Making the Invisible Interactive: Immersive Storytelling with Aditi Rajagopal

What does it take to design stories people can step into and feel?

Aditi Rajagopal is the Head of Experience Design, Immersive at Atlantic Studios, where she creates interactive educational and entertainment experiences for platforms like Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest. Her recent project, Cosmos in Focus—a virtual planetarium featured at SXSW, turns James Webb Space Telescope data into an emotional, interactive experience that makes the universe feel close and personal.

Her career spans animation, creative strategy, and immersive storytelling roles at Meta across India, Singapore, and the UK. She’s worked with brands like Spotify, Samsung, and Uber, and has been recognized at Cannes, SXSW, and D&AD.

In this episode, we talk about designing for presence instead of novelty, choreographing focus in 3D space, and building immersive experiences that balance wonder with access. We explore how behavior, empathy, and inclusivity shape immersive media and what it takes to lower the barriers for more diverse creators to enter the space.

If you care about the future of storytelling, education, or interactive design, this conversation will expand your creative lens.

What we explore in this episode:

Defining immersive media beyond hype

How Cosmos in Focus turns data into emotion

The “choreography of focus” as a design skill

Why headset access limits storytelling equity

Designing for behavior, empathy, and unexpected users

Entry points for creators using no-code and low-cost tools

Breaking outdated “rules” in VR and XR design

Shownotes and transcript: https://unmissables.substack.com/p/making-the-invisible-interactive

Where to find Aditi Rajagopal

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aditirajagopal

Where to find Ariba Jahan

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aribajahan

Instagram: @ariba.jahan

Newsletter: unmissableswithariba.com

Follow along:

00:00 – Welcome + Meet Aditi Rajagopal

02:49 – Magic and Potential of Spatial Storytelling

05:13 – Defining Immersive Experiences

07:35 – Designing for Presence

10:17 – Creating Emotional Connections

12:52 – Inside Cosmos in Focus

15:42 – The Choreography of Focus

18:15 – Lessons from Collaboration

20:36 – The Future of Immersive Storytelling

25:43 – The Future of Spatial Computing

27:34 – Challenges in Spatial Design

33:03 – Diversity in Storytelling

34:13 – Barriers for Creators

35:15 – Getting Started in Immersive Storytelling

38:20 – Responsibility in Storytelling

41:17 – Behavioral Shifts in Immersive Experiences

43:17 – Breaking the Rules of Immersive Storytelling

45:37 – Encouragement for Aspiring Storytellers

47:23 – Outro

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