The Holocaust Project:

RESEARCH STATEMENT 

In a digital era marked by ever-evolving media fragmentation and changing media

consumption behaviours, traditional storytelling methods find it challenging to achieve meaningful social impact. This research explores multi-platform storytelling as a methodology for addressing complex social issues, extending audience reach and pushing media to niche audiences to create change.

This research examines how multi-platform storytelling approaches can maximise social impact through strategic design and implementation across diverse media formats. The case study draws on a transmedia Holocaust remembrance project comprising three interconnected components: Sorella's Story (a 16-minute 360-immersive film), To Never Forget (an 82-minute feature documentary), and In Their

Name (a 26-minute broadcast documentary). This research investigates the

development and distribution strategies of cross-platform narrative design in an

increasingly diversified and disrupted media landscape (Jenkins 2006).

This research sits at the intersection of transmedia storytelling theory, immersive media studies and social change communication (Phillips 2012). The research identifies three principles for effective multi-platform implementation: bespoke platform-appropriate content design, narrative complementarity and strategic audience pathways.

Through analysing the case study, along with a literature review, this research contributes to screen studies by advancing a theoretical framework for analysing multi-platform narrative design that integrates Jenkins' transmedia storytelling concepts with Murray's (2017) work on digital immersion. It also reveals that, while immersive technologies effectively generate empathy and emotional engagement, which is the motivation creating change, structured reflection opportunities are essential for translating emotions into action (Archer and Finger 2018; Cohen et al. 2021).

These findings offer significant insights for screen practitioners endeavouring to design social impact initiatives across multiple devices and platforms, particularly regarding the limitations of technology-driven emotional engagement without facilitated reflection (Martingano et al. 2021).

PEER REVIEW 1 

I happen to have seen Peter Hegedus’ 360 VR film Sorella’s Story before and to see it again, now as part of a research project in experimental, multi-platform storytelling, is both moving and educative. While the 360 film evokes the emotional essence of the historical incident as recounted by young Sorella, who is herself part real-part imagined, the feature documentary unpacks the various layers compressed into this one incident and documented/ immortalised in the single stark black-and-white-photograph that is the muse and springboard for both. Within these two works already, the feature documentary and the immersive experience, other creative registers are nested: the still photograph with which it all began, the charcoal sketch like digital illustrations that the moving image freezes into at strategic points, and the real life landscape of Šķēde Beach including not just the holocaust memorial but the ever present wind, sea and sand that continue to stand witness to the past, as the filmmaker notes. Each medium and mode has a specificity of its own and seems absolutely necessary to shift between identification and critical distance, empathy and reflection. This somehow begs the question of whether the third “broadcast” documentary is really required, in the context of the research project at least. While it seems to be a homage to Ethel Davis, an important collaborator and inspirational figure in the filmmaker’s journey with this project, and both moving and meaningful from this perspective, for a filmmaker is free to make any and however many films on a subject that they need to/desire to make.  It is also difficult to remain critical in such an overwhelmingly emotional context like holocaust history. Yet, it seems to me that, as a research project, to juxtapose just the VR immersive experience and the feature documentary would make a powerful case for comparing the two formats/platforms/ mediums, dare I say genres, for storytelling today. Far from becoming obsolete, the feature documentary reinvents itself with its breadth of vision; its leisurely yet relentless pursuit of the many-layered irresoluble truth/s of history, that we still do not, as the filmmaker rues, seem to be capable of learning from. The immersive experience, on the other hand, forces us to confront history head on, or in the eye, as only VR can do, drawing memory into the present, so we are impelled and compelled to bear witness to horrors we might prefer to deny or shy away from, and acknowledge collective if varying degrees of culpability. Together, the two works make effective use of “bespoke platform-appropriate content design, narrative complementarity and strategic audience pathways,” as the research statement points out, showing us how two can be more powerful than one (while three might dilute intensity) and the transmedial whole is incrementally greater than its parts. Their relation is not dialectical, but complementary, for they are not thesis and anti-thesis but this and that, resulting not in synthesis but a fortuitous coupling, both double iteration and double whammy. 

Regarding the research statement, for me it held important insights, as referenced above, but it also felt strangely impersonal and unfocussed in the context of such deeply personal yet thoughtfully construed practice. I am not sure if mentioning different literary sources in itself makes a literary review when the ideas are not elaborated, just mentioned, nor is an argument developed through them: the way the feature documentary, for instance, continuously includes, broadens and thickens the discourse between the personal, historical and political, without ever losing focus, the past and future intersecting and coming to fruition in the present. Jenkins’ (2006) reference to a “disrupted” media landscape for instance, seems particularly inappropriate in this context, when diversification leads to intensification of depth as well as breadth, rather than disruption or dispersion. Both in its internal logic and its external coupling these works embrace transmediality as a mode of discourse. If the research is led by practice, as it seems to be, then it may well be that the methodological and structural strategies and insights discovered and revealed in/through practice might themselves be usefully deployed in the perspective (not necessarily argument) that is being offered in/via the research statement too, to render explicit the tacit learnings that critical research practice affords. 

Thank you to the Sightlines editors of this volume for inviting me to think through this timely problematic of transmediality with respect to traditional cinema and VR, as also documentary and fiction. 

PEER REVIEW 2 

Which aspects of the submission are of interest/relevance and why?

These three works (Sorella's Story, To Never Forget and In Their Name) are significant contributions to and exemplars of ambitious creative practice research. From CVR to long form to the televisual, they complement each other exceptionally well. Given this significance, an expanded research statement that clearly outlines the research background, contribution, and importance is recommended to reflect better and clarify this impact and said significance.

Does the submission live up to its potential?

Evaluating the abstract's content against the expected components of a Sightlines research statement suggests areas of further improvement, clarity and development. The research background needs to move beyond a general nod to the digital media landscape and social impact challenges to provide detailed contextualisation, including specific complexities of the contemporary digital environment and the significant social impact issues addressed by Sorella's Story, To Never Forget and In Their Name. Explicit research questions that the creative works aimed to investigate (which seem clearly articulated in the creative practice) need to be articulated. These creative practice components within relevant academic fields, referencing key literature in transmedia studies (beyond Jenkins), immersive media research, social impact and, potentially, specific content-related (immersion) fields, should be better detailed, especially given the obviousness of the creative works as screen production as research.

How does the submission expose practice as research?

While the abstract hints at originality through the proposed framework and principles, the Research Statement must clearly articulate the new knowledge generated through the creative practice. This articulation involves explaining how the design and production of the three works (especially the CVR, which should be a keyword in the abstract) led to the identified insights. The theoretical framework, which mentions Jenkins (2006) and Murray (2017), requires elaboration on how these theories are being integrated or synthesised, demonstrating a novel application or extension, rather than simply naming theorists. The identified principles (bespoke design, complementarity and pathways) require clear definitions, supported by concrete examples from the works, which argue for their originality and significance, the latter of which is suggested in the abstract. However, the research statement needs a stronger, more specific argument about how the findings can inform the practice of others working on projects with empathetic impact, specifically when dealing with critical social issues, and connect the findings back to the broader field of screen production research, demonstrating awareness of ongoing discussions within the discipline.

RESPONSE TO PEER REVIEWS

We want to thank both peer reviewers for their thoughtful and constructive feedback on the research statement. Their insights have been invaluable in helping to clarify and strengthen the research statement. We have substantially revised the statement to deepen context and address their observations while maintaining the focus on multi-platform storytelling for social impact. 

Reviewer 2 identified the need to "move beyond a general nod to the digital media landscape" and provide more detailed contextualisation. In response, we have significantly expanded the research background to include specific theoretical grounding at the intersection of transmedia storytelling theory (Jenkins 2006), immersive media studies (Landsberg 2004), and entertainment-education theory (Singhal and Rogers 1999), as well as Ryan's (2013) distinction between transmedia and cross-media, Slater's (2009) place and plausibility illusion concepts, and de la Peña's (2015) "visceral empathy generator" characterisation of VR. 

The revised statement now explicitly addresses Schweber's (2006) concept of "Holocaust fatigue" as the specific challenge our project tackles, providing clear academic positioning beyond general references to digital media. Each theory is explained with a specific application to our project, demonstrating implementation rather than simple citation. 

We have also added crucial context about the project's genesis - the historical atrocity photograph from Latvia in 1941 that sparked the entire transmedia initiative. This contextualisation helps readers understand the project's content and story better, as well as the motivations driving the research, moving beyond abstract theoretical discussions to ground the work in specific cultural memory challenges. 

Both reviewers noted the need to better articulate how the creative works function as integral to the research process. We have restructured the methodology section to explicitly frame the three media components as practice-as-research methodology, where creative practice constitutes the primary research method. The revised statement details specific creative choices and research findings, linking the research question around multi-platform strategy and empathy generation. 

Following Reviewer 2's feedback, we have provided a more detailed rationale behind the hybrid docu-fiction approach for CVR versus traditional documentary techniques, and how each platform's specific affordances were best utilised. We have also added more personal insights throughout the process, which addresses Reviewer 1's observation that the research statement may have been too clinical. 

We have also deleted the mention of a literature review, as Reviewer 1 quite rightly notes this research statement is not an attempt at that, but rather to show the context in which the project sits within the research field. 

We have introduced a theoretical contribution, the "Empathic Scaffolding Framework," which emerged directly from the practice-led research findings. These contributions demonstrate how the creative practice generates new knowledge beyond existing theoretical frameworks, which is a research area that Bobbi-Lea Dionysius is interested in further developing, with implications for impact and social change. 

Addressing both reviewers' concerns about methodological clarity, we have expanded the description of our bespoke approach to both mediums and included post-viewing surveys at film festivals and local screenings, providing specific demographic findings about generational differences in empathic responses, which offer evidence beyond theoretical assertions. 

The revised statement details the technical innovations required, including multi-headset synchronisation software for educational group viewing and alternative distribution pathways for CVR to the traditional theatrical / broadcaster model. 

Following Reviewer 2's suggestion about CVR as a keyword, we have updated the keywords to include "cinematic virtual reality (CVR)", "Holocaust education”, and “empathy”, providing more specific descriptors that accurately reflect the project's technical, content, and impact areas of focus. 

The conclusion has been strengthened to address both reviewers' implicit calls for broader field relevance. The revised statement articulates how the "empathic scaffolding" methodology offers replicable approaches for addressing contemporary social challenges through innovative screen practice research, providing actionable frameworks for practitioners working across fragmented digital ecosystems. 

The enhanced theoretical framework and expanded methodological detail serve to clarify, strengthen and provide context to our practice-led research about maximising social impact through transmedia storytelling approaches. 

The revised research statement now provides the academic rigour, theoretical depth and methodological clarity that the reviewers identified as essential while preserving the innovative practice-led insights that make this research a significant contribution to screen studies and social impact communication. 

We again thank the reviewers for their eloquent and thoughtful analysis, which helped improve my research statement and enabled us to better contribute to screen-based research. We also thank Sightlines for the opportunity to be part of the conversation.

REVISED RESEARCH STATEMENT 

Research Background and Context

The Holocaust Project is a multi-platform project sparked by a single historical atrocity photograph taken in Latvia in 1941 - a famous photo that was smuggled and later used as evidence in the Nuremberg trials. The aim of producer, director, and writer Dr Peter Hegedüs was to bring this photograph to life in a meaningful and emotive way while unpacking the complexities of the Holocaust and its ongoing impact on lives, families, and geopolitics today.

The contemporary media landscape is characterised by ever increasing fragmentation and evolving audience engagement behaviours that challenge traditional storytelling approaches to achieve meaningful social impact. This practice-led research investigates how strategic multi-platform storytelling methodologies can maximise social impact through bespoke content creation across diverse media formats, specifically addressing complex social issues and engaging diverse audiences.

This research sits at the intersection of transmedia storytelling theory, immersive media studies, and entertainment-education theory, specifically addressing what Schweber (2006, 44) identifies as "Holocaust fatigue" among contemporary audiences. The research question driving this practice is: How can strategic multi-platform approaches leverage medium-specific affordances to foster empathic engagement and behavioural change across diverse audience segments, particularly when addressing historical trauma?

Creative Practice as Research Methodology     

This research employs a practice-as-research methodology, where creative practice

serves as the primary research method.The methodology involved creating three distinct yet interconnected media artefacts inspired by an atrocity photograph taken during the Holocaust:

1. Sorella's Story (16-minute CVR film)

A 360-immersive Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR) experience placing viewers alongside 10-year-old Sorella Epstein in her final moments before execution on Šķēde beach during the Holocaust.

2. To Never Forget (82-minute feature documentary)

The documentary unpacks the historical context through archival integration, survivor testimonies, behind-the-scenes production footage, and the filmmaker's own familial ties to the Holocaust.

3. In Their Name (26-minute broadcast documentary)

The shorter broadcast documentary focuses on Australian audiences with contemporary relevance and intergenerational memory transmission.

Each component required distinct production methodologies. The CVR component

employed hybrid docu-fiction techniques, utilising actors, first-person narration,

stereoscopic imaging and spatial audio design adapted for 360-degree environments as well as self-edged stylistic masking to seamlessly transition scenes and keep the viewer immersed in the environment. The documentary components utilised observational footage, archival research, interviews and post-production integration of motion graphics and animation.

Empirical research was conducted through post-viewing surveys at international film

festivals and local screenings, measuring empathic responses across demographic

groups alongside distribution pathway analysis and enterprise CVR deployment

requirements.     

Theoretical Framework

This research operates within an interdisciplinary theoretical framework integrating three foundational theories:

Transmedia Storytelling Theory (Jenkins 2006): Jenkins' concept that "a transmedia story unfolds across multiple media platforms, with each new text making a distinctive and valuable contribution to the whole" (95-96) provides the framework for understanding how narrative elements can be strategically dispersed across multiple delivery channels.

Each component of our project leveraged platform-specific affordances whilst maintaining thematic consistency, exemplifying what Phillips (2012) describes as platform-native content design rather than simple adaptation across platforms. The strategic choice to create a hybrid docu-fiction CVR component specifically targets younger digital-first generations, using innovative technology as a gateway to introduce challenging educational content while the documentary unpacks the issues, providing a deeper understanding of the historical context.

Prosthetic Memory Theory (Landsberg 2004): Landsberg's theory examines how "It has become possible to have an intimate relationship to memories of events through which one did not live" (148), providing the foundation for understanding how immersive technologies create embodied experiences of historical events.

Entertainment-Education Theory (Singhal and Rogers 1999): This theory describes how media can break the false dichotomy that media must be either entertaining or educational through "the process of purposely designing and implementing a media message to both entertain and educate, in order to ... create favorable attitudes, and change overt behavior" (xii).

Supporting concepts include de la Peña's (2015) characterisation of VR as a "visceral empathy generator," demonstrating how immersive technologies can create embodied experiences that foster empathic engagement, which backs up our rationale to create a docu-fiction CVR to foster a more personal connection to the content, and by extension, the social issue of fostering a more empathic and tolerant society.

Implementation Strategies

Three main theoretical frameworks influenced the development of our project:

Bespoke Platform-Appropriate Content Design: Each media artefact was intentionally designed to the strengths (and limitations) of its intended platform. The CVR component utilised Slater's (2009) concepts of place and plausibility illusion to create psychological presence, enabling prosthetic memory formation. The CVR employed actors and narrative techniques with theatre blocking adapted for 360-degree environments, while the documentaries used observational footage, archival integration, and interview techniques.

Narrative Complementarity: Following Ryan's (2013) distinction between transmedia (adding new content) and cross-media (repurposing content), each platform contributed unique narrative elements. The CVR was a docu-fiction narrative, while the documentary incorporated behind-the-scenes CVR production footage, motion graphic sketches simulating 360-degree movement, and animation, bringing to life memories from the director's grandmother, a Holocaust survivor.

Strategic Audience Pathways: The project provided a variety of entry points to capture diverse audience segments, recognising varying levels of prior content knowledge, technological access and platform viewing preferences. Beyond traditional distribution, the impact campaign targeted educational institutions and museums, requiring multi-headset synchronisation technology for group viewing experiences.

While all three media artefacts play an integral part in audience diversification and address platform-specific constraints and affordances, the research mainly focuses on the first two pieces of media (CVR and feature-length documentary) as a complementary package. The third broadcast documentary was created specifically for an older, more educated audience, aligning with ABC's Catalyst programme demographic.

Research Contribution and Empirical Findings

This research contributes new knowledge to screen studies by integrating transmedia storytelling theory with prosthetic memory theory and entertainment-education approaches. The project demonstrates that, whilst immersive technologies effectively generate empathy, structured reflection opportunities are essential for translating emotions into sustained action.

Post-viewing surveys conducted at an international film festival and local screenings revealed significant empathic responses across demographic groups, with 90% of viewers reporting a high or very high emotional connection (Borges Jelinic  et al., 2025). However, unexpected generational differences emerged, with viewers aged 18-39 demonstrating significantly lower scores compared to older participants on measures of immersion and motivation for social action, aligning with Konrath et al. (2010) research indicating declining empathy trends among younger generations.

The research also uncovered alternative distribution pathways for CVR content, including licensing to headset manufacturers rather than traditional broadcasters. Sorella's Story achieved a nine-week residency in a VR cinema in Tokyo and became a permanent exhibit at the Queensland Holocaust Museum. Educational self-distribution required developing facilitated school tours with VR technical expertise, demonstrating significantly higher costs compared to traditional film distribution methods.

Innovation and Methodological Advances

This research develops medium-specific methodologies for filmmaking practice research, creating an "empathic scaffolding" strategic framework that accommodates both embodied immersive experiences and critical analytical frameworks, systematically building empathic engagement across multiple touchpoints while maintaining thematic coherence.

The project has advanced CVR production techniques, including stereoscopic imaging, spatial audio design (ambisonics), and visual effects, combined with theatre blocking adapted for 360-degree environments. The project furthered enterprise CVR viewing methodologies, testing software solutions for multi-headset synchronisation required for group educational experiences. For the documentary, we developed an animation motion graphics technique to simulate a 360 environment within the flat 2D documentary space.

This methodology moves beyond generic practice approaches by strategically combining CVR production techniques with traditional documentary methods designed to create complementary rather than redundant audience experiences.

The research findings contribute to understanding how age-related demographics affect empathic responses to immersive content, levels of immersion, presence and motivation for social action. Further research into how demographics affect the user experience and impact outcomes would be beneficial for future content and platform design.

Implications and Future Applications

Our research and "empathic scaffolding" methodology offers a replicable approach for addressing historical trauma, social justice issues and educational content. However, the findings reveal a need for further research into how demographics affect the user experience and impact outcomes, which would then inform content and platform design.

Findings also identified the need for structured reflection post-immersive experiences with actionable outcomes to maximise social impact. As VR technology becomes progressively accessible and 5G networks enable seamless streaming of high-quality immersive content, these methodologies become increasingly relevant for practitioners seeking to harness emerging technologies for social change. We believe the outcomes of our practice-as-research Holocaust Project validates transmedia storytelling as an effective strategy for contemporary activism and offers evidence-based approaches for combating audience issue fatigue while creating meaningful engagement with challenging historical and social content.

REFERENCES

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