Above - The Craftsman, one of the immersive, dark stories created for digital media by Portal Entertainment.

• Portal Entertainment is a content production company which makes ‘immersive entertainment’: stories in which the audience's reactions shape how stories unfold over digital media.
• Using the software platform developed by the company, content producers are given a chance to signpost to extra content and even secure micro-payments, whilst audiences are taken on a journey specific to their emotional responses and interests.
• The technology works by capturing bio and facial responses through the camera function on devices such as PCs and iPads.
• One of the technical challenges to overcome is how to measure a viewer’s response to, for example, a character or thread of a story.
• By using facial expressions, the discovery process establishes what the viewer wants to watch based on who is in the room and the level of previous thrills captured. Users can select whether they want a high or low thrill and suitable recommendations will be made.
• Once launched, this opt-in service will give audiences an appetite for a more enriched, personalised entertainment experience on online devices.
• Immersive entertainment will also give content creators a personalised platform to launch additional content around their programmes and exploit new revenue streams.

Above - Using the technology platform created by the company, content producers access a dashboard which registers viewers' responses.

• The company has been the recipient of an ICASE Award and support from the Creative Industries Knowledge Transfer Network, the Engineering Physical Sciences and Research Group and the Technology Strategy Board.
• You can read a fuller version of the Portal Entertainment case study on the Creative Industries Knowledge Transfer Network website or find out about other Portal Entertainment productions on the company's website.