Camera Footage in Unity – Interactive Experiences Viewed Through Aesthetic Engagement

Abstract

This portfolio-based study combines real-life camera footage, the Unity Game Engine, and the concept of aesthetic engagement to explore the scope of interactive experiences, and whether these interactive experiences can be evaluated through the lens of aesthetic engagement. Research based on literature and online materials was conducted to build a theoretical understanding of aesthetic engagement and interactive digital experiences. Besides common real-life camera footage like photography and video footage, also camera-based motion capture and 3D-scanning are discussed in this context. Unity Game Engine is software for producing games and other types of digital experiences. Aesthetic engagement is a genre of philosophy and aesthetics that underscores the interaction between an art object and the perceiver.

Selected portfolio pieces were described and then analysed using aesthetic engagement as a framework, to determine whether it can serve as a tool for refining interactive experiences. Based on the findings, evaluating portfolio works through aesthetic engagement is possible and shows potential in changing the overall user experience. The study also highlights the versatility of real-life camera footage, showing that it can take many forms besides photography and video material, and that it can be applied across various technological fields, especially in the Game Development and New Media Art.