Immersive film and a new cinematic language – CODE also hosted professional discussions at Veszprém-Balaton Film Picnic

What can 360° space bring to storytelling, and is a new cinematic language in the making? As part of Veszprém-Balaton Film Picnic’s accompanying program, two professional roundtable discussions were held at CODE Center of Digital Experiences about the current possibilities and future of immersive moving images. 

August 27–29. Once again, over the course of three days, Hungarian movies took center stage in Veszprém and Balatonfüred at the revamped Veszprém-Balaton Film Picnic. CODE also participated in the festival’s program: in addition to the permanent immersive performances, visitors were once again able to view the immersive exhibition titled Csontváry – In the Language of Photons, which, thanks to the viewers, was voted the best immersive artwork.  

However, CODE featured more than just immersive experiences during Film Picnic: two industry roundtable discussions were also held, which we explored with the help of experts to explore how immersive technology can transform filmmaking, storytelling, and the viewer experience. 

The first professional discussion focused specifically on the language of immersive movies: one of the fundamental questions of the discussion was whether an independent language of immersive movies already exists, or whether, for the time being, we are primarily encountering spatial adaptations of classical cinematic thinking. 

The event was hosted by university professor and producer József Fülöp, and featured Bálint Benkovits, founder of Derengo Animation, Tamás Zádor, leader of the Glowing Bulbs group, as well as movie director and movie critic András B. Vágvölgyi. They discussed how the relationship between the creator and the viewer changes in a space where the latter’s presence becomes much freer. 

During the discussion, the participants sought answers to questions such as whether the new cinematic language signifies a loss of creative control, or whether it actually creates a new dramaturgical possibility in which the story is not experienced in the same way by every viewer, but is pieced together through individual paths and discoveries.  

The second roundtable discussion focused primarily on the possible directions in which moving images might develop, and what role the immersive space might play in this. 

Andrea Osvárt, actor and host, György Ráduly, Director of NFI Film Preservation and Technology Division , Mátás Kálmán , documentary filmmaker, producer, and cinematographer, as well as Péter Tóth, creative producer and animation director of the Hungarian House of Music’s Sound Dome, explored the topic from multiple perspectives. 

One of the key questions from the creators' perspective was what 360-degree space could contribute to cinematic storytelling. Which stories, genres, and creators’ intentions can truly benefit from this spatiality, and when an immersive environment becomes an integral part of storytelling rather than merely a visual solution.

The professional discussion also examined the potential of immersive technology from the perspectives of producers and financiers. The question arose as to whether it is possible to create a production and business model that treats immersive productions not merely as one-time technological attractions, but as standalone content industry products, as well as how development, production costs, distribution, audience capacity, and the logic of return on investment in this case. 

The role of the audience also emerged as an important issue. What kind of experience would viewers be willing to trade the classic movie theater seat for? Among other things, the panelists also discussed whether there could be a type of story or experience that viewers choose not merely because it is “more spectacular,” but because it becomes experienceable in the immersive space in a way that it is not on the traditional movie screen. 

One important lesson from these two professional discussions is that immersive technology is about much more than just spectacle. It can bring about new creative thinking, a different kind of viewer experience, and even new models for the film and content industries. 

For CODE, it is of paramount importance that we view immersive technology not merely as an experience, but as a new medium— a form whose unique language, possibilities, and place in contemporary culture are worth exploring together.