A Book to Experience

Not many of us have discovered it yet, but it is now possible to read books while immersed in virtual reality (VR). Amazon's Kindle app has been available for VR headsets for a year or so. But the experience is likely to be more than a little strenuous as you move your eyes from one side of the page to the other and possibly feel a bit dizzy. The resolution and refresh rate pose problems as well. Understandably, users are not exactly flocking to seek that experience.

But bringing a book to life in the VR medium is another proposition, especially as it would bring the characters up-close in an unprecedented way. It may not be very different from watching a movie in VR - one can certainly do that even on Netflix - but a book from a bestselling author may bring more excitement.

What we have here is renowned science fiction author Philip K. Dick's short story The Great C that has been adapted into VR and made into a 37-minute long cinematic experience, featuring animated environments and animated characters. It is a post-apocalyptic world and the characters have to appease a computer called The Great C that is in charge of their fate. It is a game-like scenario but not an interactive game. It spans 20 virtual environments. And the production company, Toronto-based Secret Location, has meant this film to be an example and inspiration for others to develop cinematic VR.