Virtual Reality Film, Spheres, Getting Major Funding at Sundance

Lots of money at the Sundance Film Festival is given to independent filmmakers working on projects they are very passionate about. That money has typically gone to traditional films only, but not this year. This year, it is going to a virtual reality film about space.

Spheres is a 3-part series that surveys the depths of space using VR. The first episode has already premiered on Sundance’s New Frontier programming. Titled Songs of Spacetime, this episode is directed by Eliza McNitt and narrated by Jessica Chastain. It takes a glimpse at two black holes combining.

Spheres is produced by Jess Engel, Arnaud Colinart, and Dylan Goden. Executive producers are Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel (from Protozoa Pictures). The film is supported by Intel and Oculus. It will premiere on Oculus Rift this year. Spheres was secured on the funding platform Kaleidoscope. CityLights, a virtual reality (VR) distribution and financing company, is acquiring this space film in a seven figure transaction.

This is a big deal for VR, as it proves this is a valuable medium for storytelling. Jess Engel commented, “Deals like this establish VR as its own marketplace for independent creators, producers, and investors.”
Every year, we see more VR pieces at film festivals, bigger and bigger ones. Who knows, maybe 360-degree immersive films will become a large part of festivals and films in a closer future than we had previously imagined.

Read more about this here.