Immersive Storytelling Outside of Virtual Reality
But one of the most immersive experiences at film festival’s “Storyscapes” event succeeded in transporting my mind to a different place by taking away my vision entirely. Instead of giving me a virtual reality headset, the “Door into the Dark” experience isolated me with a construction helmet, face-blocking visor and headphones.
But taking away my sight and taking control of my hearing was just one step toward focusing my brain on the storytelling that followed.
When I first blindly entered the main room, I followed a guide rope by running both hands over its fibrous surface as I listened to a story of how a blind man experienced his life through his other senses. At the end of the rope, a gentle audio narrator told me to let go of the rope and explore. I found it surprisingly difficult to obey at first, but eventually I abandoned the rope and stepped forward to encounter what felt like a fine mesh fabric strung up like a net. I pressed up against it and carefully felt my way along its length using my hands, ...
See the full story here: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/lovesick-cyborg/2015/05/02/immersive-storytelling-outside-of-virtual-reality/#.VUbqXM5iBrg