7 signals that will help you identify a VR/5D movie that won't work for your simulator

Being up to date with all the trends and best practices of your industry is very important. The success of your company depends from its ability to be always a step ahead of its competitors.

Do you know what’s more important of being up to date? Avoiding mistakes. This is the only way to prevent yourself from wasting time and money. These resources are fundamental and you cannot afford to lose them. Trial-and-error is not the best strategy if you can learn from others’ mistakes.

That’s why it’s so important knowing what are the potential shortcomings of VR/5D films. Movies sold under license can be pretty expensive: why would you want to risk wasting money on them?

These are the 7 signals that will help you identify a movie that doesn’t work inside your simulator.

Remember: in this article will only talk about movies sold under license, not tailor-made solutions.

1. The movie is not engaging (or better, it’s boring)

Thrills are the most important thing in a XD movie specifically made for the amusement industry. After all, your spectators visit your theater or simulator because they desire to live experiences that go beyond the ordinary.

Nobody likes boredom, especially if your business deals with people’s amusement. There’s no reason to beat around the bush. Maybe you’re thinking we’re stating the obvious, but - trust us - we have our reasons to write this.

Out there you can find as many XD films as you like. Attractions films are great, but only when they're tailor-made. When sold under license, the films belonging to this genre are characterized by long stories and dull atmospheres.

Why are these movies getting sold? There are production company that create feature films that are more than one hour long. Then they produce a short version to sell to motion theaters and simulators.

If you want your audience to speak about your theater and come back to watch your films, you should give them exciting content. You don’t want your spectators to experience a half baked experience, isn’t it?

2. There are not enough effects

Latest generation VR headsets, advanced simulators that can replicate every physical sensation, 3D high-resolution screens. If you’re not taking advantage of these tools, how can your simulator be different from its competitors?

Your spectators want to get the very best out of technology. Their opinion matters: they’re those who will pay the ticket, those who’ll determine your simulator’s success.

When a XD film doesn’t take advantage of all the technology at its disposal, then it’s not a good sign. There’s something you should always keep in mind: a multi-sensory or virtual reality video thought for simulators has nothing to do with a computer graphics movie created for the big screen. A thing’s for sure: when your spectators want to watch an animated feature film they just go to a traditional theater (and maybe they prefer to watch a Pixar’s masterpiece).

VR/5D theaters and simulators attract a totally different target, which is people who want to experience the stronger thrills and emotions. They want to try exciting adventures that will leave them breathless. A movie without effects is neither thrilling nor engaging.

3. The spectator is not at the core of the experience

What do you prefer? Travelling around the world as you discover new places or watching the pictures taken by your friends during their holidays? Really, there is no comparison…

The most exciting XD films are those where the spectators live the adventure in first person. Movies that don’t follow this norm are not that great involvement wise.

“Immersive” is a word often associated with multi-sensory and virtual reality films and there’s a reason behind it. The best movies that take advantage of these technologies are those where spectators feel themselves inside the story. And there’s only a way to really be inside the story: live it in first person.

4. When a movie focuses only on graphical beauty you should become suspicious

Being a professional in entertainment, you know better than we do how to identify people who throw dust in your eyes to dump useless products on you.

When you meet a XD movie reseller who just tries to lure you with graphical beauty, then you should immediately become suspicious. What’s the point of watching a nice movie if it doesn’t move you? After the wow-effect fades away, boredom appears. The number one enemy will knock at your door again.

Graphical quality is important, but it’s not the only thing that matters. The features that make a VR/5D movie a great one are excitement, thrills and emotions. Beauty for its own sake it’s absolutely useless.

5. The movie is produced by companies that make a little bit of everything

If your heel cord hurts, you want to see an orthopedic surgeon. A general physician won’t be able to help you. Best case scenario, he will just tell you to take some pills. However, only a specialist will bring your heel back to work.

The same goes in entertainment. Out there, there are companies that make a little bit of everything: multi-sensory simulators, VR headsets, XD movies and traditional attractions too.

To really entertain your audience you should use contents created by specialist companies. Because only experienced companies can provide you with specific solutions for your needs.

But there’s one more thing to consider: your audience’s safety. You don’t want your guests to suffer sight problems or experience sickness, isn’t it? You simply cannot risk: this is one more reason to speak to companies that focus only on content creation.

6. The plot of the movie is not so inspired

Your spectators want to live an exciting adventure in order to escape from their daily routines. You already know what is the mistake you should never do: choosing a boring movie. But that doesn’t mean that you should use a messy movie without a proper story.

Usually, the best films for simulators are about 4-5 minutes long - this is the usual length of ride films, the best genre to make your audience excited. But the fact that these movies are short doesn’t mean that they have to be without a story.

On the contrary, if you want your spectators to experience an adventure full of thrills and breathtaking effects, you should throw them into a compelling story. Your audience needs an explanation for what they see.

7. The movie is more than 5 minutes long

Do you manage a simulator and they are trying to sell you a VR/5D movie that is longer than 5 minutes? You’d better stop listening. Neither you and your audience are interested in films that last so long.

When a movie lasts more than 5 minutes, your audience can get bored. Have you ever seen a roller-coaster lasting more than 5 minutes? No - do you know why? If a movie (or a coaster) exceeds a certain time limit, it falls into one of these two categories: either it’s too messy or it’s too boring. An exciting film between 2 and 5 minutes is perfect for you and your audience.

With a short film, you can arrange more shifts and sell more tickets. Basically, your profit grows up while your spectators are having a great time. Everybody wins. Why should you go for a long movie that will bore your audience and will not be so profitable for you?

So, what are the features that your ideal VR/5D should have?

Just follow these simple rules and you’ll know how to choose the perfect movie for you and your audience

• It has to be exciting!
• Effects must be intense and captivating
• Spectators must experience the film in first person
• It should be created by a production studio specialist in VR/5D movies
• The movie should be under 5 minutes

Now you know how to choose your next VR/5D movie for your cinema or simulator! Watch all of our films in full length and let us know which one will better suit your needs!