Social Impact VR Awards nomination for 'Some Inattention On The Left'

July 10, 2020 Ashley Cowan

We are delighted to share that our multi-sensory VR documentary Some Inattention On The Left has been announced as a finalist at the fourth international VR Awards in the VR Social Impact category. It is East City Films 3rd nomination in a row after Malaria: Life On The Frontline (2020) and Common Ground (2019).

Some Inattention On The Left is a moving multi-sensory VR documentary which delves deep into the plight of Elizabeth Printer, who suffered a stroke and a brain haemorrhage at the age of just 46. As the viewer sits, wheelchair bound on a beach feeling a gentle breeze on their face, Elizabeth recounts the fateful day of her stroke and the subsequent neglect by her family and the NHS. Hearing about her attempt to commit suicide the beach turns into a nightmare and the experience darkens. But is there light at the end of the tunnel?

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy currently heads up a large collective of 20 charities including Sue Ryder, the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and the British Heart Foundation to present a manifesto to parliament which aims to deliver effective, person-centred community rehabilitation services to all those who need them so that people can live well longer. Alongside Connie Harrison, who initiated the project, East City Films were commissioned to create a VR experience to be a centrepiece at the launch lobbying event for parliamentary MPs at Portcullis House.

CSP wanted to explore using new technologies to tell patient stories and I felt VR was a good medium. Where previously they’d used actors, I was keen to use the real person. The idea from the very start was to focus on the audio, the narration but also the spatialised sound design and music were key. I wanted to keep it simple and use one beach scene as the backdrop - particularly as this is where she’d escaped to in her darkest moments. As we moved forward with the idea, I realised there was an opportunity to bring in some multi-sensory elements (haptics and a breeze), to bring people further into that world and feel a sense of presence and closeness to Elizabeth. When she looks at the camera at the end, it’s meant to feel like she’s appealing to you. The aim is to generate empathy, support and action from MPs, it’s meant to feel personal. It was great to see some MPs so moved by the experience.

Connie Harrison - Director

An MP experiencing the VR documentary Some Inattention On The Left at Portcullis House.

Eliazbeth Printer on location filming the 360 video ‘Some Inattention On The Left’ for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

For more information on Some Inattention On The Left click here.