaging/Kodak

CHAPTER 2: A Stone Bridge Covered in Microchips

SPOTLIGHT ON GAMING: Storytelling in VR through Video Games

A Conversation with Brian Allgeier, VR Game Designer, Insomniac Games

CHAPTER 3: Science and Technology behind Storytelling

SPOTLIGHT ON VR SCIENCE AND STORYTELLING: Storytelling Through Data and Neurology

A Conversation with Dr. Carolina Cruz-Neira, Director of the Emerging Analytics Center, the University of Arkansas, Little Rock

SPOTLIGHT ON STORY: VR Storytelling at the Oculus Story Studio

A Conversation with Jessica Shamash, Producer, and Pete Billington, Immersive Storyteller

CHAPTER 4: Storytelling Principles for Immersive Space

SPOTLIGHT ON IMMERSIVE THEATER: Storytelling through Immersion

A Conversation with Noah Nelson, Creator and Host of No Proscenium Podcast

CHAPTER 5: Designing an Immersive Narrative

SPOTLIGHT ON NEW FRONTIERS: A Master Storyteller

A Conversation with Chris Milk, Founder and CEO, Within

SPOTLIGHT ON ETHICS: Considerations for VR Storytelling

A Conversation with Steve Peters, Experience Designer, Host of StoryForward Podcast, and CCO of Mo Mimes Media

EXERCISES

CHAPTER 6: Characters in VR

SPOTLIGHT ON ACTING: Storytelling Through Drama in Immersive Experiences

A Conversation with Keight Leighn, Actress

EXERCISES

CHAPTER 7: Creating Narrative Structures

SPOTLIGHT ON VISUALIZATION: Cinematic Storytelling in VR

A Conversation with Chris Edwards, Founder, Chief Production Officer, and CEO, The Third Floor

SPOTLIGHT ON NARRATIVE: Fiction Versus Nonfiction Storytelling

A Conversation with Steve Peters, Experience Designer, Host of StoryForward Podcast, and CCO of Mo Mimes Media

EXERCISES

CHAPTER 8: Theory in Practice: Interviews and Case Studies

THE STORYTELLERS

INTERVIEW: Rob Bredow, Chief Technology Officer, LucasFilm

INTERVIEW: Tye Sheridan and Nikola Todorovic, Creators of Aether Inc.

CASE STUDY: Baobab VR Studios

INTERVIEW: Sarah Hill, CEO and Chief Storyteller, StoryUp

THE TECHNOLOGISTS AND PRODUCERS

INTERVIEW: Jonathan Krusell, Google Daydream Producer

INTERVIEW: Robyn Tong Gray and Andrew Goldstein, Founders, Otherworld Interactive

CASE STUDY: Light Sail VR

INTERVIEW: Tai Crosby, Founder and CEO, SilVR Thread

INTERVIEW: Adam Orth, Creative Director, Three One Zero

THE ARTISTS

INTERVIEW: Angela Haddad, VR Artist and Producer

INTERVIEW: Annie Lesser, Immersive Theater Director

CASE STUDY: Jaunt Studios and the Invisible VR series

INTERVIEW: Mark Cordell Holmes, Art Director, Pixar

THE VISIONARIES

INTERVIEW: Larry Rosenthal, VR Pioneer and Producer

INTERVIEW: Paul Debevec, Senior Staff Engineer, Google VR

CASE STUDY: Lucy VR series

INTERVIEW: Brian Rose, Google VR Team, Community and Outreach

INTERVIEW: Ted Schilowitz, Futurist, 20th Century Fox Studios

GLOSSARY

INDEX

ABOUT THE AUTHOR