Unconsciously interactive Films in a cinema environment—a demonstrative case study

ABSTRACT

‘Many worlds’ is a short narrative live-action film written and directed so as to provide multiple linear routes through the plot to one of four endings, and designed for showing in a cinema environment. At two points during the film, decisions are made based on audience bio-signals as to which plot route to take. The use of bio-signals is to allow the audience to remain immersed in the film, rather than explicitly selecting plot direction. Four audience members have a bio-signal measured sensor for each person: ECG (heart rate), EMG (muscle tension), EEG (‘brain waves’) and Galvanic Skin Response (perspiration). The four are interpreted as a single average of emotional arousal. ‘Many worlds’ was the first live-action linear plotted film to be screened in a cinema to the general public utilizing multiple biosensor types. The film has been shown publically a number of times, and lessons learned from the technical and cinematic production are detailed in this paper.

KEYWORDS:

• Bio-signal monitoring
• immersive interaction
• interactive cinema
• movies
• emotion

Acknowledgments

‘Many worlds’ was commissioned by Peninsula Arts Contemporary Music Festival 2013, Sensing Memory.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Alexis Kirke is Senior Research Fellow in Computer Music at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research at the University of Plymouth. He is a filmmaker and composer whose films have been exhibited in film festivals around the world, with his most recent film being a finalist at the European Philip K. Dick Film Festival. His research specialises in the interface between science, technology and visual/audio media. Alexis holds a Maths degree and two PhDs from the University of Plymouth.

Duncan Williams, PhD (Surrey), is a Researcher in Audio in the Digital Creativity Labs at the University of York, UK. Prior to this, he was a Research Fellow in Music with Artificial Intelligence at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR) in Plymouth, UK, and Music Technology Officer in the Faculty of Music, University of Oxford, UK. He holds teaching qualifications from Surrey University (2004), Apple Inc. (2007), Plymouth University (2015), and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). Ongoing research interests include sound recording, psychoacoustics, human–computer interaction (particularly brain–computer interfacing) and digital signal processing.

Eduardo Miranda is a composer and Artificial Intelligence (AI) scientist working at the crossroads of biology and music. He studied Music Technology at the University of York and received a PhD on the topic of musical composition with AI from the University of Edinburgh. Currently, he is Professor in Computer Music at Plymouth University, UK, where he leads the Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR), which is pioneering the fields of Music Neurotechnology, and the development of biological and quantum computing for music.

Amanda Bluglass has worked in broadcast media and digital image for the past 25 years. Following a successful career with BBC News, she launched her freelance directing career in 2006, and has won over 30 international awards for her documentary, experimental and short films. As an Associate Lecturer in BA Media Arts at Plymouth University for the past 12 years, she specialises in undergraduate studies in collaborative practice and documentary filmmaking.

Craig Whyte is a filmmaker based in Totnes, Devon working on documentaries to do with social change and Psychology. He also produces music videos, video installations, researching and developing new experimental future media technologies in film, animation and immersive cinema in service to improving and engaging social communities. Craig works in a range of multimedia practice as a writer, director, editor, motion graphics, animator, cinematographer, photography and website design.

Rishi Pruthi has been a creative specialist for 8+ years with a background in film from a young age. Today, Rishi specialises in digital marketing and since 2015 has been consulting with a number of exciting companies within FinTech, Travel, Charity and Education sectors to deliver creative content, including video, to help businesses increase online storytelling and brand awareness.

Dr Andrew Eccleston has a career path spanning a variety of different disciplines, focusing mainly on science and technology applied to various fields including transport, telecoms and media. His PhD is in radar meteorology and his work has included the design and implementation of systems to deliver live TV weather presentations. Latterly he has lectured at Plymouth University where he has been a long-term collaborator with Dr Alexis Kirke in a number of artistic projects.

ORCID

Alexis Kirke http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8783-6182