For this project I was tasked with creating a visual response around the themes of a scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”. I identified the type of fear being exploited in the film and likened it to the experience of a natural disaster – one of the key elements being the plausibility of the situation. I honed in on the idea that we feel fear most when it’s personal, so witnessing a familiar location in turmoil might strike a chord with the viewer. An additional challenge was to cater the response to a target audience (19-21yo). This is where the idea of using a VR experience came into my development.
Through Google street-view, I then created 360º images of natural disasters tearing through 2 familiar Winchester landmarks. I produced these images on photoshop with comping techniques and the brushing in of existing disaster photography. The images are best viewed through Google cardboard VR & are still in the public domain.
The tidal wave piece has now amassed over 100k views.
The tidal wave piece has now amassed over 100k views.
As the outcomes were to be displayed in an exhibition environment, I needed to create a method for allowing public access to the experiences – as outlined in the 4 step graphic. I also added a sound element to help immerse the viewer further. Two accompanying “impact” images of familiar areas to exhibition goers hit by disaster were also used to draw them in to the exhibit initially.
