The Boat is an interactive website describing a Vietnamese families escape after the Vietnam
war[1]. This story uses non-diegetic sound effects such as thunder, water splashing, and crying to enhance the narrative in conveying the terror that would of have been experienced by this family, this adds to the theme of survival and the horrors of war. This immersive experience is achieved through these non-diegetic sounds where it is stated by the Music Perception Journal that using sound effects and regulating the level of sound can change many elements that are essential to the storyline[2], creating an immersive setting for the reader. Additionally, the website uses participation, being the second level of interactivity, as users are able to choose how the story is presented by selecting the chapter of their choice, although the story flows by following a set-path[3]. This level of interactivity is effective as it does create a false sense of control of the story to the reader and therefore increases engagement of the narrative.

In contrast to The Boat, Bear 71 is instead an interactive documentary monitoring the life of a female grizzly bear over a period of 8 years[4]. This website uses both participation similar to The Boat, however also uses action, being the third level of interactivity[5]. Participation is achieved by the user’s ability to experience a 360-degree view of the Canadian Prairies which has been shown by the Virtual Worlds Research to be an effective way in creating an immersive virtual environment[6]. Contrariwise to The Boat, Bear 71 uses action as an interactivity method where the user is able to control and decide how they view the documentary which enables the user to feel as though they possess a role and choice in the documentary storyline. Further, Bear 71 uses both non-diegetic and diegetic sounds which differs to The Boat as the user is able to hear the sounds of different animals as well as the commentary speaker to inform the user.

Bibliography

“Bear 71 VR.” NFB/Interactive – Bear 71 VR. Accessed August 21, 2019. https://bear71vr.nfb.ca/.

Elmezeny, Ahmed, Nina Edenhofer, and Jeffrey Wimmer. “Immersive Storytelling in 360-Degree Videos: An Analysis of Interplay Between Narrative and Technical Immersion.” Journal For Virtual Worlds Research 11, no. 1 (November 2018). https://doi.org/10.4101/jvwr.v11i1.7298.

Huynh, Matt, and Sbs. n.d. “The Boat.” SBS. Accessed August 12, 2019. http://www.sbs.com.au/theboat/.

Tan, Siu-Lan, Matthew P. Spackman, and Elizabeth M. Wakefield. “The Effects of Diegetic and Nondiegetic Music on Viewers’ Interpretations of a Film Scene.” Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal 34, no. 5 (2017): 605–23. https://doi.org/10.1525/mp.2017.34.5.605.

Tran, Khoa. “Digital Media Production COMM2300: Lecture 2 – Interactivity, Image & Sound in Storytelling” (Sydney, NSW: University of Notre Dame, August 4, 2019). Lecture.

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[1] Huynh, Matt, and Sbs. n.d. “The Boat.” SBS. Accessed August 12, 2019. http://www.sbs.com.au/theboat/.

[2] Tan, Siu-Lan, Matthew P. Spackman, and Elizabeth M. Wakefield. “The Effects of Diegetic and Nondiegetic Music on Viewers’ Interpretations of a Film Scene.” Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal 34, no. 5 (2017): 605–23. https://doi.org/10.1525/mp.2017.34.5.605.

[3] Tran, Khoa. “Digital Media Production COMM2300: Lecture 2 – Interactivity, Image & Sound in Storytelling” (Sydney, NSW: University of Notre Dame, August 4, 2019). Lecture.

[4] “Bear 71 VR.” NFB/Interactive – Bear 71 VR. Accessed August 21, 2019. https://bear71vr.nfb.ca/.

[5] Tran, Khoa. “Digital Media Production COMM2300: Lecture 2 – Interactivity, Image & Sound in Storytelling” (Sydney, NSW: University of Notre Dame, August 4, 2019). Lecture.

[6] Elmezeny, Ahmed, Nina Edenhofer, and Jeffrey Wimmer. “Immersive Storytelling in 360-Degree Videos: An Analysis of Interplay Between Narrative and Technical Immersion.” Journal For Virtual Worlds Research 11, no. 1 (November 2018). https://doi.org/10.4101/jvwr.v11i1.7298.

The Boat is an interactive website describing a Vietnamese families escape after the Vietnam
war[1]. This story uses non-diegetic sound effects such as thunder, water splashing, and crying to enhance the narrative in conveying the terror that would of have been experienced by this family, this adds to the theme of survival and the horrors of war. This immersive experience is achieved through these non-diegetic sounds where it is stated by the Music Perception Journal that using sound effects and regulating the level of sound can change many elements that are essential to the storyline[2], creating an immersive setting for the reader. Additionally, the website uses participation, being the second level of interactivity, as users are able to choose how the story is presented by selecting the chapter of their choice, although the story flows by following a set-path[3]. This level of interactivity is effective as it does create a false sense of control of the story to the reader and therefore increases engagement of the narrative.

In contrast to The Boat, Bear 71 is instead an interactive documentary monitoring the life of a female grizzly bear over a period of 8 years[4]. This website uses both participation similar to The Boat, however also uses action, being the third level of interactivity[5]. Participation is achieved by the user’s ability to experience a 360-degree view of the Canadian Prairies which has been shown by the Virtual Worlds Research to be an effective way in creating an immersive virtual environment[6]. Contrariwise to The Boat, Bear 71 uses action as an interactivity method where the user is able to control and decide how they view the documentary which enables the user to feel as though they possess a role and choice in the documentary storyline. Further, Bear 71 uses both non-diegetic and diegetic sounds which differs to The Boat as the user is able to hear the sounds of different animals as well as the commentary speaker to inform the user.

Bibliography

“Bear 71 VR.” NFB/Interactive – Bear 71 VR. Accessed August 21, 2019. https://bear71vr.nfb.ca/.

Elmezeny, Ahmed, Nina Edenhofer, and Jeffrey Wimmer. “Immersive Storytelling in 360-Degree Videos: An Analysis of Interplay Between Narrative and Technical Immersion.” Journal For Virtual Worlds Research 11, no. 1 (November 2018). https://doi.org/10.4101/jvwr.v11i1.7298.

Huynh, Matt, and Sbs. n.d. “The Boat.” SBS. Accessed August 12, 2019. http://www.sbs.com.au/theboat/.

Tan, Siu-Lan, Matthew P. Spackman, and Elizabeth M. Wakefield. “The Effects of Diegetic and Nondiegetic Music on Viewers’ Interpretations of a Film Scene.” Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal 34, no. 5 (2017): 605–23. https://doi.org/10.1525/mp.2017.34.5.605.

Tran, Khoa. “Digital Media Production COMM2300: Lecture 2 – Interactivity, Image & Sound in Storytelling” (Sydney, NSW: University of Notre Dame, August 4, 2019). Lecture.

---

[1] Huynh, Matt, and Sbs. n.d. “The Boat.” SBS. Accessed August 12, 2019. http://www.sbs.com.au/theboat/.

[2] Tan, Siu-Lan, Matthew P. Spackman, and Elizabeth M. Wakefield. “The Effects of Diegetic and Nondiegetic Music on Viewers’ Interpretations of a Film Scene.” Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal 34, no. 5 (2017): 605–23. https://doi.org/10.1525/mp.2017.34.5.605.

[3] Tran, Khoa. “Digital Media Production COMM2300: Lecture 2 – Interactivity, Image & Sound in Storytelling” (Sydney, NSW: University of Notre Dame, August 4, 2019). Lecture.

[4] “Bear 71 VR.” NFB/Interactive – Bear 71 VR. Accessed August 21, 2019. https://bear71vr.nfb.ca/.

[5] Tran, Khoa. “Digital Media Production COMM2300: Lecture 2 – Interactivity, Image & Sound in Storytelling” (Sydney, NSW: University of Notre Dame, August 4, 2019). Lecture.

[6] Elmezeny, Ahmed, Nina Edenhofer, and Jeffrey Wimmer. “Immersive Storytelling in 360-Degree Videos: An Analysis of Interplay Between Narrative and Technical Immersion.” Journal For Virtual Worlds Research 11, no. 1 (November 2018). https://doi.org/10.4101/jvwr.v11i1.7298.

I had learned that making a website is complex in order for it to be engaging and informative.

Lots of time and work to ensure everything runs smoothly.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.