What did you experience?
I watched a story about Abraham Lincoln visiting the graveyard where his son is buried. Throughout the story, several spirits talk to the viewer about the story’s background. At one point, spirits are gathered around Abe as he holds his son’s body, and the viewer feels like part of the crowd. The spirit of Lincoln’s child proclaims that he could feel his father’s long legs and taste the coffee in his mouth. He declares to the other spirits that his father gained something from holding his dead son. Lincoln then puts his son back in the mausoleum and walks away.
What impact do you think VR will have on publishing?
I think, at this point, VR is still inaccessible for most of a publication’s audience. Even with cheaper cardboard viewing devices, it is asking a lot of people to even set up the VR in the first place. Perhaps as VR becomes more mainstream and in the hands of more people, it could have a wide impact. Certainly, any story told through the eyes of VR is still journalism, so it is already a form of storytelling.
Do you think VR can evoke empathy?
I think VR can evoke plenty of empathy. By placing a 3D camera in an area, the film subjects are less likely to modify their behavior. In fact, some may not even notice at all. This means the viewer gets a more genuine experience that is not tainted by editing. Seeing people or animals or plants as they naturally live is always a refreshing view. I agree with the TED speaker that 3D video allows us to be part of an experience rather than view it. We do move through the window.