Oftentimes, we describe virtual reality as just cool and amazing, but we have to remember that it can also bring about a new way of telling stories and make us think about the deeper things in life. That is what The Guardian is aiming to bring with its new VR app and their very first virtual reality piece created for the app. The experience piece is called 6×9 and it uses this technology to make the viewers feel what it’s like to be in a solitary confinement cell 23 hours a day.
We probably rarely think of being confined in a 6×9 cell for days, months or even years with no end in sight. But now with the help of technology like virtual reality, we can actually experience to some degree what it’s like to be confined in solitary and what effect it will have on the psyche of a person and whether it is actually effective in rehabilitating prisoners or keeping them safe from other inmates.
According to statistics, in the US alone, 80,000 inmates are in solitary and have had little to no contact with other humans. This film from The Guardian tries to explore that. The trailer shows us a little glimpse into what we will be experiencing when we watch the film, and it already looks a bit too claustrophobic for some. VR may probably be the closest we can experience what it means to be there and so this is a rare but thought-provoking way of looking at things.
You can download the Guardian VR app from the Google Play Store for free. 6 x 9 is just the first in what should be an interesting way of presenting documentaries using this new technology. You can view the film with or without a VR headset.
