To promote Sony Pictures' film The Walk globally, we wanted to recreate the deciding moment of the film for viewers in the most visceral (and safest) way possible: using virtual reality. People should walk away from the experience thinking ”I can’t believe he really did that”.
Just as Philippe Petit did in real life, in VR viewers step off the ledge of The World Trade Center onto a tightrope and begin to walk across. We wanted them to truly believe they are there in that moment, with all the fear and awe that would accompany such an amazing event. It was built exclusively using Sony hardware, using visual effects and audio elements taken directly from the film. A wind machine and wire on the ground give viewers tactile feedback for what they virtually see and touch, adding to the immersion.
The VR experience traveled to more than 17 flagship IMAX theatres around the world, from Dubai to Seoul, with a standee that allowed moviegoers to take photos in real life that mimicked the view in the VR headset.
The sense of height was truly experienced by participants – some more than others! Stepping off the ledge feels so real that 25% of participants could not take a step.
