The Metaverse Gets the Hollywood Treatment
Trends /
Technology
Yagi Studio
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Daniel Kwan, an American millennial film director, and his partner, Daniel Scheinert, have just won1 the Oscar for Best Picture for their 2022 movie 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'. In an interview last year2, Kwan expressed his idea of creating a multiverse movie that delves deep into the concept of infinite universes while also having a meaningful backstory.
Although the film has received three Oscar awards, the business of the metaverse is not scaling up at the same pace. Why is this happening? The reason might be that the visual narratives of future digital environments lack two crucial elements that the movie presented: an empathetic and relatable story (depicting the challenging lives of an Asian American family), and a visually stunning and inventive aesthetic that can introduce believable but also immersive universes.
Although the film has received three Oscar awards, the business of the metaverse is not scaling up at the same pace. Why is this happening? The reason might be that the visual narratives of future digital environments lack two crucial elements that the movie presented: an empathetic and relatable story (depicting the challenging lives of an Asian American family), and a visually stunning and inventive aesthetic that can introduce believable but also immersive universes.
From fiction to business
What are companies looking for when trying to imagine the metaverse? As stated in a previous article we wrote, trending search terms related to futuristic technology such as “metaverse” (+727%) and “virtual reality” (+21%) indicate a desire for immersion in colorful, pink, purple, magenta or neon‑ish spaces.
However, although the metaverse is intended to facilitate connections through avatars as an integrated network of digital worlds, the most widely used metaverse visuals still depict individuals in isolation, detracting from the concept of a virtual community or a shared immersive experience. This may explain why many metaverse brand projects are being criticized3 and reporting low engagement at the moment.
While the “purple wave” (depicting somewhere between the real, naturally‑occurring, and the other‑worldly, bringing to mind a dreamlike space of play) may be a common association when thinking of technology and futuristic concepts, the emphasis should be on crafting compelling and inspiring stories that showcase the potential for connection facilitated by digital worlds and their never‑ending possibilities, conveyed in a tone that is imaginative, as well as unconventional.
What are companies looking for when trying to imagine the metaverse? As stated in a previous article we wrote, trending search terms related to futuristic technology such as “metaverse” (+727%) and “virtual reality” (+21%) indicate a desire for immersion in colorful, pink, purple, magenta or neon‑ish spaces.
However, although the metaverse is intended to facilitate connections through avatars as an integrated network of digital worlds, the most widely used metaverse visuals still depict individuals in isolation, detracting from the concept of a virtual community or a shared immersive experience. This may explain why many metaverse brand projects are being criticized3 and reporting low engagement at the moment.
While the “purple wave” (depicting somewhere between the real, naturally‑occurring, and the other‑worldly, bringing to mind a dreamlike space of play) may be a common association when thinking of technology and futuristic concepts, the emphasis should be on crafting compelling and inspiring stories that showcase the potential for connection facilitated by digital worlds and their never‑ending possibilities, conveyed in a tone that is imaginative, as well as unconventional.
Next Up
The Future is...Purple? 
