Date of Award
Spring 5-2-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Department
Film and Media Studies
First Advisor
Andrew Lund
Second Advisor
Poyen Wang
Academic Program Adviser
Andrew Demirjian
Abstract
One Can Only Dream is an interactive installation in which players are invited to navigate a liminal, dream-like game, engage with a branching series of questions, and introspect upon the relationships between unconscious expression, conscious self-perception, and the inherent difficulty of depicting, sharing, and understanding subconscious thought.
Rooted in both my personal experience with a rare neurophysiological condition and in my desire to create, this project examines dreams not only as a medical and cultural phenomenon, but also as a means to form identity, reflect trauma, and inspire creativity. Drawing from modern interactive storytelling and my lived experiences, this work explores the intersection between the metaphysicality and the biological reality of human sleep and dreams, as well as the still-limited medical understanding of atypical sleep architecture.
Recommended Citation
Yacca, Sophia V., "One Can Only Dream" (2025). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/1400
Included in
Game Design Commons, Other Film and Media Studies Commons, Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons
