Louisiana Technology Park-based video game developer Pixel Dash Studios worked with Orion Pictures and Top Right Corner Production to produce a 360 degree virtual reality experience to promote the upcoming Child’s Play reboot.
The experience takes viewers on a virtual tour through Zedmart, a discount store that serves as a common setting in the upcoming movie. It takes place from the point of view of Jenny, a store clerk tasked with cleaning up the aisle with the new Buddi dolls, an internet-connected doll with smart home compatibility.
All seems normal at first but, as Jenny walks down the aisles of the store, things become increasingly disheveled. When gets to the Buddi aisle, boxes are strewn about on the shelves and floor. As Jenny walks past the dolls, one of them slips out of the bottom of its box, and the power immediately goes out.
Armed with only a flashlight, Jenny attempts to figure out what is going on in the store. She becomes increasingly terrified as she walks through the dark. She utters her final line, “You’re just a toy, you’re not real,” seconds before she is killed by Chucky.
an immersive virtual world
There’s plenty more to see in the VR experience. Pixel Dash Studios Co-founder Jason Tate said the store used in the experience was created from a 3D model of the actual set from the movie, accurate down to the millimeter.
While the experience is non-interactive, Pixel Dash’s creation offers a level of immersion that far surpasses that of traditional movie trailers.
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“People really seem to like the uniqueness of it. Rather than
just watching a standard trailer, you can fully control
your viewpoint. It’s a much more interesting way of doing it.
You’ve had your regular trailers for so many years now.”
The experience can be viewed on traditional VR headsets like Oculus, HTC Vive, Gear VR and Google Cardboard, as well as in browsers and mobile devices through Facebook 360 and Youtube 360.
broadening horizons
Although Pixel Dash has worked on many VR projects in the past, creating this type of experience was new to them.
“This was our first time ever doing a 360 video,” Tate said. “It was kind of a unique experience making something that wasn’t interactive, that was more of a scripted video. Working with the movie studio was interesting, as far as being able to use the assets that they had already created ”
This isn’t the first time Pixel Dash has helped outside companies with virtual reality projects — they are currently collaborating with two other studios to create a VR training program for ExxonMobil.
Rather than being created for entertainment like many of Pixel Dash’s projects, the training program is aimed at increasing both efficiency and worker safety. Simulated training modules allow workers to undergo training in dangerous emergency situations without risking injury or shutting down production.
