Iluminace 2025, 37(2):75-94 | DOI: 10.58193/ilu.1813

Subjective Access and Focalization in VR

Cecilie Levy

University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands ✉

This paper examines the challenges of conveying a character’s inner world in virtual reality (VR) experiences, using the production of Finding Frida as a case study. It explores how a “constructive dialogue” with film theory, specifically narratology and cognitive approaches, can inform VR storytelling practices. The discussion originates from a practical problem encountered during the making of Finding Frida: how to lip-sync the virtual character. What began as a technical issue led to deeper dramaturgical questions about perspective, subjective access, and the role of the spectator in VR. Drawing on the work of Murray Smith, Peter Verstraten, and Michel Chion, the paper investigates how techniques like focalization, voice-over narration, and sound design can be utilized in VR to strengthen dramaturgy. It analyzes the concept of the “acousmêtre” — a sound heard without its source being seen — and its potential for generating suspense and facilitating emotional engagement. The paper argues that, unlike traditional film, where subjective access is often achieved through editing techniques like shot-reverse shot, VR creators must rely on alternative methods. It proposes that sound, with its spatial and immersive qualities, can be a powerful tool for guiding the spectator’s perspective and providing access to the character’s inner world.

Keywords: VR creative documentary, focalization, sound design, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, environmental Storytelling, voice-over narration, practice-based research

Received: March 3, 2025; Revised: September 11, 2025; Accepted: October 2, 2025; Published: November 10, 2025  Show citation