Video games are an increasingly dominant part of many people’s daily lives. Game developers create complex worlds to give the player the most immersive feeling possible, with the logical consequence that portrayed realities only revolve around the player and their goals.

Polarized Interactions is a machinima short film that uses the bestselling game Grand Theft Auto V to stage and test specific scenarios. Making use of its photorealistic open world that offers a plentitude of interactions, Sjors Rigters creates scenarios in which the player passively interacts with non-playable characters in the game. Emphasizing that virtual reality is always in need of the player’s activity, the film invites the viewer to reconsider the game experience and its influence on the player’s experience in real life.