Review 3: Stop-Motion Virtual Reality Workshop with Ildar Yabukov
Today I lived in a miniature box. What were you doing?
Review
Why hadn't I thought of this before?
That was the first question I asked myself as I watched over Ildar Yabukov's shoulder as he set up for his next shot. Before him rested a cardboard box without a top and with a small hole cut in the middle of the bottom. In the hole sat a digital camera equipped with dual wide angle lenses capable of capturing true 360 degree photos.
I watched, captivated, as he used his cell phone to remotely control the camera's shutter. Between each shot, he instructed the other participants of the workshop to move, ever so slightly, the various 3D-printed objects within the box. Everyone would then duck to get out of view of the camera for the shot, and then the process would repeat. The ultimate goal of this workshop was to create a stop-motion animation. Not just any stop-motion animation mind you, but rather an animation that can be experienced through a set of virtual reality goggles.
As the first group finished, I teamed up with a Spanish-speaking couple to create our own in-box virtual reality experience. We acquired an empty box and a number of miniaturized objects that we found from throughout the room. After putting the box in position on top of the 3D digital camera, we were able to start constructing our scenes. One of our group mates acted as the Director, while the other gentleman and I served as object pushers to help make the Director's vision a reality. This was all so new to us, and there was no screen to show us how each shot would look. That said, we were mostly interested in experimenting. We sent objects rappelling down the side of the box -- hung by strings -- and we placed large obstacles within the box as decorations. We did this all easily, as we found the workshop was able to transcend the language barrier between us. Our stop animation would conclude with all of the objects enclosing in around the camera, essentially creating a "fade to black."
We never got a chance to see the final animation, but based on the stills I was able to capture on my phone, I can imagine how it would look. I then took some time to talk to Ildar about his concept, and how the technology works that makes this workshop a reality.
Ildar introduced me to a set of Google Cardboard-style goggles. We borrowed a cell phone from another student in the class and he loaded up an example from a previous participant's box. It was thrilling to be able to wear the cell phone-equipped goggles, which used the phone's built in gyro to approximate head movements. I felt miniaturized, living inside the box looking around as the world around me moved in staccato form.
It was incredibly immersive. Surprisingly so, considered how inexpensive the equipment required for the workshop was. Ildar walked me through the various components, from the 360 camera to the app on his iPhone (called THETA S by Ricoh). He told me about his editing process, using Adobe Premiere. It was all very impressive.
I left the workshop thinking about the implications this technique could have in the film industry. I imagined a movie being filmed with a 3D camera, and how undeniably immersive that could be. While I do not know if that will some day become a reality, it is something I'd definitely be interested in exploring.
In the end, I was impressed by Ildar's vision and interest in sharing this workshop with others. He opened my eyes to a new type of art that I had never experienced before. On top of all that, he even gave our group some free purple shirts!
I'd recommend this workshop to anyone interested in virtual reality or even filmmaking in general. Stop animation or not. I feel we will be seeing a lot more usage of 360 degree cameras in the future. And that is something I am very interested in seeing.
Questions
- What frame rate do you usually use for the final animation? Do you find some frame rates to be better than others?
- What app do you use to remotely control the camera? How much did this equipment cost?