An interactive, immersive and therapeutic VR film to help prospective adoptive parents understand the needs and behaviour of foster children who have experienced trauma in early childhood.
“Being Me: Revealing and Healing Childhood Trauma” fosters empathy and help users gain a better understanding of how their different parenting approaches impact on outcomes. The film highlights the benefits of PACE parenting model as traditional parenting techniques often don't work on these children. It is used by the Cornerstone Partnership as a VR training for their training and recruitment model for adoption and fostering.
It is a 360 live action video with two parts.
In the first part there is a glimpse of a child’s life before entering the care system that is impactful and raises awareness. The viewer is positioned lower on the ground, matching a toddler’s PoV, and is experiencing the tall and menacing parents as they shout at him or ignore his cries, creating a more powerful effect.
In the first part there is a glimpse of a child’s life before entering the care system that is impactful and raises awareness. The viewer is positioned lower on the ground, matching a toddler’s PoV, and is experiencing the tall and menacing parents as they shout at him or ignore his cries, creating a more powerful effect.
The opening scene which is from the point of view of a foetus, is fully CGI. It works subtly but powerfully as the user senses domestic violence and substance abuse from the mother while in uterus. This is achieved using muffled voices and moving shadows.
In the second part, a simple scenario with an adopted child branches out to different outcomes. The user can explore three parenting techniques and the resulting consequences.
Additional VFX shows brain synapses and connections as they form during each scene, like a window to the brain that is visible to the user above their heads.
Additional VFX shows brain synapses and connections as they form during each scene, like a window to the brain that is visible to the user above their heads.
My role during preproduction included the original deck creation, moodboards, storyboards, user journey and contribution to the first draft of the scenario.
During production, I have acted as an art director and was responsible for props on set. In addition, I contributed on the design of logo alongside the creative director.
I heavily researched children’s brain development and attachment theory and attended Cornerstone’s workshop for prospective adopters. This helped me get a better understanding how the social workers struggle in preparing adopters for the emotional and physical challenges they will face with these children. In addition, how parents feel hopeless seeing that traditional parenting techniques won’t work. By identifying the pain points on both sides, we managed to give a solution that was both informative and educational.
During production, I have acted as an art director and was responsible for props on set. In addition, I contributed on the design of logo alongside the creative director.
I heavily researched children’s brain development and attachment theory and attended Cornerstone’s workshop for prospective adopters. This helped me get a better understanding how the social workers struggle in preparing adopters for the emotional and physical challenges they will face with these children. In addition, how parents feel hopeless seeing that traditional parenting techniques won’t work. By identifying the pain points on both sides, we managed to give a solution that was both informative and educational.
While VR has been used in therapeutic context, using it as a training tool to accelerate behaviour change is something not often used.
The film launched at City Hall in October 2017. Industry leaders from social care, film and technology attended the event. They discussed “How immersive technologies can help address issues for children in care.” It was shortlisted for best VR film for Social Impact at
Raindance Film Festival and won Immersive Education of the Year at IP Immersive Perspective Awards 2019.
The film launched at City Hall in October 2017. Industry leaders from social care, film and technology attended the event. They discussed “How immersive technologies can help address issues for children in care.” It was shortlisted for best VR film for Social Impact at
Raindance Film Festival and won Immersive Education of the Year at IP Immersive Perspective Awards 2019.
