A data processing method for real-time participation within a media presentation, comprising: a) generating a participant overlay by preprocessing said media presentation to extract a time-variant metadata stream associated with one or more interactive regions depicted in said media presentation, and generating physics parameters that define the nature of interactions between virtual objects and boundaries; b) capturing a participant's interaction with said media presentation through said one or more interactive regions of said overlay; and c) combining said overlay with said media presentation for display to said participant on a display, said interaction comprising any of a user action upon said one or more content elements in said media presentation, a user action expressed in said media presentation through an avatar, or a user action in said media presentation in connection with a game element; and d) simultaneously displaying said media presentation and said overlay on the display, wherein, for a plurality of participant locations, a processor is programmed to: composite a participant layer with said media presentation to superimpose an interactive or game play element onto said media presentation, the interactive or game play element being operable to interact with the media presentation, wherein the participant overlay defines boundaries of an object and replaces the object in the media presentation with an interactive version thereof; display said media presentation and interactive or game play element to each participant at each said participant location; and provide a cue with said interactive or game play element to each participant to take a predetermined action. a) generating a participant overlay by preprocessing said media presentation to extract a time-variant metadata stream associated with one or more interactive regions depicted in said media presentation, and generating physics parameters that define the nature of interactions between virtual objects and boundaries; b) capturing a participant's interaction with said media presentation through said one or more interactive regions of said overlay; and c) combining said overlay with said media presentation for display to said participant on a display, said interaction comprising any of a user action upon said one or more content elements in said media presentation, a user action expressed in said media presentation through an avatar, or a user action in said media presentation in connection with a game element; and d) simultaneously displaying said media presentation and said overlay on the display, composite a participant layer with said media presentation to superimpose an interactive or game play element onto said media presentation, the interactive or game play element being operable to interact with the media presentation, wherein the participant overlay defines boundaries of an object and replaces the object in the media presentation with an interactive version thereof; display said media presentation and interactive or game play element to each participant at each said participant location; and provide a cue with said interactive or game play element to each participant to take a predetermined action.