This is one of the most sensitive experiences of Venice Immersive 2022. TMÁNÍ (DARKENING) takes viewers on a journey to better understand the daily life of a person suffering from depression, based on the personal feelings of director Ondřej Moravec. Each session was followed by a very real discussion to frame the viewings. A look back at this interactive and intimate testimony.
From curating to directing VR projects
Ondřej Moravec – I discovered virtual reality in 2014 when I was working as a programmer for the One World International Film Festival in Prague, an event dedicated to human rights. It was the topic that was on the rise! The director of the festival, knowing my interest in video games, new media (my thesis was on LGBTQ+ representation in video games) then asked me if I would like to program several VR works, and I accepted. With virtual reality, I saw the conjunction of theatre, film and video games – three mediums I love. Gradually, I became the VR programmer for One World, but also other events in the Czech Republic: Anifilm, Zlín Film Festival, Febiofest…. At the same time, I am a creator of my own VR projects, the first of which is TMÁNÍ.
O. M. – TMÁNÍ was born from my numerous viewings of VR content, and the idea of sharing my own story. Immersive creation allows much more freedom than 2D, and I quickly realised that I could offer an interactive work – directed by the viewer’s voice. The theme of depression can be claustrophobic, and my idea was to use a medium that allowed for a more collective experience. The sound-driven narrative is an echo of therapy, of talking to each other. Then I had to convince the rest of the world to come with me, and that’s how three years later we presented it in Venice!
Sharing an intimate story
O. M. – I wanted a co-writer to accompany me on TMÁNÍ, to take some distance from my personal feelings. So I asked a friend who came from the same school as me, Alice Krajčírová, to work with me. I detailed my point of view in a basic document, from which she wrote a first version of the script. We worked on it together to synthesise the story, to imagine the interactions…
O. M. – Animation was an obvious choice from the start. I’m obviously passionate about animation, and the techniques used, which leave a vast field of possible creation. But I am not a very visual artist! TMÁNÍ was an opportunity to explore VR creation with animation – in an almost artisanal way in the end. On the other hand, it’s an experience that uses memories a lot, and animation offers a lot of possibilities to juggle the different tonalities and temporalities of the work. TMÁNÍ (DARKENING) is an animated and interactive documentary. It is an interesting mix!
O. M. – Today, VR creation must above all learn to manage its many creative possibilities. In cinema, we now know what to do and what not to do. In VR, we explore and sometimes this leads to attempts that are too complex or too rich. We have to manage the simplicity of the narrative with all the tools at our disposal.
O. M. – We were partly financed by the Czech Film Fund, but we had to find other resources – which led us to an international co-production, with Germany. I know Felix and Gayatri from Nowhere Media well, and they jumped on board. We recorded music with them. That was probably the most real part of the production! Some 3D design and creation work were also done there.
TMÁNÍ: meeting with the audience
O. M. – What we presented in Venice was an installation with 4 stations, and therefore a possibility of 4 spectators per slot. So we tried to propose a common interaction, by voice. There cannot be a perfect synchronisation, but the collective participation in this experience was interesting. With a feeling of sharing something, and maybe giving the courage to express oneself more! We also initiated restitutions at the end of each session, and this is important to us. The spectators can have important reactions and emotions, and it is our role to accompany them. Communication on these themes is important; we can start a discussion, and then make sure that the spectators leave with a positive idea of the project.
O. M. – Virtual reality is an ideal platform for impactful projects. Documentary has taken advantage of this to reinvent itself in new formats. Obviously, the only limitation is the audience, which is still limited. But it’s also a way to address an audience more receptive to this type of theme. We will certainly have negative feedback, or criticism. But the “bubble” of the VR community allows us to present TMÁNÍ (DARKENING) with a lot of goodwill. Our first sessions have seen a lot of positive feedback, and constructive discussions.
