Do immersive Hollywood movies affect how humans notice film edits?

What is it about?

This study examines how people experience movies and whether being immersed in a film changes their ability to notice cuts between scenes. Researchers tested whether the feeling of “being there” in a movie (presence) or its technical richness (immersion) affects how well people detect edits. While soundtracks make it harder to spot edits, this difficulty isn’t connected to how immersed or present viewers feel.

Featured Image

Photo by Krists Luhaers on Unsplash

Photo by Krists Luhaers on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The study bridges two research fields: one looks at emotional and psychological immersion in movies, and the other focuses on how people visually and mentally process movies. By combining these approaches, the research offers a fresh perspective on how viewers interact with complex visual storytelling relevant in an era of increasingly immersive media technologies.

Perspectives

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This study sheds light on how technical elements of filmmaking, like soundtracks, shape our experience without altering how present or involved we feel. It highlights the complexity of media experiences and the challenges of linking objective measures, like cut detection, with subjective feelings, like immersion. These findings could guide filmmakers and virtual reality developers in designing experiences that balance storytelling and viewer engagement.

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