PROVOCATION 6: BEYOND THE INDIVIDUAL Myra Appannah, Writer, Director, Immersive Technologist, SE14 Limited Beyond is the research and development (R&D) conference for the creative industries. Featuring leading thinkers and practitioners, Beyond explores the dynamic relationship between research, academia and business innovation, bringing together business leaders, creatives, researchers, policy makers, journalists, funders and anyone with an interest in the future. The Beyond conference took place on Tuesday 13th November 2018 at the Barbican in London. The programme featured speaker sessions, panel discussions and thought-provoking presentations, along with a video video presentation to showcase the recently launched Creative Industries Cluster Programme and the National Centre for Immersive Storytelling.

1. #IndustrialStrategy
@AHRCPRESS AHRC.AC.UK
Myra Appannah
Writer, Director, Immersive Technologist,
SE14 Limited
@myraappannah

5. Hypnos

6. Glowing mushrooms image

10. Choice image

11. Lips

12. Horror - rabbit behind red door

13. Death room

18. Behind-the-scenes

21. Walking the bridge

23. AD
CAMPAIGN
RECEPTION
PLANET-
ARIUM
FLYING FANTASY
CHOICE
(5 HUMANS)
NO
CHOICE
(1 HUMAN)
SENSORY
BOMBARDMENT
HORROR MAZE
GOOD
DEATH
BAD
DEATH
RESCUE
HORROR MAZE +
SENSORY
DEPRIVATION
BAR
*ROUTE FOUR
*IF YOU WAIT AND ARE NOT SAVED, THE
AI DREAM GUIDE, LIKE A PARENT
RESCUING A CHILD, SAVES YOU. YOU
EXPERIENCE THE GOOD DEATH DREAM
SAVE
SELF
SAVE
OTHER
TAKEN*
AUDIENCE JOURNEY
MAP
SC I SC II SC III SC I SC II SC III SC I SC II SC III
ACT I ACT II ACT III
ROUTE ONE
ROUTE TWO
ROUTE THREE

24. nuA

27. Character
objectives
Action
Script
(example).
Plot
Timeline
(mins)
0 1210 22 24
AI: give humans what they
think they want
Humans: be more by lucid
dreaming
AD CAMPAIGN
Under a human facade, AI
is drawing in humans with
the promise that they can
be more through their
dreams, because they feel
like they are not enough
Dream to the full
You can be more
Statis
Humans want
to be more
than they are
RECEPTION
Bags, coats, consent form,
face scanning. Humans
unsettled / may question
motives because slightly
odd tone of voice
Welcome, are you ready to
be more than you are?
Quest begins
(25%)
Humans leave
their world and
enter AI world
Inciting
Incident (10%)
Humans
buy ticket
It’s time to sleep.
PLANETARIUM
Tucked in, then ceiling
opens to the stars and
stars morph into beautiful,
abstract patterns
Be aware of the sounds in
the room. Of your breath...
Welcome humans
Feel ready to be more than
they are
Create safe space for
humans to lucid dream
Enter hypnotic state
ACT I
2nd TRANSITION
Should continue to
feel hypnotic e.g.
kaleidoscopic
corridor
Check the clock, if
time is melting
away, you’re dream
has begun
Reassure humans
Ready to lucid dream
1st TRANSITION
E.g. a kind nurse
collects you and
takes you to the
clinic room. She
knows one of your
names + checks you
are OK
Reassure humans
Prepared to lucid
dream
FLYING
Enter a cloud-like room.
Take a seat and put on
headset. Fly towards the
light - navigating clouds /
birds etc
Take control. Try dipping
into a cloud. Be careful of
the birds. Keep going...
Help humans to control flight
in their dream
Learn to control dreams
Rising action
(Protagonist progressing to objective -
faces obstacles e.g. learning rules of new
world / questioning new reality )
ACT II
Story
Protagonist enters new world
Overall objectives
AI: enlighten humans
Humans: be more, even in dreams
34

28. Character
objectives
Story
Script
(example)
Plot
Timeline
(mins)
4636 58 60 70
FANTASY
Humans kitted out with VR
headsets etc. by shadowy
figures. They complete a
task together.
Explore a deeper dream.
Work together,
Wait for your friend,
they will rescue you /
Save your friend or
yourself - RUN!
NIGHTMARE
Selfless humans face an
unknown lurking in a dark
maze. Selfish humans
escape back to the clinic.
[Name] is whispered in
your headset
Bring humans deeper into
their dreams, closer to
their subconscious
Master their dreams
Take humans closer to
their subconscious
Save themselves or another
ACT II
TRANSITION 5
Humans enter the
clinic room, the
nurse greets them
warmly. They lie
down + put
headsets on.
It’s time to ‘wake up’
Comfort humans
after ordeal before...
Want to wake up
TRANSITION 4
IRL one human is
taken + told to wait to
be rescued. The
others (up to five) are
told they can rescue
them or save
themselves and run.
Present humans with
hard choice: save
themselves / another
Try to stay in control
DEATH
Selfless humans reach the
light, and then a heavenly
afterparty. Selfish humans
are buried in the ground.
[Their avatar speaks] I
couldn’t save you / I
saved you
...showing them what their
choice means. The selfless
are shown the light. The
selfish must learn
Selfless revel in
enlightenment. Selfish are
desperate to wake
48 End
Point of no
return / surprise
50-60%
Human is
taken
Take my hand, stick
together
TRANSITION 3
Remove headset and
humans slide on a
giant slide into a
dimly lit room.
Start to build bond
between human group
Ready to take full
control of dreams
TRANSITION 6
E.g. promotional
enlightenment
film plays as
humans exit
to the bar
See you in your
dreams
Send them back
into the world -
enlightened
Enlightened, they
share experiences
ACT III
Falling action(action unravels)
Obstaclese.g. fantasy task
Complications +
higher stakes
Major setback +
critical choice
(75%)
Face the
darkness
Final climax +
reversal (90%)
Death
Resolution
Enlightenment
Midpoint
(Period of grace
50%)
First climax
(80%)
Escape

29. Death of critic

32. Death of artist