F E AT U R E : C O E X I S T
moments in American history. Footage includes nine interviews with a wide range of Baton Rouge residents and locations important to the message Hatfield is communicating, including the Triple S Food Mart where Alton Sterling was shot and two protest locations.
On July 10, 2016, Hatfield marched with thousands of others
in the Black Lives Matter protest in Mid City. “The march started as a beautiful diverse group of people all coming
“This new form of documenting stories and events can change how history is perceived and learned.”
together for a cause but was met with a frightening end when police showed up in riot gear,” she recalled. “I have never experienced the kind of fear I felt that day standing near the corner of East Boulevard and France Street, which is why I chose this location as the third environment in Urban Illusions.”
The result of Hatfield’s endeavors is an interactive
documentary experience. When viewed through a virtual reality headset, such as the Oculus Rift, or Google VR Cardboard on an iOS device, the experience becomes completely immersive. Viewers have more personal interactions with the footage and can interpret the meaning of the virtual experience for themselves.
“Documenting in 360-degrees allows viewers to see
everything, not only in front of them but also to each side and behind them,” shared Hatfield, who explored the roles of documenter, observer, archivist, and participant while
filming. Six cameras film at once from a central point, removing speculation of cropped or edited video as there are no borders—also meaning Hatfield can be seen filming.
For her final exhibition, Hatfield
included the Oculus Rift immersive experience set up, a digital image of the 3D environment modeled in Maya serving as a metaphor for the concept, a projection mapping compilation of each of the interviews, six iPads with full 360-degree interaction applications of Urban Illusions, and six Google Cardboards for viewers to download the iOS app themselves. Anyone can download the app from the Apple App Store at no cost.
URBAN ILLUSIONS Oculus Rift, 2017
“Virtual reality presents a unique
opportunity for documenting real life in a way that is more engaging and potentially less biased than reading about it or watching it on the news,” concluded Hatfield. “This new form of documenting stories and events can change how history is perceived and learned.”
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QUAD · LSU COLLEG E OF ART & DE S I G N