SISU students shoot first Virtual Reality short film to tell university story

Five students from the School of Journalism and Communication from Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) used virtual reality (VR) technology to make a three-minute film about four landmarks of the Songjiang campus, which was posted online on June 4, 2016.

The short film, themed “SISU students lead friends to visit the Songjiang campus”, used a story to introduce four landmarks of the university -- librarty sunken plaza, fountain, dining hall and valentine’s lawn. The film’s length was shortened and some of its overcrowded scenes were erased to maintain balance and effectively eliminate viewers’ dizziness.

Zheng Jiahe, a second-year student of SISU’s School of English Studies and the leading character of this film, felt excited after watching his own performance on film cut.

He said: “My initial thought when I heard the idea was ‘this could be fun and interesting’ and was to complete a favor. The hard work came later as I realized it could be a really important way of getting people to notice. Panorama of the campus was exciting, although the variable narrative sight and dubbing in voice have really bothered us in a time. Viewers can turn around for 360 degree and the hero of the film seems real and just stands before you.”

The working team of five SISU students majored in Educational Technology — Li Chengran, Xu Tingyi, Shi Wenzhuo, Xia Lele and Xu Bing，was inspired six months ago by a class practice to explore the use of advanced VR technology into education, which had had rare practices before.

This program, one of National Undergraduate Training Programs for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, is going to produce a series of films with SISU characteristics.

The team leader Li Chengran said the focus of VR technology was to mix fiction and reality and it still had a long way to go.

Jin Hui, SISU’s associate professor and the team adviser, said the VR technology helps develop studies, understanding and communication. She said it was the start of innovation when students learn to look in a different view and put it into practice.