ASSIGNMENT #4 – FINAL REFLECTION

When I began brainstorming ideas for my final project, I decided I wanted to make something that could really utilise the format, and be fun to create. I landed on the idea of a poker game, as the table was a great setting for the 360 experience, with the viewer able to choose their own perspective of the game.

In reflection, it’s clear that there were some issues, mainly technical. I originally intended to create a complex spatial audio piece to accompany the film, but unfortunately I couldn’t work out a practical way to achieve this with my setup and had to scrap it. I also made a mistake during production which resulted in me scrapping my original plan of having on screen graphics giving some exposition as the film began. These things, paired with some budget issues and a possible mistake with the video quality, deterred me from creating something that was fully realised to the potential I had hoped. 

I am proud of the premise, and I had a great time shooting as well, so in that respect for me personally it was a success. There are certain aspects I wish I could change, or if I had my time again I would do differently, but they are all lessons for future projects. I feel the experience itself is quite engaging, and enjoyable for the viewer. Because of that I can leave the process happy with what I’ve created.

All in all, 360 is an interesting format, and I’m excited to see where it goes and what people do with it in the future, but I personally think it’s not the format for me. The enjoyment I get from filmmaking is the crafting of each individual shot, each scene, focusing less on the performances and the narrative, and more on the physical art form. With VR & 360, you can get very artful with it but it takes a lot of resources that I simply don’t have access too (high quality CGI, unique location & setting). I found myself feeling like I was creating a play, or writing a screenplay, which are parts of the creative process I am far less fond of.