Virtual reality takes center stage for first time at WIFF

By Nantanaa Mutharasu

The Windsor International Film Festival is back for its 12th year, this time with a new kind of magic.

WIFF is giving its patrons a unique taste of the cinema world through an interactive program called virtual reality.

The second largest volunteer-run film festival in Canada has stationed its virtual reality programming beside the WIFF box office on University Avenue, attracting movie goers from all walks of life. They will be able to experience programs such as Tilt Brush on the HTC Vive, play The Heist on the PlayStation VR and even meet LeBron James in the Samsung Gear VR.

Film director Dylan Pearce who was volunteering and coordinating the virtual reality programs on Wednesday said virtual reality allows a person to experience a world that is not here.

“You could do an interactive world, you could do a game, you could do a movie, you can be at any place you want,” said Pearce

Depending on the programs they choose to experience, movie goers step into a whole new world.

“When they put on the headsets, they would usually look around or traditionally stand straight and you would have to guide them to explore the world,” said Pearce

Movie goers are also able to unleash their inner creativity in a multitude of jaw-dropping scenarios through the Tilt Brush program. Tilt Brush allows one to paint and create in a 3D environment where you can also walk around different kinds of landscapes.