Is immersive technology bringing film formats back into fashion? While all location-based experiences are on the rise and consolidating their place in the market, video seemed less attractive, between difficulties accessing stores and the stranglehold of real-time engines on productions. Apple Vision Pro, with its high definition and individual entertainment strategy (still developing in terms of audience), is once again stimulating interest in the audiovisual world. In France, director Frank-David Cohen and producer Sixtine Rose have joined forces within Immersive Flashback, a new production company firmly focused on new headsets, whether for documentaries or fiction.
They are also interested in Apple Vision Pro: TARGO, Tom Krikorian, Jake Oleson.
Cover: HORS DU TEMPS, dir. Frank-David Cohen
Embarking on the XR adventure: Immersive Flashback
Frank-David Cohen – I have a background as an engineer and have been involved in the creation of several startups, notably in the education sector with Klassroom. This professional activity has allowed me to pursue my passion for cinema, to direct or edit personal productions, and to get involved in projects related to the audiovisual world, for example by working at La Petite Reine alongside Thomas Langmann.
F-D C. – Par ricochet, dès 2017 j’ai découvert la création immersive, la vidéo 360 et le format film à 180 degré, aujourd’hui plébiscité par Apple. C’est un format qui m’a séduit très vite pour sa capacité à être plus réaliste. Je me suis progressivement professionnalisé, en suivant une industrie immersive qui grandissait. Les caméras professionnelles sont arrivées, après des années de stitching et de débrouille, les logiciels de montage se sont adaptés… L’arrivée de l’Apple Vision Pro m’a prouvé qu’Apple avait de vraies intentions, avec des investissements lourds (notamment pour être accompagné d’une caméra dédiée, la Blackmagic URSA Ciné Immersive). C’est comme cela qu’on s’est spécialisé sur ce format, et pour ce type de casque.
Sixtine Rose – For my part, I come from the world of communications and politics, notably through Prisma Media and Richard Attias & Associates. I also have experience in the startup world. And while searching for a new project, I discovered Frank-David’s work at the same time as the announcement of Apple Vision Pro. We launched Immersive Flashback around content opportunities: at MIDEM for a music app, a fiction film, documentaries, etc.
Movies for Apple Vision Pro, a new immersive language
F-D C. – Getting started in content production for Apple Vision Pro is now a real filmmaking endeavor. We’re returning to the idea of filming, actors, and reality, but reinventing the rules of filmmaking. We need to find the right vocabulary, because until recently, it didn’t exist! We’re discovering new uses for this 180-degree medium.
S. R. – In terms of production and realization, it’s a new genre. There’s also an undeniable technological dimension to it, which requires an understanding of technology in addition to artistry. We had to find our own way of working in this new context.
F-D C. – Immersive technology is, by its very nature, technical. You have to understand the constraints of shooting in 3D, being close to the action… and even adding logos or credits isn’t that simple! It’s in this context that you have to keep an artistic eye above all else. I obviously looked at what was already out there, and it’s very interesting to see creators embracing the medium, testing it out, discovering it.
F-D C. – We are building on everything we have learned about VR… but we are also breaking new ground. Understanding how to tell a story in 180 degrees takes time; we can draw on some of the lessons learned from creating 360 content, but at the same time we have to unlearn certain things. We also need to shed light on what doesn’t work for these formats, so we don’t fall into traps such as movements that can make viewers feel nauseous in an immersive environment. It’s a process of introspection. For me, it’s an approach that goes hand in hand with the desire to offer much more accessible content that speaks to everyone. And not to let the medium close in on itself. There has been a huge learning curve for all immersive filmmakers over the past eight years; now we need to continue this process by opening up to more people.
F-D C. – VR experiences are perceived as very interesting, whether in museums, arcades, or online—with some real artistic successes. But that hasn’t been enough to make VR a revolution. With immersive technology, it’s real and it’s stunning. That’s THE difference! The viewer is teleported directly into a scene.
S. R. – This is the purpose of our initial projects, such as filming a concert or the July 14 parade. We make the inaccessible accessible.
Towards a new cinema experience?
F-D C. – For immersive enthusiasts, the 360 format is interesting because it offers total freedom. But it comes with a lot of production constraints for what is ultimately a limited benefit, because the general public hardly ever turns around to look at what’s happening behind them. 80% of people don’t turn around! For us, filming in 180, in 3D, corresponds to our natural field of vision and allows us to shoot with cinema equipment behind the camera. 360 video is still possible on Apple, even if the final file is no longer in a native Apple format. Apple chose 180 for its simplicity in production and the enthusiasm it generates in broadcasting.
S. R. – As with VR, you have to put the headset on your head. Feedback from the public and even our customers is quite immediate and very enthusiastic; we can really see the value of being able to immerse the audience in our stories. Or even professional uses. The quality provided by Apple Immersive Video, particularly the very high resolution, is not just a consideration for tech enthusiasts; it really helps to convince people.
F-D C. – Acculturation also takes place among the artists and collaborators involved in our projects. For Kyo‘s concert, we started by showing films on Apple Vision Pro to their entire team! The personalities involved in our shoots need to fully understand the power of the format and its logic. Because then, we are right at the heart of the action, very close to the group, sometimes in a very intimate setting. So it’s necessary to be “accepted” beforehand.
S. R. – It is thanks to this approach that we were able to get very close to them, even backstage, during unique moments. The preparation itself is similar to a traditional film shoot. Except that Frank-David often wears his Apple Vision Pro to set up his frame, etc. To this end, we developed specific software with our CTO Florent Morin to perform this type of monitoring with live feedback and determine what is in the frame and what is not, etc. Ultimately, there are still a lot of humans involved in all these processes.
Apple Vision Pro, a future?
F-D C. – The current setup of Apple Vision Pro makes public presentations quite complex (the headset must be configured for each viewer, editor’s note). An improvement in this area would be beneficial. I don’t think the AVP will become a consumer product in the short term. On the other hand, the arrival of lightweight connected glasses with AR screens—such as Apple, AndroidXR, or Meta/Rayban—will be much easier for the general public to adopt, since 7 out of 10 people wear glasses. Choosing lightweight connected glasses will therefore not fundamentally disrupt habits. Once the general public gets used to seeing more or less complex information displayed on their glasses, it will be much more feasible for them to buy a headset for home or work for greater comfort. It’s a bit like how a laptop is perfect for watching a movie on the train, but we prefer a large flat screen at home for greater comfort. In the meantime, we still plan to present our projects to audiences at specific screenings where the devices come to the people, as they are not yet widely available.
Immersive Flashback – Line-Up
Titre : HORS DU TEMPS
Durée : 25 minutes
Réalisateur : Frank-David Cohen
Synopsis : This immersive documentary is aimed equally at long-time fans who grew up with Dernière danse, Le Chemin, and Je cours, and today’s curious minds seeking new sensory experiences.
KYO is back, and not as you knew them before. Here, there is no frozen nostalgia: just a shot of emotion, ultra-contemporary, techno-poetic, halfway between an exclusive live performance and a waking dream.
Halfway between a tour documentary, an emotional capsule, and an immersive work… it is a new format in its own right.
Currently available in Paris (Fever)
Titre : UN 14 JUILLET AVEC LE PRÉSIDENT DE LA RÉPUBLIQUE
Durée : 8 minutes
Réalisateur : Frank-David Cohen
Synopsis : For the very first time, a head of state is taking an immersive camera with him and sharing an unprecedented experience with the wider world.
This year, visitors to the Élysée Palace are invited to experience the July 14 parade with the President of the Republic through an exclusive 180-degree immersive film.
From the head of state’s office to the official podium, via the descent of the Champs-Élysées aboard the Command car, viewers will experience the highlights of the parade up close thanks to cutting-edge technology.
The film is produced by Immersive Flashback, a young and innovative French company founded in January 2025 by Frank-David Cohen and Sixtine Rose, which has already established itself as a major player in immersive creation. This 100% French expertise offers unique image and sound quality.
An exceptional device, at the crossroads of technology, heritage, and history, allowing everyone to experience July 14th as never before, up close with the President of the Republic.
Discover this extraordinary experience, available free of charge from September 23 at Maison Elysée, 88 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
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