Who We Are
Dr Emma Whittaker
Dr Emma Whittaker is a producer, artist and academic researcher of expanded narrative, locative narrative, augmented and mixed reality. She takes a cross-disciplinary approach, integrating arts, technology, science, philosophy and narratology. She creates immersive experiences, transforming places with imagined and virtual locations using perceptual illusions, games, narrative and sound, with smartphone and sensor technologies.
Some of her writings can be found here: (2019) ‘The Wave Crest: Narrative Complexity and Locative Narrative’. In. Narrative Complexity, Cognition, Embodiment, Evolution. Grishakova, Marina and Poulaki, Maria. eds. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. University of Nebraska Press; (2020) ‘An Aesthetics of Ambient Literature: Experience, Narrative, Design’. In. Ambient Literature: Towards a New Poetics of Situated Writing and Reading Practices. Abba, Tom, Dovey, John and Pullinger, Kate. Eds.. London: Palgrave Macmillan; (2021) ‘Sound Art as Locative Narrative’. In The Oxford Handbook of Sound Art. Grant, Jane., Matthias, John., and Prior, David., Eds. Oxford: Oxford University Press. She has recently developed Discriminate-AR, a porous and reflexive approach to producing augmented and mixed reality at heritage sites outdoors, presented at, SEIF2019, ‘Discriminate AR, Immersive Explorations in Pilgrimage Experiences’.
More info: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/staff/emma-whittaker
James Brocklehurst
James Brocklehurst is a designer and Lecturer in Graphic Communication at the University of Plymouth. He has twenty years experience of designing and developing interactive experiences for the web and mobile. His work explores the relationship between visual communication, narrative and digital interactivity.
He has delivered academic papers on interface and visual narrative design for the National Archives DCDC16 conference, the Digital Research in the Humanities and Arts DRHA 2014 conference, and the Association of Illustrators journal Varoom! His work with Emma Whittaker has also been discussed in the Leonardo Music Journal.
His creative work has been exhibited at the Lux Centre, London, the Cyberart Festival in Bilbao, broadcast on MTV2 and included on a globally-distributed Arts Council funded DVD produced by renowned artist group Semiconductor.
What We Do
We create immersive storyworlds that participants can step inside. These bespoke virtual locations are experienced within public buildings or outside in gardens, parks and urban spaces, using participants’ own smartphones to affect perceptual illusions and stimulate the imagination.
- We use narrative to create immersive experiences
- We use game mechanisms to produce engaging interaction
- We use spatial sound to create illusions and simulate virtual locations
Work With Us
We work with heritage sites, museums and commercial enterprises to develop new ways to engage audiences, creating immersive narrative experiences that inspire and inform. We welcome commissions from historical sites, museums, theatres, public spaces and the commercial sector. We also develop academic research projects.
Use our contact form to get in touch.