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About Audiences Data Visceralisation Interactive Filmmaking Interactive Media Interactive Scriptwriting Methods Participants Publications Research UX

How Our In-House Research Drives Interactive Film and Media

The Interactive Filmmaking Lab® has developed its own in-house research, translating empirical study into innovative interactive film and media experiences. From the very beginning, our focus has been on conducting in-house studies, grounded in creative research and user-centred design, so that every project, and interface are both original and ethically developed. In this post, we would like to share how our independent research underpins our creative practice, and invite you to explore our Publications page for full details of our scholarly outputs.

From Questions to Compelling Narratives

Building on early studies into audience interaction, and interactive narratives, we have developed new methods for dynamic storytelling, creating projects that respond to participant and viewer input, environmental and biometric data.
But before we begin writing scripts or sketching interface mock-ups, we identify a set of core questions.






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Image: Clarke, A., and Zioga, P. (2022) Scriptwriting for Interactive Crime Films: the Case of Scapegoat. Interactive Film And Media Conference 2021: New Narratives, Racialization, Global Crises, And Social Engagement, Online. Interactive Film and Media Journal, 2(1): 106-121. doi: 10.32920/ifmj.v2i1.1524.

For example, for This Place Has Its Own Air, we asked: ‘How can interactive video and real-time data visceralisation help audiences connect with their shared environment, and promote the reduction of urban air pollution?’. Our subsequent in-house study combined data visualisation, human-computer interaction, interactive media and video, resulting in a site-specific data-driven video-installation, which premiered at SPARK Festival 2024 in Hong Kong (October 2024).


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Image: Zioga, P. and Weir, C. M. (2023) ‘This Place Has Its Own Air’: A Proof of Concept for Urban Air Quality Data Visceralisation. In: DCAC 2023 5th International Conference on Digital Culture & AudioVisual Challenges. Corfu, Greece & Online, May 12-13 2023.

Iterative Prototyping: Theory Meets Practice

We firmly believe that research should never be an afterthought. Our development cycle emphasises iterative prototyping. By embedding research from day one, we ensure that creativity and rigour develop in parallel. Every hypothesis is tested through low-fidelity prototypes, and feedback loops inform subsequent design decisions. By maintaining full control over our methodology and deliverables, we ensure that our interactive films and media productions not only captivate audiences but also advance the broader discourse around media, technology and human experience.



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Image: Wetzel, V., and Zioga, P. (2022) Paintings Alive: An Interactive Film for Young Museum Visitors. Interactive Film and Media Journal, 2(4): 95-105. doi: 10.32920/ifmj.v2i4.1669.

Learn More

Curious about the studies that inform our work? Visit our Publications page, where you will find comprehensive write-ups of our research on audience participation and interaction, interactive storytelling, adaptive narratives, data visceralisation, user-experience design and more. You can find download links, full citation information and details of outlets.

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Image: Zioga, P. and Vélez-Serna, M.A. (2022) ‘Interaction Design for Audiences: A Proposition for Building Resilience and Recovery for COVID-safe Independent Cinemas’. In: Tsitsou, L., Rana, H. and Wessels, B. (Eds.) (2022) The Formation of Film Audiences: Conference Proceedings. University of Sheffield: The Digital Humanities Institute.

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Have questions about our methodology or want to explore a research-driven collaboration? Contact our team. We are always eager to discuss new ideas and partnerships.

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Interactive Filmmaking Interactive Scriptwriting News People Publications Research

New Year New Publications!

Here at the Interactive Filmmaking Lab, we have started the New Year with new publications! Hot off the press:

Clarke, A. and Zioga, P. (2022) Scriptwriting for Interactive Crime Films: the Case of Scapegoat. Interactive Film And Media Conference 2021: New Narratives, Racialization, Global Crises, And Social Engagement, Online. Interactive Film and Media Journal, 2(1): 106-121. doi: 10.32920/ifmj.v2i1.1524.

In recent years, the increasing number of interactive films being released, has highlighted the need for further development of methods and criteria that can guide the earlier stages of development, such as the scriptwriting process. Following the framework of interactive storytelling as a spectrum, it is acknowledged that writing a script for an interactive narrative that involves branching path options, or multiple endings, is becoming more common and presents its own challenges. […]

The article is published as part of the Proceedings of the ‘III Interactive Film and Media Conference (#IFM 2021)’ that took place in August 2021. You can read here: the full article and the editorial.

Clarke, A. and Zioga, P. (2021) ‘Celtx Gem split screen view of Scapegoat script’​.​

Also, in press:

Zioga, P. and Vélez-Serna, M.A. (2021 In Press) ‘Interaction Design for Audiences: A Proposition for Building Resilience and Recovery for COVID-safe Independent Cinemas’. In: Proceedings of Audiences Beyond the Multiplex: Understanding the Value of a Diverse Film Culture. Studies in the Digital Humanities. Sheffield: The Digital Humanities Institute.

[…] interaction design and technologies can help independent cinemas to engage and galvanise new audiences to patronise COVID-safe venues. From low-end online platforms to high-end immersive experiences, new technologies are transforming connectivity across society, and have the potential to support access for D/deaf, neurodivergent, and disabled audiences, but adoption by exhibitors is so far limited. We outline the research needs and priorities in this field. These include identifying facilitators and obstacles to industry adoption of interactive forms, and mapping experiences and attitudes across the sector. Together with directions for immediate practical solutions, it is crucial to gather critical data for future research use, in order to pave the way for long-term solutions and design innovation, so that the sector can build resilience, recover and reach underserved audiences.

The article will be published as part of the Proceedings of the Conference ‘Audiences beyond the multiplex: understanding the value of a diverse film culture’ that took place in March 2021. You can read the full article here.

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Brain-Computer Interfaces Live Brain-Computer Cinema Live Cinema News People Publications Research

‘New research shows how brain-computer interaction is changing cinema’

Dr Polina Zioga writes for The Conversation:

Over the past few years, we have seen the extraordinary development of neural prosthetic technologies that can replace or enhance functions of our central nervous system. For example, devices like Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) allow the direct communication of the brain with a computer. The most common technique applied in these devices, is Electroencephalography (EEG) – a recording of the electrical activity along the scalp.

These technologies are mainly used in health, but our new research shows how they are changing the future of cinema too.

Read the full article on The Conversation.