Making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up is what M. Night Shyamalan does best, but usually, it happens when you’re watching his films – not in them. Visitors to Canon USA’s booth at CES 2023 had an amazing opportunity to dive into his new Universal Pictures thriller, Knock at the Cabin, in four different immersive ways, a full month ahead of its release in cinemas on February 3.
In the film, a young girl and her fathers are vacationing in a remote cabin in the woods when they are taken hostage by four strangers. So, how did CES visitors find themselves transported there, too? Well, right in the middle of the show floor was a life-size replica of the cabin from the movie set in a realistic-looking forest, and that was just the Canon booth. Inside, visitors could experience exciting new Canon technologies and be transported inside the story…
One knock for Kokomo
Canon USA’s Kokomo is still in development, but at CES 2023 visitors were able to use this fully immersive virtual reality software to talk directly to one of four characters from Knock at the Cabin, completely live and real-time. Using a VR headset and a compatible smartphone, they entered a photoreal environment – as themselves (no legless avatars here!) and conversed freely. And if being in the cabin left them feeling a little uneasy? The person they were speaking too could see every nervous facial expression. Perhaps a good time to put your game face on?
Two knocks for Free Viewpoint System
Everyone wants the best seat in the house, right? Well, what can be better than seeing through the eyes of the film’s characters? M. Night Shyamalan collaborated with our Volumetric Video Studio in Kawasaki, Japan, to direct the recreation of an action scene from Knock at the Cabin, which allowed CES attendees to get inside the scene using our Free Viewpoint System. They were able to watch the action unfold from multiple viewpoints, as though they were playing a part in the movie. Close enough to get your heart racing. But that’s what makes it so cool, right?