Being the Bystander

The more people there are at an accident, the less likely they are to help. This is called the bystander effect. British Red Cross helps raise awareness of this and encourages people to take action when they see someone in need of help. They wanted to use 360º video to help change behaviour – using it in clinical trials and launching it to the general public as a mobile app. So we created “Being the Bystander” – a 360º film that immerses the viewer in the thoughts and feelings of bystanders faced with a choice.

The film takes place on a train carriage and cuts between the reactions of three passengers after a fellow traveller collapses. Each character hesitates to help for separate reasons – trapping the viewer in the position of a bystander when they know action needs to be taken, but while they hear fears and doubts they can relate to. The film jumps to the perspective of the person who needs help – emphasising the dangers of ignoring someone in need. Used in clinical trials and written up for a research paper, the film has had overwhelmingly positive reviews – with viewers saying it would definitely change their behaviour in future.