Cinematic Quote by Brett Leonard
“My focus is to push the medium to be what it truly can be. Something well beyond 360-video, which is where a lot of the initial money has gone…but, of course, it’s not real VR if you don’t have agency. So what I’ve been looking for for 25 years is that undiscovered country between gameplay and linear narrative and the emotional engagement of a cinematic narrative. And that takes a huge combination of interesting technological enablements, as well as an understanding of how to bring a multidisciplinary team on a process that is upside-down the traditional process.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Talk on VR Innovation, 2020
The quote stresses that true virtual reality must go beyond visual immersion to include user agency, blending interactive gameplay with cinematic storytelling through advanced technology and interdisciplinary collaboration.
In simple terms: VR needs agency and narrative depth, not just visuals.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize agency and storytelling in VR design.
Themes
virtual reality
agency
storytelling
technology
collaboration
Mood
inspired
determined
optimistic
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- game development
- film production
- VR prototyping
- team workshops
- technology research
Key Concepts
immersive media
interactive narrative
multidisciplinary design
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you embed meaningful choices without breaking immersion?
- What balance of gameplay and narrative feels most engaging?
A Different Perspective
Achieving seamless agency may be technically and logistically challenging.
![“I don't like the strictly objective viewpoint [in which all of the characters' actions are described in the third person, but we never hear what any of them are thinking.] Which is much more of a cinematic technique. Something written in third person objective is what the camera sees. Because…” quote by George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/170/george-r-r-martin-2-926_action_i-don-t-like-the-strictly-objective-view_234026.jpg)
