Online bullying is a serious problem that’s occurring more and more amongst school children. Smart devices make it easy to share embarrassing clips, photos, or just click “like” on them, boosting their popularity. The impact on victims in the real world can be severe, leading to psychological harm. But how do you draw the connection between a simple click and the overwhelming impact victims feel in the real world? This is the problem Reelise wanted to tackle.
VR and visual effects allowed us to create an experience where users can get a genuine sense of the impacts of online bullying. We created three linked scenarios where bullying on social media was brought into our real world space. These comments build and overwhelm the user as we progress through a school kid’s typical day: from the classroom, on the bus home, and finally back home where the bullying dominates our world. The graphics are accompanied by a social media-inspired soundscape that makes it an aural, as well as a visual, experience.
The experience was a true success, with users removing their headsets visibly impacted by the experience, instilled with a real understanding of what it means to be bullied online.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land upon which we create, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.