Immersion in interactive movies
Gaze interaction versus point-and-click interaction for a branched fiction interactive movie.
The master’s thesis of our graduate Dmytro Mogilenets was awarded with Bronze Nail in "Media Art Category" of ADC − Art Directors Club for Germany Talent Award.
The interactive feature film has a branching storyline, at the same time comparing the use of gaze-based interaction and point-and-click interaction while watching the film. One of the most common methods of interaction in interactive films is the point-and-click principle. This is problematic because it interrupts the narrative thread while the audience makes an appropriate choice, which in turn has a negative influence on the immersion of the viewers.
This work considers the use of an eye-tracking system as an alternative method of decision making that allows the user to make a decision without interrupting the narrative. A comparison of the two interaction mechanisms gives an insight into which one is more appropriate for what. The practical part of this work includes the creation of a short interactive feature film with a branched plot and a qualitative user study comparing the use of gaze-based interaction and point-and-click interaction while watching the film.
