A qualitative exploration of entertainment experiences

Abstract

Research into film experiences can reveal much about experiences of computer based entertainment. This paper reports on the first stage of an investigation of people's film content experiences. Ten young adults matching the prime demographic for film-goers watched a short film. Afterwards they were interviewed about their experiences of the film. The most important themes were similarities of experience, differences in experience and plausibility. This material was then set in the context of mental models. The paper concludes by outlining the implications of this work for computer based entertainment.