Cooper's interest is in how we interact with the screen. he has done more than just video games, this was his first part in a series. He has recorded it on HD because it captures more frames and therefore more expressions - micro expressions. It allows us to almost see into the users world. 
He has used a blank room so that we are not distracted by their social world, he hasn't given us any information to be distracted as well as looking slightly like advertising.
Interview Video HERE

Cooper is definitely someone I'm going to need to do a lot more research on, it sounds like he's going in a similar direction to me in his work... or i'm going a similar direction to him.

Immersion is a video piece that takes a look at the user rather than the screen. The video shows clips of young people playing violent and racing video games. However the camera is on top of the screen facing them, so we see their reactions to the game. 
This study into the user is really interesting to watch. Some of the boys seem to laugh and shout at the game, but most just stare intently at the screen, occasionally licking their lips. One girl stares for so long she literally starts to cry. Another shows no emotion at all whilst 'gangster rap' is blaring from the screen.
An older boy has a verbal dialogue with the game, shouting "Come here so I can kill you", which is quite unnerving, as he seems to be looking at us.

I know I've made a video similar to this 'Addiction' but it might be interesting to film myself browsing FB, just to see how interested I actually am or whether I too have a blank, lifeless expression.