Nested Cinematic Reality: cinema as a connected multi-media immersive experience for the living room of the future

Prokopic, Pavel

Abstract

Nested Cinematic Reality (NCR) is a practice-as-research project based on a novel concept for the presentation and consumption of cinematic content, which combines an atmospheric interior space (with IoT features), a virtual space in a VR headset, and traditional screens and other networked devices. The NCR research offers a vision for the living room of the future as a dynamic, customised cinematic space, which weaves a unique non-linear, nested narrative structure and immersive atmosphere for the viewer, based on contiguous and continuous transitions/alternations between the parallel or nested perceptual layers. The experience thus combines audio-visual, environmental, and emplaced, embodied production of meaning and affect, while blurring the boundaries between real/virtual, and direct/mediated experience. In this way, the project aims to discover new, immersive modes of film storytelling, aesthetics, performance and viewer participation, rooted in art/expanded cinema traditions and theoretical/philosophical concerns. By combining established and emerging production and presentation technologies, the project explores the narrative and emotional effects of a nested atmospheric environment, as well as the opportunities and limitations of visitor embodiment, empathy, virtual emplacement/displacement, and novel audio-visual expression and communication.

The first version of the project, funded by the University of Salford, will be realised as a public multi-media installation in Media City, Manchester in June 2023, creating an opportunity to test the vision for the Nested Cinema technology and content, and gather audience feedback. The installation will generate insights and audio-visual documentation, which will underpin the presentation of the research at the 2023 MeCCSA conference.

Citation

Prokopic, P. (2023, September). Nested Cinematic Reality: cinema as a connected multi-media immersive experience for the living room of the future. Paper presented at MeCCSA Conference, Glasgow Caledonian University

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: MeCCSA Conference
• Conference Location: Glasgow Caledonian University
• Start Date: Sep 4, 2023
• End Date: Sep 6, 2023
• Deposit Date: Nov 20, 2023
• Keywords: Virtual reality; The future of cinema; Atmosphere; Living Room of the future; Multi-media installation; Immersive media; Internet of Things
• Publisher URL: https://www.meccsa.org.uk/events/conference/