Abstract
This PhD research is an exegesis accompanying the virtual reality (VR) short film Gala. Gala is an embodied virtual reality (EVR) film constructed using a hybrid method of film, games, and virtual reality storytelling techniques. The second part of this research is a comparison between the EVR representation of the film and a more traditionally rendered two-dimensional (2D) version of the same movie using accessible games industry software and hardware following a virtual production workflow. The aim was to assess objectively how viewers were perceptually, emotionally, and cognitively affected by the movie, and whether the 2D and EVR version differed in this regard. This method of comparison comprised a combination of standardised self-report measures of affect and arousal. Additionally, questionnaires, follow up participant interviews, and objective physiological measures such as participant heart rate and brain neurological activity were used to compare the results to determine whether the subjective measures corroborate what we find in our objective measures. The results show that in both cases, regardless of medium, it had a significant impact on participants' emotional states, indicating that they are not always driven by technology. In other instances, however, viewers felt more immersed, emotionally engaged, and aroused as a result of the technology. These findings also imply that the emotional impact of antagonistic characters is amplified in VR. When converting standard films to VR, this increased level of emotional engagement should be considered. As a result, when employed deliberately, it can be effective in eliciting strong feelings of revulsion or hatred. This method may provide value for the film industry to support objective content assessment, understanding of film emotion and open the way for new interdisciplinary fields of research. The third part of this research is an exegesis of the Gala film. The text is structured as a series of thematic chapters, which explore and evaluate the key themes that have emerged through undertaking this PhD research. Here I discuss the research journey I have undertaken using autoethnography as a research method (link to director’s commentary video: https://youtu.be/dYxgoysI6OI). The research has been concerned with the emerging field of VR film production and aims to contribute towards efforts to define and to enhance that field. Using reflective practice, the making of the movies was accompanied by a systematic process of documenting these workflows, as well as a search for VR filmmakers whose techniques resonated with the practice of creating interactive movies. This search allowed me to identify a number of VR movies that enabled me to conceptualize my practice and movie production in new creative ways.This doctoral research contributes to the cognitive movement in film theory, by proposing and applying methodology for research in VR film production that integrates a multi-disciplinary analysis approach. The exegesis argues that evolving to the demands of the new medium of VR film production is necessary to shape the message's perception of the VR film narrative.
| Date of Award | 5 Oct 2023 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Supervisor | James Birt (Supervisor), Oliver Baumann (Supervisor) & Michael Sergi (Supervisor) |