In the emerging field of virtual reality filmmaking, there are still lots of basic questions about how best to tell a story in VR, which projects even make a worthwhile story in 360, and what conventions from traditional filmmaking that we need to throw right out the window to help pave the way for this medium.
On this episode of the No Film School podcast, I speak with some smart people who have been grappling with these questions and made some amazing projects—Ben C. Solomon, video journalist and filmmaker for The New York Times, and Carla Borrás, Director of Digital Video at PBS’s long-running documentary series, Frontline. We are joined by Sean Flynn, Program Director of the Points North Institute who invited both Borrás and Solomon to the Camden International Film Festival where we spoke, and curated its interactive storytelling lineup.
Ben C. Solomon is a Pulitzer prize-winning videojournalist who has reported from several war zones including Syria, Libya, and Ukraine. His project The Fight for Falluja appeared at CIFF; it embeds viewers directly with Iraqi forces as they attempt to retake Falluja from ISIS. You can watch the 360 video above or view it on the New York Times VR app.
Carla Borrás is the Director of Digital Video for FRONTLINE, which has won multiple Emmy and Peabody Awards for its long form investigative journalism.
As such, she is responsible for overseeing many of the series’ VR projects, including the 360-degree film Return To Chernobyl, which also played at CIFF.
Listen to the episode by streaming or downloading from the embedded player above, or find it on iTunes here.
Please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Soundcloud, or the podcasting app of your choice. You can play all of our No Film School interview episodes right here:
This episode was produced and edited by Jon Fusco. Featured image from 'The Fight for Falluja,' The New York Times.
