You’ve chosen to imagine a movie theater where the audience helps control the story. You might want to learn more about participatory media, where people make choices that shape what happens next. But be careful: if everyone votes for a different ending, somebody’s favorite character might be in trouble!
This scenario explores participatory media, a foresight concept about helping shape what we experience. Instead of only watching, we can make choices that change a story. Books, games, and even movies have already experimented with this idea. Future theaters could let our whole audience choose a movie’s path together. That also means we must decide how everyone gets a fair say. But be careful: if everyone votes for a different ending, somebody’s favorite character might be in trouble!
If an audience controls a movie together, how should everyone get a fair say?
Make your own audience-controlled story using paper, markers, and two voting cards. Draw a short story with three moments where something could happen in two different ways. Let your audience vote at each moment, then continue the story using the winning choice.
With an adult, ask ChatGPT:
“Create a funny movie adventure with three moments where my audience can vote on what happens next.”
Read the story to friends or classmates, stop for each vote, and draw the version of the movie your group creates together.
You’ve chosen to imagine a movie theater where your seat moves with the action onscreen. You might want to learn more about multisensory experiences, which add movement, touch, wind, or other sensations to what we see and hear. Just maybe don’t bring a giant bucket of popcorn to the bumpy scenes!
This scenario explores multisensory experiences, a foresight concept that brings more senses into entertainment. We usually watch movies with our eyes and hear them with our ears. New experiences can also add movement, wind, water, smells, or touch. Designers match these effects with the action to make stories feel more immersive. Future theaters could give us even more ways to experience a movie. Just maybe don’t bring a giant bucket of popcorn to the bumpy scenes!
How could theaters make moving movies exciting while keeping everyone comfortable?
Design your own moving movie seat using cardboard, paper, tape, and craft materials. Choose three movie moments, like flying, crashing, or floating. Add arrows or movable paper parts showing how your seat should tilt, shake, or lean during each scene.
With an adult, ask ChatGPT:
“Invent a movie scene and describe three safe ways a theater seat could move with the action.”
Draw the scene and design the seat that goes with it. You can even act out each movement to test whether it matches the story.
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