Immersion
The most common though when asked what is new media normally thinks about developments in new technology that affects media. This range from the formats to platforms such as VR or live streaming on mobile phones. However film has usually been the fore front of new media advancing in spectacle and immersion. These two keys aspects have always worked hand in hand with film spectacle creating immersion or the immersion creating the spectacle this has been an effect from
“the first public exhibition of cinema ran screaming from the auditorium, terrified that the train in the film Arrival of a Train at the Station (1896/Louis Lumière) would burst through the screen and smash them all”
Stephen Presence
To the current decade of the Blair Witch project creating a spectacle from its use of immersive realistic low quality camera to capture the story.
However some new technologies such as developments in video platforms like youtube or social media site with video display would be taking away the spectacle and immersion as the viewer is fully aware of the platform they are using often viewed on mobile phone or tablet. This viewing experience reduces immersion and distracts the experiences high dramatic genre programmes and films.
However I have experience a genre like no other on youtube, like before a platform that uses immediacy to creating a low sense of spectacle and immersion. But the video I viewed used this to its advantage, making the content feel real and being spectacle to the viewer.
The video produced from the youtube channel Racka Racka have created a high production value action pack packed vlog video combine there two main genres on their channel. The odd pairing of the genres action/horror with the vlog formats creates a great sense of immersion and spectacle as the action/horror, is perceived as real from the vlog format.
Other advancements in technologies to create spectacle and immersive experience are 3D, VR and IMAX all created for the viewing experience to be better. Many would disagree on the idea that these technologies make a more immersive experience and are used as avant grade medium or brings to must attention to its self to be effect enough. I believe the technologies can improve the spectacle and immersive experience if they are used correctly. My best experience with 3D and IMAX was when I watched Avatar at the BFI IMAX cinema when I was so young, the experience was like no other, the shots of the floating islands and cliff edges made me scared and excited, it was even so immersive my mother had to leave as it was making her sick. The film is designed for 3D and IMAX, though I wasn’t fully immersed it certainly made a permeant memory in my head for an experience like no other and thats all filmmakers want really.
To achieve full immersion we have to follow the words of Ivan Sutherland and his ultermant display the viewer must forget there previous reality. However this is a very hard concept to achieve with current technology being so immediate, common concepts to combat this is being in a dream reality state like the Matrix or Inception a device connected to your brain. However I believe we don’t want to forget about our other reality, to be fully immerse in a alternative reality and forgetting about the others we will need to feel fear for life or fear of consequence to action. And thats something we don't want in an alternative reality experience a good example is being a action hero. Many people would like to be one however don’t do it because the fear of pain or consequence, but alternative reality takes away those factors and more likely than not they would be in that alternative reality, this is all speculative speaking.
A lot of immersive technology is going in to sport and live music events which I believe is a bad use of its technology. In film and TV we create sequences of footage to make a exciting viewing experience, to put it into other words we cut out the boring bits. So putting 360 camera for capture a football game or music event is not good because your seeing the boring bits. When you capture a football game you film the ball and when you are recording a live music event you record the band. Then when the band or football players are not doing anything interesting you film the audience or crew as the audience haven’t seen them yet and will provide some interest for a couple of seconds, a quick cutaway. However the 360 camera captures everything from the audience picking there nose to the ant that drawing up a managers legs, there is about 200% of the view thats not about the football game/music live event. The use of the 360 is also changing how to direct films. Films you are thinking about what in frame and how the camera is creating the version you want however 360 camera has no movement and has not frame. So you are directing a theatre production than anything where anyone can see anything. Making sure every posable space is being used to tell a story or adding to the story.
These problems are not as bad when it comes to gaming. Video games already have that next level into immersive experience with the player interacting with the game and becoming involved in the situation. However gaming immersion has had similar problems with film, unable to feel elements and simulate the exact same sounds and picture there will always be that lack in immersion. Gaming has always been at the fore front of immersive technology with VR creating worlds to interact with is something gaming will always have over film in immersive experience. But like I mentioned before you never truly experience full immersion with the headset.
