At the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah on Saturday, The Virtual Reality Zone came into its own, showing 10 diverse projects, six of which were directed by women, ranging from video games to stories and art galleries.
The zone’s curator, Liz Rosenthal, claimed that the VR medium “is in a league of its own” when conveying stories. “Virtual reality has many distinct things,” she said. Every project is distinct from the others.
In contrast to movies, where you can predict the beginning, middle, and end on a flat screen, in virtual reality, you could work with one person, two people, or 100 people.
“The curator wants to demonstrate the potential of the VR environment. The initiatives were chosen with the Saudi audience in mind. We make sure to provide something for everyone, so there are items for kids, families, and people with various interests,” she continued.
In Saudi Arabia, the VR scene is still primarily used by young people. Even in nations like the UK, the European region, and the largest enterprises, according to Rosenthal, it is still too young.
“It’s really great to see that Saudi is trying to appear on the map for VR products,” the speaker expressed. “Ithra in Saudi Arabia started a year and a half ago, and they have made their projects.”
Rosenthal noted that it’s critical to continue to grow since the VR industry will require people with the skills and capabilities to tell stories and construct experiences in the future.
“In some ways,” she continued, “it is simpler to enter a new medium than a long-established one like the cinema since there is less of a barrier to entry. To create a positive experience, you need a variety of skills. Being good at one thing alone is insufficient; you must also be good at art, architecture, and many other things.”
The creation of the multiplayer game “Eggscape” is a recent development. It enables the user to peer within their surroundings using a VR headset. The player then engages with the projected characters in the game.
According to Rosenthal, the game demonstrates VR’s promise for the future and the direction the technology is headed.
