Conference Proceedings

Reflexive VR Storytelling Design Beyond Immersion: Facilitating Self-Reflection on Death and Loneliness

Sojung Bahng, Ryan Kelly, Jon McCormack

Proceedings of the ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2020) | Association for Computing Machinery | Published : 2020

Abstract

This research examines the reflexive dimensions of cinematic virtual reality (CVR) storytelling. We created Anonymous, an interactive CVR piece that employs a reflexive storytelling method. This method is based on distancing effects and is used to elicit audience awareness and self-reflection about loneliness and death. To understand the audience’s experiences, we conducted in-depth interviews to study which design factors and elements prompted reflexive thoughts and feelings. Our findings highlight how the audience experience was impacted by four reflexive dimensions: abstract and minimal aesthetics, everyday materials and textures, the restriction of control, and multiple, disembodied poin..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Funding Acknowledgements

This project was supported by SensiLab at Monash University and the artist collective Artengine. We gratefully acknowledge the creative skills and support of our team and colleagues. We also thank Vince Dziekan, Toby Gifford, Mike Yeates, Aiden Hatcher, Eunsung Jeon, Rimi Choi, Nina Rajcic, Jarrod Knibbe, Tom Bartindale, Oscar Raby and Eugenia Kim for helping us to develop our research ideas and processes. We also express gratitude to all of our interview participants and the widower who inspired us to form the story of Anonymous.