In 2016, the Lectorate received a grant from SIA RAAK to set up a research project on the topic of Storytelling for 360° media. This project is set up as a collaboration with the Filmacademie and ten industry partners from the field of VR.

In this research project, we focus on the basics of VR storytelling. We intend to isolate small elements of the language of VR, and investigate how they work and what impact they may have on the audience.  The research is set up as experiments in collaboration with industry partners and students, producing short VR movies  that can be viewed as stand alone productions as well.

Event: IDFA experiment

At IDFA 2016, we set up an experiment in collaboration with VPRO Tegenlicht and IDFA DocLab. During the documentary festival, attendants were asked to watch a short VR documentary, for which we had produced an alternative version to test the use of voice over in documentary VR. After watching the movie, viewers were asked to fill in a survey in which the level of immersion and engagement were measured.

Circus Noel

In collaboration with WeMakeVR our students developed a tightrope walking experience in VR. This project was set up as a ‘VR companionpiece’ to the AVROTROS children television series. Users were invited to experience the thrill of walking on a tightrope in a cinematic VR circus setting, which gave us the opportunity to gain valuable new insights into embodiment in VR. After being used for academic research, the installation was also presented at festivals such as Oerol and Cinekid.

Further research into VR and embodiment was done by students of the Master Digital Design, who added storytelling elements to the VR parachute jump produced by IJsfontein, for the Waterlinie Museum

Research papers

Circus Noel: A Case Study into Interaction and Interface Design for Cinematic VR https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-99426-0_21

Who Are You? Voice-Over Perspective in Surround Video
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-71027-3_18