Behind the Curtain of the “Ultimate Empathy Machine": On the Composition of Virtual Reality Nonfiction Experiences

Chris Bevan; David Green; Harry Farmer; Mandy Rose; Kirsten Cater; Danae Stanton Fraser; Helen Brown

doi:10.1145/3290605.3300736

Behind the Curtain of the “Ultimate Empathy Machine": On the Composition of Virtual Reality Nonfiction Experiences

Chris Bevan^*, David Green, Harry Farmer, Mandy Rose, Kirsten Cater, Danae Stanton Fraser, Helen Brown

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

42 Citations (Scopus)

1001 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Virtual Reality nonfiction (VRNF) is an emerging form of immersive media experience created for consumption using panoramic “Virtual Reality" headsets. VRNF promises nonfiction content producers the potential to create new ways for audiences to experience “the real"; allowing viewers to transition from passive spectators to active participants. Our current project is exploring VRNF through a series of ethnographic and experimental studies. In order to document the content available, we embarked on an analysis of VR documentaries produced to date. In this paper, we present an analysis of a representative sample of 150 VRNF titles released between 2012-2018. We identify and quantify 64 characteristics of the medium over this period, discuss how producers are exploiting the affordances of VR, and shed light on new audience roles. Our findings provide insight into the current state of the art in VRNF and provide a digital resource for other researchers in this area.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	CHI 2019 - Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Pages	1-12
Number of pages	12
ISBN (Print)	9781450359702
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300736
Publication status	Published - 2 May 2019
Event	2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2019 - Glasgow, United Kingdom Duration: 4 May 2019 → 9 May 2019

Conference

Conference	2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2019
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	Glasgow
Period	4/05/19 → 9/05/19

Research Groups and Themes

Bristol Interaction Group

Keywords

Immersive media
Interaction
Nonfiction
Virtual reality

Access to Document

10.1145/3290605.3300736

Full-text PDF (accepted author manuscript)
This is the author accepted manuscript (AAM). The final published version (version of record) is available online via ACM at https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=3290605.3300736 . Please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher.
Accepted author manuscript, 3.55 MB

Handle.net

Persistent link

Cite this

Bevan, C., Green, D., Farmer, H., Rose, M., Cater, K., Stanton Fraser, D., & Brown, H. (2019). Behind the Curtain of the “Ultimate Empathy Machine": On the Composition of Virtual Reality Nonfiction Experiences. In CHI 2019 - Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-12). Article 506 Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). https://doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300736

@inproceedings{70cf94aa2cb4431cb9c72b7528e473df,

title = "Behind the Curtain of the “Ultimate Empathy Machine{"}: On the Composition of Virtual Reality Nonfiction Experiences",

abstract = "Virtual Reality nonfiction (VRNF) is an emerging form of immersive media experience created for consumption using panoramic “Virtual Reality{"} headsets. VRNF promises nonfiction content producers the potential to create new ways for audiences to experience “the real{"}; allowing viewers to transition from passive spectators to active participants. Our current project is exploring VRNF through a series of ethnographic and experimental studies. In order to document the content available, we embarked on an analysis of VR documentaries produced to date. In this paper, we present an analysis of a representative sample of 150 VRNF titles released between 2012-2018. We identify and quantify 64 characteristics of the medium over this period, discuss how producers are exploiting the affordances of VR, and shed light on new audience roles. Our findings provide insight into the current state of the art in VRNF and provide a digital resource for other researchers in this area.",

keywords = "Immersive media, Interaction, Nonfiction, Virtual reality",

author = "Chris Bevan and David Green and Harry Farmer and Mandy Rose and Kirsten Cater and {Stanton Fraser}, Danae and Helen Brown",

year = "2019",

month = may,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1145/3290605.3300736",

language = "English",

isbn = "9781450359702",

pages = "1--12",

booktitle = "CHI 2019 - Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems",

publisher = "Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)",

address = "United States",

note = "2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2019 ; Conference date: 04-05-2019 Through 09-05-2019",

}

Bevan, C, Green, D, Farmer, H, Rose, M, Cater, K, Stanton Fraser, D & Brown, H 2019, Behind the Curtain of the “Ultimate Empathy Machine": On the Composition of Virtual Reality Nonfiction Experiences. in CHI 2019 - Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems., 506, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), pp. 1-12, 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2019, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 4/05/19. https://doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300736

Behind the Curtain of the “Ultimate Empathy Machine": On the Composition of Virtual Reality Nonfiction Experiences. / Bevan, Chris; Green, David; Farmer, Harry et al.
CHI 2019 - Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), 2019. p. 1-12 506.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

TY - GEN

T1 - Behind the Curtain of the “Ultimate Empathy Machine"

T2 - 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2019

AU - Bevan, Chris

AU - Green, David

AU - Farmer, Harry

AU - Rose, Mandy

AU - Cater, Kirsten

AU - Stanton Fraser, Danae

AU - Brown, Helen

PY - 2019/5/2

Y1 - 2019/5/2

N2 - Virtual Reality nonfiction (VRNF) is an emerging form of immersive media experience created for consumption using panoramic “Virtual Reality" headsets. VRNF promises nonfiction content producers the potential to create new ways for audiences to experience “the real"; allowing viewers to transition from passive spectators to active participants. Our current project is exploring VRNF through a series of ethnographic and experimental studies. In order to document the content available, we embarked on an analysis of VR documentaries produced to date. In this paper, we present an analysis of a representative sample of 150 VRNF titles released between 2012-2018. We identify and quantify 64 characteristics of the medium over this period, discuss how producers are exploiting the affordances of VR, and shed light on new audience roles. Our findings provide insight into the current state of the art in VRNF and provide a digital resource for other researchers in this area.

AB - Virtual Reality nonfiction (VRNF) is an emerging form of immersive media experience created for consumption using panoramic “Virtual Reality" headsets. VRNF promises nonfiction content producers the potential to create new ways for audiences to experience “the real"; allowing viewers to transition from passive spectators to active participants. Our current project is exploring VRNF through a series of ethnographic and experimental studies. In order to document the content available, we embarked on an analysis of VR documentaries produced to date. In this paper, we present an analysis of a representative sample of 150 VRNF titles released between 2012-2018. We identify and quantify 64 characteristics of the medium over this period, discuss how producers are exploiting the affordances of VR, and shed light on new audience roles. Our findings provide insight into the current state of the art in VRNF and provide a digital resource for other researchers in this area.

KW - Immersive media

KW - Interaction

KW - Nonfiction

KW - Virtual reality

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85067606192&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1145/3290605.3300736

DO - 10.1145/3290605.3300736

M3 - Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

AN - SCOPUS:85067606192

SN - 9781450359702

SP - 1

EP - 12

BT - CHI 2019 - Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

PB - Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)

Y2 - 4 May 2019 through 9 May 2019

ER -

Behind the Curtain of the “Ultimate Empathy Machine": On the Composition of Virtual Reality Nonfiction Experiences

Abstract

Conference

Research Groups and Themes

Keywords

Access to Document

Handle.net

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Rework of Virtual Realities - Immersive Documentary Encounters

ACM / SIGCHI Best of CHI Awards: Honorable Mention

Professor Kirsten F Cater

Cite this

Behind the Curtain of the “Ultimate Empathy Machine": On the Composition of Virtual Reality Nonfiction Experiences

Abstract

Conference

Research Groups and Themes

Keywords

Access to Document

Handle.net

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

Rework of Virtual Realities - Immersive Documentary Encounters

Prizes

ACM / SIGCHI Best of CHI Awards: Honorable Mention

Profiles

Professor Kirsten F Cater

Cite this