Immersive Storytelling | Media Analysis 1: Theatrical Immersion

This week’s lecture was the first media analysis by our peers who presented a debate about theatrical immersion. The main argument was about which action creates more immersion: participating or witnessing. Team A presented that participation is more effective than witnessing because the participant is physically engaged, while Team B argued that participation doesn’t guarantee immersive success because the participant needs to be completely willing, while witnessing is more passive. What I related to the most in the lecture was when Team B emphasized how individuals suffering from anxiety are unlikely to be willing. I agree that as a fairly anxious person myself, I find it difficult to be immersed when I am participating in, for example, a discussion, versus just witnessing and listening. I enjoy the more passive action of listening to different viewpoints, reflecting and analyzing in my head, rather than putting myself in the center of attention and actually speaking. Of course, I am immersed when I actually speak and take part in discussions, but not as immersed when I am listening because I become anxious about the extra factor of what others think of what I say. Therefore, I have to agree with Team B that witnessing can be equally as effective as participating.