Filmmaking Meets VR: A Tool for Scouting Locations in Virtual Reality for Film Production

Selecting a physical site for a project is a challenging task with constraints such as scheduling and travel costs that challenge industries including film/TV, economic development, and tourism. We propose a virtual-reality-based "location scouting" tool for exploring, discussing, and annotating sites directly in VR. This tool features a digital twin of a part of the city along with an interface to visit the city virtually and take notes similar to a location scouting visit. Our pilot study to evaluate the usability of this tool shows that the participants found the tool useful for location-scouting applications.