Applying Cinematic Virtual Reality with Adaptability to Indigenous Storytelling

Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR) is a style of narrative-based Virtual Reality (VR) experience built on filmed or computer-generated 360-degree videos. Since CVR is becoming more popular and widely accessible, researchers and practitioners have been trying to address challenges such as the conflict between the viewer’s freedom of choice and the creator’s control over where to look, or the risk of missing key story elements due to such freedom. As part of the solution, CVR creators employ attention-guiding cues, introduce viewer interaction, and combine these two techniques into all-encompassing CVR production frameworks. However, there are very few CVR projects that embrace the various differences in the backgrounds, preferences, and expectations of each individual viewer. Further to this, they do not consider the content creator/owners’ perspective when presenting and digitizing stories from the real world, especially when considering viewer’s connection to the cultural significance contained. In this paper, a case study is presented to explore the use of adaptability to viewer situations and the coherence to Māori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) storytelling contexts in CVR experiences. In the case study, we began with co-design sessions with storytellers from Te Rau Aroha Marae (an active Māori cultural heritage site in the deep south of New Zealand), about appropriate features to collect from visitors to a virtual storytelling event, then co-built personas as representative tools. 360-degree videos of pūrākau (stories) were then captured and presented via an adaptable VR system. Evaluations were conducted with the storytellers to validate the system, and to collect reflections and opinions on both the use of CVR in Māori storytelling and the cultural appropriateness of CVR with adaptability. We conclude this paper with a discussion of possible improvements for future CVR frameworks.