Thursday, February 28, 2013

Interactive Journeys

Click on the image to get to the video

While on the subject of music videos, last year saw the release of this interactive video by the band Chairlift (I'd embed the actual video, but I now realize that Google makes it difficult to embed video from anywhere except YouTube now.  I'll be moving the blog to another platform, as soon as I get my new hosting all squared away.  Hey, Blogger is a free platform after all. More on that, on another day).

Anyway, the Chairlift video uses technology created by an Israeli company, Interlude .  They're selling a web-based tool which enables "the creation, design and deployment of interactive videos."  A lot of the content created so far seems to be branded and there's no discussion on their site as to the cost.  It's definitely worth watching where they take the technology.  They do say their player requires "no installation" on iOS or Androd.   I'm not sure what that means, I tried to play their content with a browser (Chrome and Safari) in iOS (iPad) with no success.  It does work well on desktop browsers, however.  There is an iOS app using their technology, Mozart Interactive, which is available in the iTunes store for free.  It's cute, and engaging, however, it doesn't seem to offer anything groundbreaking (technology-wise) for iOS.

I do hope that you watch the Chairlift video.  It is definitely worth a look.  Creatively, the question which I come back to, over and over again, is would I rather go on an unguided, interactive journey or, a well thought out journey created by a master?



Maybe what we need is an interactive video made by Spike Jonze?

Friday, February 15, 2013

Has It Really Been Nearly a Year?

Ouch.  Really, I just haven't had much to say.  I've been working hard, doing freelance camera work, camera shading, the odd colorist gig, and making my own projects.  I've finally made some small steps towards creating more interactive content.  Change can be challenging, and time-consuming but I'll talk a lot more about that soon.

I really feel especially lame for not posting my New Years music/video.  I want to fix that first.  I'll go with a music video from 2012 that really fits the bill: catchy, ridiculous, but still manages to express a truth (which, slyly has as much to do with the demographic time bomb of bored, un and underemployed young men as bad girls).   I will note that it was shot in Ouarzazate,  Morocco and not in the Middle East.   It apparently has changed quite a bit since I visited it many, many years ago, and is now the film capital of Morocco. It has a lovely Kasbah and a very old fortified city nearby, none of which were used by the artist and her talented creative partner, Romain Gavras.   

Well, belated New Years' greetings to everyone: