Handbook

Story and narrative have been a fundamental part of how we communicate as humans since time immemorial. Advances in technology are today forging new ways of composing and developing narrative experiences. Understanding the changes required for narrative and story composition within immersive and virtual systems will be essential for the communication and future design of compelling systems and experiences.

Focusing on narrative design rather than storytelling, this course examines a spectrum of narrative modalities from visual and cinematic to aural and performative, and draws on contemporary industry examples in simulation, gaming, 360 cinema, virtual reality and installation. You will re-examine story composition in the light of multimodal sensemaking and embodied cognition. You will understand how agency, interactivity, situational awareness and navigation reel in an experiential dimension that extends beyond linear storytelling to the design of narrative in immersive environments. You will also analyse how composition and multimodality impact notions of fidelity, credibility, and empathy.

This course is designed to be low-residency. It is conducted online with up to 3 face-to-face intensive meetups per term held during weekends on campus or at our industry partner facilities. Students will also have full access to all on-campus facilities throughout each term. If students are not based in Sydney, they may incur additional travel and accommodation costs.