Browsing by Author "Pat FitzGerald,"

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    Shift
    (05-2022) Barron, Courtney; Mark Russo; J. Mark Scearce; Pat FitzGerald,
    This paper documents the research, development, and creation of the interactive animated film titled Shift. Using digital 2D animation software as well as 3D programs and game development software, Shift takes a look at how social polarization can affect our personal lives. Using the genre of speculative fiction as a vessel, this project pushes polarization to the extreme in a future setting and follows two individuals and their experiences in this polarized world. To accurately explore the issue of social polarization and present it in a compelling and effective interactive narrative Shift has three main points of research. The first point of research is to investigate the current state of polarization, its causes and history, and related concepts like group polarization and confirmation bias. The second point is exploring speculative fiction, its precedents, and how it can be used to address issues in today’s world. The final point of research involves the methods for creation, exploring precedents who have implemented similar aesthetic, narrative, or interactive elements and how this implementation has succeeded or failed. This research provides the foundation for Shift’s narrative development and structure, as well as its visual development and overall aesthetic. Shift ultimately prompts the user to critically think about their own relationship with polarization and how they might change the way they interact with others to create a brighter, less polarized future.