Simply put, paradigms are the way you perceive things.
A paradigm shift is a change in the way you look at things. In this work, it is the first critical step you must take to become an extraordinary interactive character.
When you get a hired to perform – your perception is, naturally, that you are supposed to entertain people. You are the performer, right? And the people who come to your workplace every day – they are the audience. They are supposed to watch you do your stuff. It’s the audience and the performers. Performers are on stage. Audience is separate – in the house.
Can you see how that way of perceiving things creates distance? Someone entertains. Someone watches. Even if both groups are physically close to each other, they remain separate and distinct. There is always an emotional distance.
In immersive entertainment we want to break through that emotional distance. Our characters must connect emotionally, authentically with the people who visit them.
To make this connection, the interactive character first must shift their perception of the visitor.
Successful interactive characters look at every visitor as their scene partner, not as a separate audience to be entertained. In their minds, the visitor is now a full partner in achieving the goals of the scene.
Pretty arty stuff, I know.
But bear with me. Once you get this way of seeing the work, whole worlds will open up for you. For now, just remember the paradigm shift is:
The visitor is your scene partner.
Interactive Characters 