The Future of Publishing

You must also plan your method of distribution. Start with a hypothesis and test this on a sample of your target market in iterative steps to refine the distribution strategy. Remember that, aside from public space or home VR headset, there is also the opportunity to engage audiences directly from their desktop or smartphone with 360-degree video or photography. YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo can host this kind of inexpensive and engaging shareable online content, with a potential reach in the millions.

AR is another kettle of fish altogether. As noted, the distribution opportunities come from all angles and the technology is best suited to complement visual content in other mediums.

The Question of Storytelling

Many experiments are going on across the board, in both VR and AR, earnestly trying to figure out how best to spin a tale. Storytelling is at the heart of the technology, but as with other media that have come before, AR and VR are still trying to find their voice.

Cinema took years to develop into the sophisticated form that is so ubiquitous now, as writers and actors struggled to understand the differences between the stage and the screen. The psychological impact of both script and delivery differs considerably between the two, not least because of the physical presence of theater versus the distance of actors on screen. VR is a logical extension of that, perhaps even a negotiation between the two existing forms.

If there is one thing you take away from this article it should be this: Any experience you create in VR or AR must stand alone as a full creative work in its own right. It must never be presented as an advertisement for the work that you are trying to promote in another medium. It should be a piece that can be experienced separate from the original material, either before or after the consumer has engaged with the original material with no sense lost either way. At the same time, there is a careful balance to be reached between creating a standalone piece of VR/AR content and ensuring that it leaves the audience wanting more: to engage with the original content that the experience is promoting.

There is a time-honored, universal truth to all storytelling. A good story must abide by the principle of the hierarchy of elements, as described in Aristotle’s Poetics and adhered to by writers and storytellers over centuries. Aristotle taught that plot must be the first consideration, closely followed by characterization. At the very bottom of the hierarchy, marked by Aristotle as the very lowest priority in any story, is the aspect of “spectacle,” that is, the storyteller must resist the temptation to show off technically. Bear this fully in mind when constructing your VR or AR experience. Though these new media possess their own unique voice, Aristotelian principles must be adhered to in order for the experience to make its intended impact in any meaningful way.

Also, consider the audience’s agency as they experience your content. Are they passive onlookers or do they interact with the characters and surroundings as active participants? Do the characters interact with the audience? These are also aspects to consider in the creation of a VR or AR experience, akin to a writer choosing whether to present a work in the first or third person, or a playwright deciding whether to breach the fourth wall and direct actors to interact with the audience.

When discussing VR, all the factors mentioned are influenced by the type of headset used. There is a vast difference between a high-end VR experience (usually taking place on site in a store or other public space) and an experience built for the Cardboard, Daydream, or Gear, which participants access at home. Sound also plays a part. Aural input will have a different effect on participants using headphones, earbuds, or neither.

There must be space in the story for audience interpretation. As well as being a “lonely” medium, the experience of a VR space is as subjective as the real world. Individual interpretation should be actively encouraged: you do not need to spell out every facet of the story, rather relinquish control to allow the user to form an individual experience to an appropriate degree. AR may be considered to be much more interactive in nature as it is melded with the real world rather than removed from it.

Takeaways

VR and AR continue to evolve, but they are quickly finding their feet in terms of what works and what doesn’t. Increasing levels of exposure and the availability of hardware are introducing the public to what these technologies can offer, mostly, but not exclusively, on the B2C side of publishing. The key decision for publishers across the board concerns content. Finding the unique storytelling language that will most engage audiences and deliver the best ROI is a challenge that publishers must pay close attention to, drawing knowledge from filmmakers, playwrights, and other creative writers. Vital, too, is the need to spend time engaging with the content that is out there, in all areas, in order to understand what is being done, how it’s being done well, and where it can be improved upon. Like writers who must read to hone their craft, or artists who must spend more time viewing art than creating it, anybody involving themselves in the world of virtual and augmented realities must take time to experience as much as possible before embarking on their own projects.

Acknowledging the importance of ascertaining the suitability of VR/AR to deliver the desired message and elicit the appropriate response will help publishers to determine whether or not to invest resources in the new technologies. Establishing powerful incentives and calls to action will ensure the content is seen by the right people, in the right place, at the right time.

There is a bright future ahead for VR and AR, though it is important to realize that the two are decidedly different mediums. Many see VR and AR as two sides of the same coin, but they involve very different processes in creation, access, and storytelling style. Appreciating the unique qualities of each and treating them as two separate art forms is as important as deciding whether to use either in the first place. As hardware and content evolve, and we become culturally more knowledgeable and accustomed to this new phase of storytelling, new possibilities will open up ahead of us. It is an exciting time, and success with these technologies can be attained with skill, creativity, and an in-depth understanding of their potential.