The Emotional Impact of Camera Techniques in Cinematic Virtual Reality: Examining Frame Shots and Angles

Virtual reality (VR) technology has been increasingly integrated into the film industry, leading to the emergence of Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR), which offers a uniquely immersive viewing experience that allows audiences to experience “films inside films”. However, traditional film cinematic techniques do not readily translate into CVR, and important cinematographic techniques for this new medium need to be reconsidered. This study aims to investigate the embodiment effect in CVR, a phenomenon that significantly alters the audience’s emotional responses compared to traditional films. We focus on frame shots and camera angles in both mediums. A within-subjects experimental design is employed to compare emotional responses across traditional film and CVR experiences. A total of 40 participants were recruited for the experiment. Using a high-quality VR headset for the immersive cinema condition and a 2D screen for the traditional film condition, the participants were shown identical frame shots and camera angles of a hypothetical scene generated with Unreal Engine 5 (UE5). Their emotional responses were then measured with the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) methods. The results show marked differences in responses, suggesting that spatial cognition in VR produces different emotional experiences in CVR from those in traditional viewing condition. The findings contribute to an insight for effective CVR storytelling, informing practical cinematic techniques for filmmakers exploring this novel medium.