What is Virtual Reality (VR)?

Virtual Reality is most commonly known as a headset that you put on your head and that fully covers your eyes. You can also use headphones with the headset for a better experience. The headset will then generate a simulation of a 360 image. You can use the headset to watch movies and you can even interact with them. You can look up and down, you can turn around and you will feel as if you are part of a completely different world. The experience can be very immersive. This type of movies is slowly becomming popular and websites such as YouTube have become a great space to host these movies.
Of course, VR headsets can also be used for video games which, as well, are very immersive.

Why is virtual reality important for filmmakers?

VR is still a new trend because people need to own or have access to a VR headset in order to access anything which was made for VR. The fact that the technology is still new represents a great opportunity for filmmakers to stand out. You can create a short film or short animation for VR and you can gain more exposure.
Aside from the opportunity to get noticed on a new niche, VR Cinema enables you to create movies like never before. 

How many people own a VR device?

It is unknown the exact number of people that own a VR device because there are many companies that sell them. However, research suggests that at least 14.8 VR Oculus Quest 2 units were sold by the company Meta to its customers. This means that there are at least 15 million people that could see your short film.

You can create VR films using your Android or iOS smartphone

You don't need expensive gear to get started. You can purchase a 360 camera that you can connect with your smartphone to get started.

When I first saw a movie in VR, I remember how amazed I was by the fact that my brain could not tell the difference between the simulation and the real world.

Virtual Reality might seem to be a trend but it is out there for almost a decade now. I expected it to become popular a long time ago but it didn’t. I am unsure whether it will become popular or not in the next decade but there is certainly a niche where there is not a lot of content at the moment. It might be an opportunity, YouTube wasn’t popular for years until it got big.