Week I

The nonfiction movie, My Mother’s Wing, the use of spherical 360º camera produces a totally immersive experience, which intensifies the viewer’s emotions and participation. Through this 3D goggles, I am not longer a spectator. I am inside of the scene, like an invisible actor or a spy.  I have the impulse of walking together with the characters, trying to reach them or their things.  This eight-minutes documentary eloquently transmits on the spectator the violence endured by the people who lives in the Gaza Strip, without overwhelmed them. Additionally, the absence of images in the transition from one scene to another, support the character’s feelings of loss and fear.

Indefinite is a VR film about immigrant’s detention centers in the UK. In my opinion, the use of the 360º spherical camera did not further improve the film’s storytelling nor produced an immersive experience on the spectator. There is a dichotomy between the strength of the story and the scenes, which are reinforced by ghostly transitions, abstract images, special effects and water floating figures, which gives the impression of a feeble story. Additionally, the 14:48-minute length of the piece does not enhance the idea of indefinite detention.