Listen: Can a Studio Make Movies for VR?

By Andrew Wallenstein

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – STX Entertainment is best known for movies like “The Upside” and “Ugly Dolls,” but it also has a division dedicated to creating virtual-reality movies like the recent action short “The Limit.”

is working on over a dozen films in a variety of genres, according to its founders, Rick Rey (pictured, right) and Andy Vick. On the latest episode of the Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” they talk about the art of adopting narrative storytelling to new technology, and what it will take for VR to achieve mass appeal.

Listen to the podcast here:

“These VR movies are a really strong first step into powerful narrative storytelling using these different tools,” said Vick. “It’s just about getting it out there to the people.”

But he also made clear that we’re just in the early stages of a medium that will take a long time to develop as a new generation becomes the first to grow up with VR in their personal media mixes.

Said Vick, “The Kubricks and Spielbergs of VR are probably 12 years old and they’re growing up watching and playing VR. They’re going to have a take that’s completely different and doesn’t even exist today.”

“ ” is Variety‘s weekly podcast featuring conversations with industry leaders about the business of entertainment. Listen to the podcast below for the full interview, or check out previous “ Strictly Business”   episodes featuring HBO chairman/CEO Richard Plepler, Discovery CEO David Zaslav, and TV star Tyra Banks. A new episode debuts each Tuesday and can be downloaded on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, and SoundCloud.