How it was made: dramatic virtual reality film shows life for Nepal’s children
Education in emergencies
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Watch the film in the player above 鶹APP and .
Can you imagine what a child feels when they live through a devastating event like an earthquake?
What life is like long after the bodies have been removed but the destruction is still all around?
That was the task facing a talented group of film-makers when they started a project with the children鶹APPs charity to tell the stories of children one year after the earthquake in Nepal that killed almost 9000 and left millions needing humanitarian aid.
What they came up with is a stunning virtual reality, 360-degree video that transports the viewer into the heart of the country.
It supports the charity鶹APPs 鶹APP calling on world leaders to commit to urgent funding to provide education to children caught up in natural disasters and conflicts ahead of the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit next month.
We talked to the team to find out more about why and how the film was made. 鶹APP 鶹APP the charity behind A World at School 鶹APP partnered with the digital agency , which then brought in Christian Stephen, award-winning conflict journalist and Co-Founder/Creative Director of the multimedia production company and 鶹APPs virtual reality studio.
Jeff sets up the 360 equipment on the first day of filming in Bhaktapur, the ancient city devastated in the earthquake Picture: A World at school/Claire Wilkinson
Christian said: 鶹APPMy first film in virtual reality 鶹APP Welcome to Aleppo 鶹APP focused on showing war in 360, so after releasing that film Rain CEO Brian Edelman shared his idea about using VR to highlight more issues globally.
鶹APPWe then worked to bring the project to reality with the 鶹APP team. As soon as we were all agreed on the direction, the production began.鶹APP
The team that went to Nepal was Christian; Dylan Roberts, CEO of Freelance Society; Jeff Nicholas, Co-Founder and Executive Creative Director at The Uprising Creative;Jonathan Craven, Head of Film/Video at The Uprising Creative; and producer Lauren Ciell.
鶹APPI had never worked with an NGO before,鶹APP said Jonathan. 鶹APPSo I was super-excited to be working with 鶹APP, Rain and Future Society on a project as special as this.鶹APP
The concept was always to make a 360-degree virtual reality film to highlight the challenges in the education system after the earthquakes.
Jeff said: 鶹APPIt was one of those projects that we were really honoured to be a part of. The concept was loose so we worked hand-in-hand with Freelance Society and Rain to develop a storyline, approach and point of view that we thought would really illustrate the challenges 鶹APP but also provide a hopeful approach.鶹APP
Dylan said he began communicating with friends he had made in Nepal last year when the earthquakes hit.
Christian and Jeff set up next to one of the destroyed schools in Sindhupalchok district Picture: A World at School/Lauren Ciell
He said: 鶹APPWhen doing any story internationally, it is very important to have great local fixers who are respected and have access to get what you need.鶹APP
Jonathan added: 鶹APPThese fixers 鶹APP child advocates, teachers and producers 鶹APP really helped form this story in a way we never could have on our own.鶹APP
A huge amount of groundwork was done before the team headed to Nepal. First the narrative and script, then the technical and location planning.
鶹APPAbout 70% of any shoot is done before you hit the ground,鶹APP explained Christian. 鶹APPSo the team was prepared thoroughly, including choosing which rigs to use, which places to cover, which fixers would be best, but none of that can start until there鶹APPs a creative framework to build on.鶹APP
The team travelled to Nepal to meet Claire Wilkinson, Senior Campaigns and Communications Manager at 鶹APP. The eight-day trip included six days of filming.
Jeff said: 鶹APPThe plans changed once we hit the ground. We had a framework but the people we met and the conditions on the ground had a massive impact on what we actually covered.鶹APP
The crew set up their equipment at the river crossing in Dhading district Picture: Lauren Ciel
Christian, who is used to working in conflict situations, agreed that the plan changed within hours of arriving. But he added: 鶹APPAlthoughthere were challenges and logistical barriers, this was one of the most clear-thinking, swift and strong shoots I鶹APPve done.鶹APP
Those challenges included a petrol shortage and other many technical issues including physically difficult shots and filming with a drone.
Dylan said: 鶹APPI focused primarily on making sure the cameras, rigs and sound recording were always good to go. There were a lot of difficult shots and sometimes these cameras can be tricky.
鶹APPThe modified DJI Inspire drone was great to see in action and I had to catch it in the air so the VR camera wouldn鶹APPt hit the ground upon landing.鶹APP
Now for the science bit.
Jeff explained: 鶹APPWe shot with a couple of different GoPro-based 360 camera rigs, one six-camera rig, a four-camera rig with modified fisheye lenses and a two-camera rig with the same fisheye lenses that we used for our drone shot.
鶹APPWe also used this really awesome little gyro stabiliser you see in the first shot of the piece that allowed us to move the camera in a way that doesn鶹APPt cause the viewer to get sick.鶹APP
Children travel in the basket 80 feet above the riverPicture: A World at School/Claire Wilkinson
The most memorable section of the film shows children crossing a river in a rather rickety-looking basket on cables.
Jonathan said: 鶹APPIt took a bunch of tech gear we鶹APPd brought plus rope, chewing gum and Scotch tape to get the cameras rigged off a hand-propelled steel basket full of school kids 80 feet above a rocky river bed. The resulting footage was worth it all though.鶹APP
The team are confident that virtual reality will help to bring the plight of children in Nepal to a new audience.
鶹APPI truly believe VR will be most effective in the education world, allowing audiences to fully immerse themselves into cultures, stories and more,鶹APP said Dylan. 鶹APPFor a lot of people, international travel is difficult but VR has a chance to educate audiences properly.鶹APP
What does 360-degree and VR technology add to the telling of human stories like this one?
鶹APPWe want people to really understand what is going on in Nepal, connect with it and hopefully be inspired to take some kind of action, however big or small,鶹APP said Jeff.
A villager tries on the VR headset in SindhupalchokPicture: A World at School/Claire Wilkinson
Dylan added: 鶹APPI truly believe VR will be most effective in the education world, allowing audiences to fully immerse themselves into cultures, stories and more. It has a chance to educate audiences properly.鶹APP
Christian said: 鶹APPThis film exists to conjure an understanding about education in the midst of disaster. I want it to highlight the importance of safety for children in all its forms 鶹APP mind, body and spirit.鶹APP
Jonathan believes Safe Schools: Nepal is a major step forward in the use of VR technology.
He said: 鶹APPTo me, this type of film is the most effective use of VR to date 鶹APP to be able to be immersed in places you鶹APPd be very unlikely to go visit and be surrounded by people you鶹APPll likely never meet. It may be the ultimate form of arm-chair traveling.
鶹APPBut more than that 鶹APP it can create a kind of empathy no other form of film-making can approach.鶹APP
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