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ART MEETS VR

  27 Jul 2017

Rone is the first short film in the VR documentary series Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, which features local street artists who have become globally celebrated muralists. Set for a world premiere at Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), Rone portrays the iconic Melburnian street artist’s stunning large-scale portraits adorning forgotten or soon to be forgotten spaces around the city.

Producer and Director Lester Francois tells us more about his immersive documentary


Rone is the first episode of a series of short VR projects Can’t Stop Won’t Stop. What are your selection criteria when selecting the artists?

There is a lot that goes into deciding who I film. First and foremost I need to be a fan of their art. I couldn't spend months with the artist if I didn’t connect with their work. Their work needs to be unique with a point of view and the artist must be able to articulate why they do what they do. There are a lot of street artists who paint amazingly gorgeous images but there is not a lot behind them. An artist who has something to say about the world or even just their community is important to me. Ideally where they paint will lend itself to VR but sometimes this is out of our control.

 

What was your reaction when you found out Rone was selected for MIFF?

I was very excited to be selected! Having a world premiere in our hometown is always special and Rone’s local fan base have been waiting impatiently for the film. It will be a thrill to connect with them at MIFF. I am so glad we can also introduce Rone to a wider local audience who don’t know his work.


How do you see the current VR market and where do you think it’s heading? Does Victoria has a presence in the global market?

The current VR market is not that robust but things will change rapidly. We are not even in the silent movie era of VR but rather the proto period - the kinetoscope period. In today’s digital era things develop so quickly that we will soon see a rapid uptake of mobile VR headsets in the coming years. The tech is getting better and prices are dropping for both the consumer and creator.  I strongly feel that soon VR headsets will become ubiquitous and we will see a gold rush for content makers. Filmmakers with a story to tell will have a viable space in the VR ecosystem, not just game developers.

Victoria definitely has a presence in the global market.  We are always well represented at film festivals, games conferences and tech expos. Luckily we are supported and nurtured through Film Victoria and Creative Victoria. Having these two bodies putting their faith in local creatives is paying off internationally. The local studio VRTOV has paved the way with VR storytelling with subsequent Victorian filmmakers making their mark internationally. This was clearly on display at the recent Alternate Realities Market at Sheffield Doc Fest. Only a handful of VR filmmakers are invited from around the world and there were two Victorian teams. I am so blessed to be based in Victoria as steel sharpens steel and being surrounded by so many talented filmmakers is clearly sharpening my skills.


How did Film Victoria’s funding support your project? What’s the importance of investing in new media?

Can’t Stop Won’t Stop will be a series of short VR documentaries about unique street artists, wrapped up in an interactive app. The support we received from Film Victoria is two-fold. Firstly, a small development grant is helping us complete the proof of concept film and the story driven app. We are now able to pay creatives and developers who are all getting skilled up in VR during the process. Secondly we received a travel grant to attend the Alternate Realities Market at Sheffield. Here we showcased an early version of Rone and the app. We received a great response and now have major VR platforms eager to distribute the project. Once the working prototype is complete, we will be able to shop it around for production funds and further negotiate any distribution deals.

How we tell stories is always evolving. Film, TV, games, online and now VR. Each new medium speaks to a new generation and has the ability to create richer, more empathetic narratives. It’s a no-brainer that investing in new media will develop the skills needed for near future platforms but more importantly this investment is nurturing how we tell stories in the future and the filmmakers who will be telling them.


For your next projects, will you immerse yourself in VR or mix it up with traditional film making?

As much as I love VR it is not keeping the lights on at the moment. I still love traditional film, TV and online, and will have a long career here. I just produced the scripted comedy pilot Dave which is receiving a lot of interest from broadcasters and hope to do a VR crossover of the show. I’m excited to see what direction VR will go in and how it will integrate with more traditional platforms.



Rone premieres at 2017 MIFF.