Screen School VR Lab

In 2019, The Screen School VR Lab returned to ASFF. Presented in partnership with London College of Communication, this is a platform for audiences to explore film like never before, offering the opportunity to take viewing experiences into new dimensions and be immersed in some of the world’s most exciting new technologies.

The VR Lab was complemented by a series of panel discussions which truly delve into the making and realisation of VR and 360 film through the lens of ethics, production and storytelling. Questions are asked: What might the cinematic landscape look like in the future? What are the implications of working with immersive film?

360 Cinema

Audiences were invited lose themselves in the magic of 360 filmmaking and delve head first into bold and exciting stories that immerse the viewer in the centre of the action.

360 filmmaking offers the unique opportunity to experience the full potential of cinema, transporting viewers to new worlds and allowing them to consider different perspectives.

The 360 Cinema included five curated screenings, showcasing the most exciting and innovative work from talented practitioners in new technologies, exploring the potential of fascinating documentary, groundbreaking experimental film and awe inspiring narratives.

Viewers we encouraged to journey to the top of Mount Everest, explore a futuristic city scape, play witness to the Warsaw Uprising, journey boldly into space or join the a dreamlike animated adventure.

Immersive Experiences Lab

Bringing viewers ever closer to the action, the Immersive Experience Lab encouraged audiences to step beyond the confides of traditional cinema, allowing viewers to interact with the action.

Viewers bore witness to an epic Viking battle, explored the human stories and vast concrete structures of the Aylesbury Estate, risked life and limb in a Orwellian road race and experienced first hand the growth and life of a tree from sapling to towering giant.

The Immersive Experience Lab grants the opportunity to explore the potential of VR in a celebration of innovation and technical triumph.

VR Discussions

Running alongside the Screen School VR Lab, ASFF welcomed industry professionals and practitioners to share their experiences of working with new technologies. In these relaxed discussions, our guests explored the practicalities and challenges of VR filmmaking, considering practical techniques as well as the potential of VR, its role in the future of cinema and its purpose beyond the realm of filmmaking.

VR for Change:
Beyond Entertainment


VR is a complex and continually developing format. With the film and gaming industries already seeing huge benefits from VR and 360 applications, there is of course huge potential for this technology to be implemented for other functions. In this panel, innovators discuss how VR can be developed for positive implementation across medical care, rehabilitation, education and beyond. To what ends could VR be applied to more destructive means such as military use or for surveillance in an ever more paranoid world?

Morality and Ethics in
Constructed Environments


VR continues to develop at an incredible pace allowing us to experience new worlds with ever increasing realism. As we delve headlong into fictional worlds, becoming whoever or whatever we desire, what questions should we be asking about the decisions we make inside constructed environments? Should we consider the ethics and morality of our virtual selves? In this discussion, experts explore the consequences of life in VR, its effect on morality, trauma and user privacy as well as the illusion of choice in generated experiences.

360° Filmmaking:
The Fundamentals


We live in a world where 360° technology is quickly becoming available for the masses. It’s now possible for anyone to become a creator of immersive films, exploring a multitude of genres. However, when you are inviting your viewers to step into a world, how does that change the filmmaking process? How do you capture an encircling environment seamlessly and effectively? A panel of 360° innovators joins ASFF to discuss the process of 360° filmmaking, finding an engaging story as well as the challenges that come with it.

Immersive Sound:
Interpreting Virtual Worlds


Sound is crucial to the filmmaking process; a key element in adding realism in a delicate mix of sound design, foley and music, directing the viewers’ attention accordingly. With the rise of VR, what new challenges face creators? How does a truly immersive experience define our sound world? What considerations need to be made when the participants are key to the action and what challenges arise? Sound designers and VR content makers discuss the intricacies and complexities of sound in virtual worlds.

Breaking Boundaries:
Documentary in 360°


Journalism can be a clinical barrier between subject and audience, delivering sanitised and bias facts. Whilst informative, it struggles to engage with a viewer in a way that encourages empathy and understanding. The introduction of 360° film is revolutionising the world of factual content, immersing an audience in the action and challenging their viewpoints. Join a panel of pioneering journalists and documentarians as they explore the power of Journalistic VR as well as the ethical and moral code that accompanies it.

Immersive Narratives:
Adapting Linear Storytelling


Storytelling has changed – we now live in a world where audiences can experience a narrative as though they are really there, whether as an observer or as an active participant. Immersive experiences continue to change how we interact with imagined worlds. What does this mean for the future of storytelling? How can we adapt to a non-linear structure, dictated by a viewer’s actions or decisions? !hat are the creative obstacles that need to be overcome? Join a panel of creators as they explore the future of storytelling.


In Partnership with London College of Communication

In 2019, for the second year running, we proudly worked in partnership with London College of Communication’s Screen School Programme to bring VR and Immersive experiences to ASFF. Screen School goes beyond traditional academic models, designed instead to bring film and television together with the disciplines of games, animation, sound arts and design and live events.