▁one ▁on ▁both ▁the ▁right ▁and ▁left ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁space . ▁Cru el ▁Summer ▁was ▁shot ▁using ▁a ▁special ized ▁camera ▁rig , ▁which ▁allowed ▁the ▁direct ors ▁to ▁capture ▁multiple ▁angles ▁simultaneously . ▁This ▁style ▁of ▁film ing ▁and ▁screen ing ▁a ▁movie ▁has ▁since ▁become ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" Se ven ▁Screen ▁Exper ience ". ▁ ▁The ▁film ▁is ▁inspired ▁by ▁the ▁album ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁name ▁by ▁West ' s ▁record ▁label ▁GO OD ▁Music . ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁a ▁" f usion ▁of ▁short ▁film ▁and ▁art ", ▁with ▁the ▁LA ▁Times ▁ra ving ▁Cru el ▁Summer ▁has ▁a ▁" th ump ing ▁surr ound - sound ▁quality ▁that ▁makes ▁a ▁ 3 - D ▁Michael ▁Bay ▁effort ▁feel ▁like ▁an ▁i Pad ▁short ." ▁ ▁Syn opsis ▁ ▁Raf i ▁( Sc ott ▁M esc udi ), ▁a ▁high - end ▁car ▁th ief , ▁falls ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁a ▁blind ▁Arab ian ▁prin cess ▁whose ▁father ▁( A li ▁Sul iman ) ▁will ▁only ▁allow ▁them ▁to ▁wed ▁if ▁he ▁can ▁pass ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁three ▁challeng es . ▁Lo os ely ▁based ▁on ▁old ▁Arab ian ▁folk ▁tales , ▁the ▁story ▁cul min ates ▁in ▁a ▁final ▁challenge ▁where ▁Raf i ▁must ▁c ure ▁the ▁Princess ▁of ▁her ▁blind ness ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁gain ▁her ▁companion ship . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Em iss aries ▁of ▁West ' s ▁team , ▁Executive ▁Produ cer ▁Alex ▁Ros enberg ▁and ▁writer ▁El on ▁R ut berg