Sinking in the Afterglow (VR）

"Sinking into The Afterglow" is my final project for the Master of Moving Image Studies at The University of Sydney, it’s also the first ever MMI virtual reality film. There were many technical and aesthetical difficulties to be considered since the beginning, but we are getting there eventually. I and my group members agree that the latest immersive technologies bring extended possibilities for visual storytelling, as well as bringing new career opportunities for young filmmakers.

In terms of VR’s narrative structure, the environment frequently keeps changing so much that the world you know is no longer believable. The audiences need to leave where they are familiar with and move to "the next realm". Everything could happen, though nothing really happens. Unlike the original concept of moving images, this virtual reality film is more concerned with the process of getting lost, immersed, and reborn.

How to march forward in this world full of uncertainties? You and I may be trapped in a post-covid spectacle city, where we occasionally think about its very existence and meaning, without understanding either, but we always demand more. Perhaps there isn’t an easy path, sometimes we just have to hold our faith firmly in the muddy abyss and leave chaos behind. After crossing through twilight, there will be new vitality.

「Sinking into The Afterglow」是我在悉尼大学电影硕士的毕业项目，也是我们院系成立以来的第一部虚拟现实短片。从一开始就遇到了许多技术和美学表达上的困难，但我们最终到达了这里。我和我的团队成员都相信，最新的沉浸式技术扩展了影像叙事的视角，也为像我们这代的年轻创作者开拓了一系列新的职业发展机遇。

在 VR 的视觉语言中，环境时常发生着翻天覆地的变化，以至于你所认知的世界不再可信。观众需要离开他们所熟悉的场景，进入“下一个时空”。一切都可能发生，尽管什么都又没有真正发生过。与传统意义上动态影像的概念不同，虚拟现实电影更关注的是迷失、沉浸和重生的过程。

在这个充满着不确定性的世界里，我们该如何继续前进？你和我可能被困于一个后疫情时代的景观城市中，偶尔会思考它的存在和意义，不得其解，但习惯于索求更多。也许本就没有一条容易的路，我们不得不学会在在淤泥深渊间坚定信仰，将眼前的乱象置之脑后。在穿越薄暮微光的尽头时，会有新的生机。

Reflection of Reality in World of Imagination - “Sinking into The Afterglow” Review：

https://www.romacinephilia.com/post/reflection-of-reality-in-world-of-imagination-sinking-into-the-afterglow-review