Invited to Speak at the University of Manchester: Immersive Technology Storytelling, Embodiment, and Narrative

This session explored immersive technology storytelling not as a trend, but as a narrative practice rooted in embodiment, empathy, and care.

In November 2020, I was invited by Digital Futures at the University of Manchester to deliver a long-form masterclass on immersive technology for the VR@Manchester Innovation Community. Delivered during the height of the pandemic, the session explored not just virtual reality and emerging tools, but deeper questions around embodiment, narrative, empathy, and responsibility in immersive media.

Looking back, this talk represents a formative moment in my practice. While specific technologies have evolved since then, many of the ideas discussed have become more relevant, not less. This article reflects on the key lessons from that session, and how they continue to shape my work across immersive storytelling, education, heritage, and place-based experiences.

Immersive Technology Storytelling Beyond Headsets

One of the central themes of the talk was that immersive technology is not defined by hardware alone.

Virtual reality, augmented reality, 360 film, projection mapping, social VR, and performative digital experiences all sit under the immersive umbrella. What connects them is not novelty, but presence, the ability to place someone inside an experience rather than in front of it.

This distinction matters, because it shifts the conversation away from hype and towards intent. Immersion is not about spectacle. It is about how people feel, move, and understand within a space.

Embodiment and Empathy as the Core Power of Immersive Media

The strongest argument for immersive technology is not efficiency or scale. It is embodiment.

During the session, I explored projects that use immersive media to help audiences experience perspectives other than their own, including health, dementia, and social history examples. When designed carefully, immersive experiences can act as empathy engines, allowing people to temporarily inhabit another person’s reality.

This power comes with responsibility. Poorly designed experiences overwhelm, distract, or reduce complex issues to gimmicks. Well-designed experiences slow people down, encourage reflection, and create space for understanding.

This distinction has become central to how I now approach immersive storytelling.

Why Narrative Design in VR Is Fundamentally Different from Film

A major focus of the talk, and later my teaching, was the difference between traditional film language and immersive narrative.

In immersive environments:

• Fast cuts can disorient audiences.

• Camera movement can cause discomfort.

• Framing no longer controls attention.

• Sound, pacing, and spatial cues become primary storytelling tools.

Instead of directing a viewer’s gaze, immersive creators must invite attention. Narrative becomes environmental rather than linear. The story unfolds through presence, proximity, and choice.

This thinking later informed my teaching in immersive production at the University of Manchester, where I worked with drama students on 360 film narrative structure, staging, and embodied storytelling. Those sessions built directly on the ideas explored in this earlier masterclass.

Immersive Technology in Education, Health, and Heritage

The talk also examined applied uses of immersive technology across:

• Education and skills training.

• Healthcare and clinical learning

• Heritage, archaeology, and place-based storytelling.

• Performance and digital theatre.

In each case, the question was not “can we use immersive tech?”, but “should we, and why?”

Immersive media works best when it supports learning, reflection, or connection to place. It works poorly when used as a novelty layer on top of content that already functions well without it.

This principle continues to guide my work today, particularly in heritage and community-focused projects.

This principle continues to guide my work today, particularly in heritage and community-focused projects developed through the AVimmerse Studio.

Looking Back as we enter 2026: What Still Matters

Almost 6 years on, many of the technologies discussed in 2020 have changed. Platforms have risen and fallen. Terminology has shifted.

What has remained constant is the need for:

• Critical thinking over hype.

• Narrative literacy in immersive design.

• Ethical use of emerging tools.

• Experiences rooted in human stories, not technology trends.

That early invitation from the University of Manchester was not just an opportunity to speak, but a chance to articulate a set of values that continue to shape my work across immersive storytelling, education, and place-based digital heritage.

Watch the Original Talk

The full masterclass, The Transformative Power of Immersive Technology, is available to watch below. While some examples reflect the context of 2020, the core ideas around embodiment, narrative, and responsibility remain central to how immersive media should be approached.

The full masterclass recording is available below.

I’ll be exploring related themes in future articles, including immersive teaching practice, curriculum design, and how these ideas translate into contemporary heritage and place-based storytelling projects.

This reflective, research-led approach continues to shape how I work today, particularly across immersive storytelling, education, heritage, and place-based digital experiences.

You can explore how this thinking translates into current studio work here:

→ AVimmerse Studio