Subjective Time Construction in Immersive VR Cinema: A Bergson Analysis of Dear Angelica and Spheres
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Amid the widespread application of Virtual Reality (VR) technology in visual storytelling, immersive cinema is reshaping audiences' perceptual structures and temporal experiences.Unlike traditional films, which construct time through editing rhythms and event-driven logic, VR films foster a more subjective, fluid, and non-linear sense of time through three-dimensional spatial participation, free viewing paths, and emotional arousal mechanisms.Nevertheless, current research lacks a systematic theoretical analysis of this "immersive time."This study adopts Henri Bergson's concept of "duration" as a theoretical framework to examine the formation of subjective time experiences in VR films and their divergence from traditional temporal structures.Employing a qualitative textual analysis, it analyzes Dear Angelica (2017) and Spheres (2018) across four dimensions: narrative structure, spatial composition, viewing freedom, and emotional memory.The findings reveal that: (1) immersive VR films, by breaking away from linear narratives and unified rhythms, construct a nonlinear temporal structure centered on perceptual engagement; (2) Bergson's "duration" effectively explains the flow of consciousness and temporal extension experienced by viewers, manifesting in emotion-driven and perception-oriented forms; and (3) narrative strategies significantly shape the construction of "duration," influencing immersion depth and psychological rhythm.This research offers a philosophical explanation for temporal construction in immersive storytelling and provides theoretical insights for rhythm control, spatial narration, and emotional design in VR content creation.Integrating media philosophy with digital imaging studies broadens the understanding of "subjective time" in immersive media and informs future theoretical and practical developments.
Institution: Sungkyunkwan University
Language: English
Topic: Cinema History and Criticism
Subfield: Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4412769130