This is exciting and worth making note of: Apple has just introduced Submerged, the first scripted film captured in Immersive Video, written and directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front).

Why this matters

The first review of the movie has already slipped. Made for Vision Pro, you have to consider this as the poster child for the kind of spatially immersive films that we will see more and more of as visionOS technologies become more widely adopted. While there is a tech challenge to realizing this, I see the movie as the beginning of a whole new art form, just as Mac begat desktop publishing and iPhone begat the app, visionOS opens up a new pervasive future for the arts.

What do the reviewers say

Hat tip to Mark Spoonauer at Toms Guide who presumably got given the chance to watch the film before it was announced. “There’s a sense of intimacy I’ve never experienced before when watching this film,” he said. “I’m witnessing the potential dawn of a new era of filmmaking,” he also said.

While there are limitations including the weight and cost of the Vision Pro device you need to watch these movies, it’s pretty clear that the experience opens up new opportunities.

What’s the movie about?

Submerged is a 17-minute film. To some extent the plot of the film seems a snap close fit for the experience of spatial computing. You see, the action is set in a submarine that has been attacked as its crew struggle to handle the consequences of that. Think adrenaline-fuelled action, high tension, a real feeling of being enclosed and incredibly close quarter viewing angles – these are ‘vibes’ that seem a good fit for headset action. They really seem set to showcase the kind of experiences visionOS will eventually support.

Is there more to come?

Apple is already promising more like this as it works to evangelize the potential of visionOS for a new form or art.

• Apple and The Weeknd will launch an immersive music experience in November.
• Concert for One, a new concert series set to debut later this year, will provide fans with intimate performances from the world’s biggest artists, beginning with a special set from award-winning British singer-songwriter RAYE.
• New episodes of Adventure, which follows pioneering athletes as they take on awe-inspiring challenges, will also release this year.

What Apple said

“Vision Pro places you in the middle of the story — inside a densely packed submarine, shoulder to shoulder with its crew. That deep sense of immersion just wasn’t possible before, and we can’t wait to see how it inspires filmmakers to push the boundaries of visual storytelling,” said Tor Myhren, Apple’s vice president of Marketing Communications.

“Apple Immersive Video is a wonderful new medium that expands the horizon of storytelling,” said Edward Berger, director of the Academy Award-winning All Quiet on the Western Front and the upcoming, critically acclaimed Conclave. “Apple Vision Pro inspired me to tell a story in a way that just wasn’t possible before, and in the process, it changed the way my team and I think about creating a story. This immersive technology pioneered by Apple is going to change the future of filmmaking.”

More details and infos

• Shot on location in Prague, Brussels, and Malta over three weeks, Submerged was filmed using a full-scale 23-ton submarine set made with real steel, brass, and metal that was modeled after WWII-era vessels.
• Significant portions of the set were built to withstand being fully submerged.
• The set featured practical camera traps and special effects were uniquely rigged to expose Apple Immersive Video cameras to sparks, steam, water, and fire without breaking viewers’ sense of immersion.
• Cast members who might appear out of frame or focus in a 2D feature were meticulously scripted, and participated in extensive stunt rehearsals, including freedive training in dive tanks and open water, to maintain continuity and realism.
• A short film that shows how the cast and crew crafted this immersive, action-packed drama is also available.

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