Apple Unveils First Film Shot in Immersive Video

Today, Apple revealed new episodes, films, series, and music performances captured in Apple Immersive Video that will debut on Apple Vision Pro for free. Apple Immersive Video is a remarkable media format that leverages ultra-high-resolution 3D video and Spatial Audio to put viewers in the center of the action.

Submerged, the first scripted short film captured in Apple Immersive Video, written and directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Edward Berger, is now available. Next month, Apple and The Weeknd will launch a breathtaking immersive music experience celebrating the seven-time diamond-certified artist's highly anticipated new album, Hurry Up Tomorrow. With Concert for One, a new concert series set to debut later this year, fans will experience intimate performances from the world's biggest artists, beginning with a special set from the award-winning British singer-songwriter RAYE. New episodes of Adventure, which follows pioneering athletes as they take on awe-inspiring challenges, will also release this year.

This immersive fiction thriller, available to Apple Vision Pro users around the world for free, invites viewers onto a WWII-era submarine and follows its crew as they wrestle to combat a harrowing attack. This adrenaline-pumping thrill ride showcases the unique storytelling experiences made possible by Apple Immersive Video.

"Apple Immersive Video allows Apple Vision Pro users around the world to experience the next generation of sports, documentaries, and music performances. With Submerged, an immersive film from visionary director Edward Berger, we're excited to premiere the next generation of narrative filmmaking," said Tor Myhren, Apple's vice president of Marketing Communications. "Vision Pro places you in the middle of the story - inside a densely packed submarine, shoulder to shoulder with its crew. That deep sense of immersion just wasn't possible before, and we can't wait to see how it inspires filmmakers to push the boundaries of visual storytelling."

"Apple Immersive Video is a wonderful new medium that expands the horizon of storytelling," said Edward Berger, director of the Academy Award-winning All Quiet on the Western Front and the upcoming, critically acclaimed Conclave. "Apple Vision Pro inspired me to tell a story in a way that just wasn't possible before, and in the process, it changed the way my team and I think about creating a story. This immersive technology pioneered by Apple is going to change the future of filmmaking."

Shot on location in Prague, Brussels, and Malta over three weeks, Submerged was filmed using a full-scale 23-ton submarine set made with real steel, brass, and metal that was modeled after WWII-era vessels. Significant portions of the set were built to withstand being fully submerged, and featured practical camera traps and special effects that were uniquely rigged to expose Apple Immersive Video cameras to sparks, steam, water, and fire without breaking viewers' sense of immersion. Cast members who might appear out of frame or focus in a 2D feature were meticulously scripted, and participated in extensive stunt rehearsals, including freedive training in dive tanks and open water, to maintain continuity and realism. Fans can go behind the scenes of Submerged with a short film that shows how the cast and crew crafted this immersive, action-packed drama exclusively for Apple Vision Pro.

Next Friday, basketball fans will enjoy an immersive short film of the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend, featuring the Rising Stars, the Slam Dunk contest, the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-Point Challenge, "Stephen vs. Sabrina," and highlights from the All-Star Game.

Concert for One is the first music series captured in Apple Immersive Video, bringing fans closer to their favorite artists than ever before. The inaugural performance comes from six-time BRIT Award winner RAYE, who alongside her 20-piece band offers her blend of R&B, jazz, and pop to viewers from the best seat in the house.

After stepping into thin air above Norway's breathtaking fjords with highliner Faith Dickey, and traversing the streets and rooftops of Paris with the world's leading parkour group, viewers are invited to swim alongside freediver Ant Williams while he attempts to best his record for the longest distance under ice with just a single breath. The next episode of Adventure, "Ice Dive," will debut in the U.S. in December.

Early next year, viewers can experience the shores of Majorca, Spain, where world-class sport climber Kai Lightner tackles his biggest challenge yet: free-solo climbing over the secluded and rocky coves, where one slip will send him into the raging sea.

In the next episode of Elevated, "Maine," available early next year, viewers will experience a crisp autumn in New England, with a stunning journey along winding coastlines and above breathtakingly beautiful rivers.

These new episodes, films, series, and concerts join the growing Apple Immersive Video catalog available today, which includes Alicia Keys: Rehearsal Room, Boundless, Elevated, Prehistoric Planet Immersive, Wild Life, and more - all available from the Apple TV app on Apple Vision Pro.

Availability

• Apple Vision Pro is available in Australia, Canada, China mainland, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, the U.K., and the U.S.

• Users in these countries and regions can enjoy a free demo of Apple Vision Pro at their local Apple Store and receive an extended preview of Submerged upon request beginning Monday, October 14.

• Apple Immersive Video is available at no additional cost from the Apple TV app in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, the U.K., and the U.S. Users in China mainland can access Apple Immersive Video from the Migu Video and Tencent Video apps, which are available to download for free from the App Store for Apple Vision Pro.

• New Apple Immersive Video episodes and films debut in U.S. English with subtitles in additional languages. Title availability varies by country or region.