Possible Narratives Styles

Introduction:

I have been looking at different ways in which we can bring the user through our immersive experience in cork city gaol. Here are some starting points and angles to consider which I feel may aid the development of a narrative.


Possible Styles:

Person enters the cell a bad person and leaves cured by solitary confinement. Making the experience a medical treatment for the prisoner. This approach is tied in with the beliefs of the judicial system in the time when cork city gaol was active.

Person enters cell a good healthy person and leaves traumatised by experience. This approach is tied in with the beliefs of doctors and psychiatrists in todays world who believe that solitary confinement is unhealthy and cruel for prisoners

Put the user into the Shoes of a prisoner - Sound effects and visuals of prison life i.e doors slamming, prisoners shouting in other cells and keys jangling.

Put the user into the Mind of the Prisoner - Sound effects and visuals inside the mind of the prisoner i.e The inner thoughts of the prisoner and the hallucinations/dreams of the prisoner

The sequence of psychological effects that a prisoner goes through in solitary confinement. Bring the user through every mental episode whilst in solitary confinement in order of when it happens based on research and reports provided by ex-prisoners.

The life cycle of a prisoner in solitary confinement in order i.e Morning to night and everything in between.

Use of Metaphors both visually and auditory to tell a story, Using forms of media that people associate feelings or emotions with i.e. a noose represents suicide, the sound of a clock ticking represents movement of time

Using research on how sound and visuals affect the human mind to tell the story. Telling a story with non linear abstract sounds and images that trigger emotions and feelings in the user. Let the user develop all the imagery and thoughts in their own head with the aid of visual and audio cues.



Angles to Consider:

The discourse of Time: Will the story be over the length of days months or years, how will we show the passing of time in our piece. How long does our peice need to be to get the narrative across successfully

Ways to tell a story:

The life of a prisoner in the past tense (i saw this I felt this)

The life of a prisoner in the present tense (I see this I feel this)