Coming to virtual-reality platforms in March 2022, a new two-part project by Jonathan Griffith follows the golden boy of climbing on a 360-degree solo tour of the U.S. and Europe.
“Alex Honnold: The Soloist VR” is the latest project from renowned climbing documentarian Jonathan Griffith. The two-part series is a lesson in meticulous planning and immersive filmmaking. It’s set for a March 3 release on Oculus TV and Meta VR.
“In the film, Griffith employed the latest in high-resolution 3D,” states the production company’s release. “He purposefully kept the film as raw as possible to use the power of VR to bring the viewer into the scene in an authentic way.”
Alex Honnold Virtual-Reality Series
Episode 1 will acquaint viewers with Honnold before following him to Yosemite National Park and Red Rocks in Las Vegas. The experience then takes viewers to Europe, where Honnold and Swiss climber Nicolas Hojac take on the Dolomites.
Episode 2 picks up where the first leaves off. It depicts Honnold and Hojac on a summer free solo expedition in the Mont Blanc Massif.
Griffith’s eponymous production company recently hit the big leagues with “The Alpinist,” but the studio started churning out dirtbag cult favorites years ago.
The annual “Reel Rock” film series is his most prolific venture to date and provided the filmmaker with a bevy of experience. Capturing climbers in action is a highly technical, creative, and physically demanding niche that few have entered successfully.
Griffith’s a visionary, and if his recent “Everest VR” project is any indication, “Soloist VR” will benefit from his experience as a pioneer of dynamic cinematography.
The film more or less expands on a 2016 project from Camp4 Collective and Jaunt VR. Check out some of that 4-minute, 360-degree footage below for a taste of what “Soloist VR” has in store.
