As a PhD in Practice Design student at Edinburgh College of Art/the University of Edinburgh, my project explores stage fright through immersive virtual reality (VR). Drawing from my background in documentary filmmaking and personal experience with social phobia, I am developing an interactive VR experience that simulates the intense emotional and physiological responses associated with stage fright.

The project has two goals: first, to allow users to experience—firsthand—the emotional and physiological sensations of stage fright; and second, to explore whether creating and engaging with this work can have therapeutic benefits for myself and others. Users will step into a first-person perspective—blinded by spotlights, surrounded by judgmental voices, and consumed by anxiety—before transitioning to a moment of transformation and support.

Combining artistic expression, psychological insight, and immersive technology, this work aims to foster empathy and healing.

Stage Fright – A Virtual Reality Journey into Performance Anxiety 

I am displaying a proof-of-concept prototype virtual reality (VR) experience designed to simulate the emotional and psychological intensity of performance anxiety. 

This project stems from both academic and personal motivations. Having experienced debilitating stage fright throughout my life, I’ve approached this project as an autoethnographic inquiry, blending personal narrative with research into expressive therapies. Stage Fright draws on film therapy—a method that uses audiovisual creation and experience as a therapeutic tool—to examine how immersive, interactive storytelling in VR can foster self-awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation. The result is a creative practice-led study that merges experimental filmmaking with 3D virtual reality design, reflecting on both the healing potential and technological limitations of this new medium. 

Structure and Experience of the VR Proof-of-concept Prototype Display 

The heart of the showcase is a pre-recorded video of a walk through an interactive VR simulation. The viewers will enter a stylised, grey-scale performance hall—intentionally minimal to focus the user’s attention on sound, interaction, and emotional impact. (The final version of the VR experience will be in colour.) The experience unfolds in several phases: 

1. Darkness and Introduction 
The simulation begins in darkness. A disembodied narrator’s voice introduces the author of the display and welcomes her on stage.

2. In the Auditorium 
The user hears heartbeat, which speeds up subtly as they walk toward the stage. As the user progresses, murmurs from an unseen audience begin to swell. 

3. On Stage: Escalation of Anxiety 
Once the user steps onto the stage, four mannequins, acting as symbolic stand-ins for an audience, can be seen. Audio recordings—some computer-generated, others performed by actors—deliver lines of subtle and overt criticism. These are spatially triggered: if the user looks at a particular mannequin, it speaks directly to them. The result is a highly personal and disconcerting experience. Accompanying sounds—a BBC-sourced audience murmur, a racing heart—all reinforce the physiological and psychological effects of stage fright. 

This is where the proof-of-concept prototype ends. Its final version will continue as follows: 

4. Therapeutic Resolution: After the heightened anxiety reaches a peak, the tone shifts. The audience softens, becoming encouraging, and the environment transforms. This stage of the experience introduces techniques derived from performance therapy and cognitive-behavioural exposure therapy. Users are guided through a breathing exercise, and the previously critical mannequins now offer supportive commentary. The resolution encourages the user to reflect on anxiety not as failure, but as a manageable, human experience. 

Technological Design and Limitation 

This version of Stage Fright is a proof-of-concept prototype, created using Blender and Unreal Engine with support from immersive technology expert at the Edinburgh College of Art. While technically modest—grey-scale visuals, symbolic rather than realistic characters, and basic lighting—it establishes a solid interaction model for future refinement. 

Sound is critical to the experience. The heartbeat is sourced from a free-use sound bank, and audience murmurs were taken from the BBC archives. Two voice types were tested: a synthetic voice and a human-recorded actor’s performance. These tests helped explore the emotional resonance and effectiveness of different voice designs in triggering audience reactions. 

Although the current simulation uses only four mannequins, the intention is to scale the experience to include a full virtual audience with nuanced behavioural animations. The design choices here are deliberate, allowing me to focus on understanding the mechanics of emotional immersion and how minimal stimuli can produce intense reactions. 

The VR experience is viewable online via this link: 
🔗 Watch the walkthrough 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_TComNNkpyw 

Context: Film Therapy Meets Immersive Technology 

At the heart of my PhD practice-led research is a comparison between classic 2D film therapy techniques (e.g., documentary and experimental filmmaking) and interactive 3D cinematic VR. My PhD aims to examine: 

• How emotional storytelling changes when the participant is given the first person perspective. 

• Whether the immersion and embodiment of VR offer unique therapeutic potential. 

• What limitations exist in terms of technology, user accessibility, and emotional safety. 

Classic documentary invites reflection through the act of watching. VR, in contrast, demands participation. This research tests whether that shift from passive to active experience can enhance therapeutic outcomes, particularly for conditions like anxiety and trauma. Stage Fright serves as a micro-study within this broader inquiry. 

Public Engagement and Broader Impact 

The long-term vision for Stage Fright extends beyond academia. The project is designed to have real-world applications in several domains: 

• Mental Health Awareness and Empathy Building 
  By placing users inside the experience of performance anxiety, the project fosters empathy—particularly for educators, employers, and peers of those who live with social anxiety. 
• Therapeutic Use 
  In collaboration with therapists, Stage Fright could become part of exposure therapy, helping clients safely encounter and navigate their fears. Unlike traditional VR therapy modules, this experience is rooted in creative storytelling, making it more emotionally rich and potentially more engaging. 
• Training and Education 
  Performing arts educators, counsellors, and psychology students could use the experience as a training tool. It offers insight into the lived experience of stage fright and models a therapeutic arc from anxiety to self-empowerment. 
• Exhibition and Festival Circuit 
  I plan to submit Stage Fright to major immersive and film festivals—Venice Immersive, Sundance, and SXSW, among others. These platforms will help situate the work within the broader discourse on art, therapy, and technology. 
• Workshops and Public Screenings 
  The project is being developed for educational workshops with organisations like the Mental Health Foundation and community art groups. These sessions would combine the VR experience with group discussion and creative reflection. 

Invitation for Feedback 

I would like to encouraging users to share their emotional reactions and reflections regarding this project. 

As a PhD in Practice candidate, I’m looking for the users’ reactions on both content and structure. By presenting this prototype to an academic audience, I can gather insights from those with expertise in film, psychology, therapy, and digital design. The feedback will inform future development—especially in refining the emotional pacing, visual design, and therapeutic framing. 

Additionally, exhibiting now enables me to build networks for collaboration—with researchers, mental health professionals, and creative technologists who may contribute to or benefit from this work. This digital showcase is also a space for dialogue about how creative practice can support public health and wellbeing. 

Conclusion 

Stage Fright is a practice-led research project grounded in emotional experience and creative innovation. It uses cinematic VR not as a technological gimmick but as a serious medium for exploring mental health. While the current version is only a prototype, it already shows the potential of immersive film to educate, empathise, and heal.