Carolina
Manent
Challenge
How might we use virtual reality in a way to promote understanding and tolerance.
This project presented the opportunity to use virtual reality to expose users to curated experiences in order to inspire meaningful conversation.
​
As team lead, I got to see the concept I pitched come to life.
As project manager, I utilized agile methods such as organization, goal setting, and constant iterations, I kept my team on track to completing this project while remaining within the framework we set for ourselves at the start.
As creative director, I was able to establish the aesthetic vision for the video and design the promotional website and poster.
My Role
-
Team Lead
-
Project Manager
-
Creative Director
Ideation
In this phase, our goal was to research the topic, frame the challenge, brainstorm solutions, and establish our goals.
​
Research & Framing
The immersive nature of VR lends itself to very personal experiences. Some research proved the ability to promote empathy using VR.
Brainstorming
The brainstorming phase revealed our eagerness to make an impact on our college campus, with narratives ranging from displaying a day in the life of various minority students to a full length choose-your-own-path film on environmental issues.
​
1. How might we evoke empathy through a virtual reality medium
2. How might we create an accurate and unbiased depiction of the topic we choose to focus on?
Goal
To create a short video in which the user is placed in the shoes of a marginalized group on college campuses. The user experiences a day in the life of someone in that marginalized group, and is moved to empathy (or not) through their own decision based on their experience watching the video.
​
User Research
In-person interviews and directed storytelling were our main methods of research.
Key Insights
The original concept was called "In My Shoes". The objective was to create several shorter narratives of various marginalized groups on campus. After presenting this idea to a diverse group of our peers, we concluded that our good intentions were more ignorant than we knew. The goal to inspire empathy was still a good one, however, the groups we wanted to showcase, were not comfortable with members outside of their classification attempting to tell their story. .
Pain Points
Our problem was coming up with a narrative that could not be disputed as stolen or assuming. Naivete aside, we went back to the brainstorming phase. In order to avoid telling a story that was not our own, we looked in the mirror and decided to talk about something true to the majority of the group, being a woman on a college campus.
New Goal
As a team consisting of majority women, we decided on filming a day in the life of a woman on a college campus. The woman would never be seen as the user is supposed to be the "main character" who is interacted with by the other characters. Inspire empathy by showcasing the subtle nuances of gender based discrimination.
Prototyping
Filming
To film our 360 degree video, we proposed the purchase of a 360 degree video camera to the university, which it lacked at the time. The proposal of purchasing the ~ slightly expensive ~ Insta360 Pro was approved after many long documents and convincing e-mails. Filming with a 360 degree camera took many trial and error sessions involving hitting record and quickly running out of its line of vision. It also required recruiting and training actors to perform with this new medium.
Virtual Reality
Editing the video was done on Adobe Premiere and viewed using the Oculus rift. High quality video and prior lack of VR knowledge made this phase similarly trial and error.
Final Product
The project's official website can be viewed here: