Interactive video

The term interactive video usually refers to a technique used to blend interaction and linear film or video.

Interactive video on broadband

Since 2005, interactive video has increased online as the result a number of factors including:
* the rise in numbers of users accessing the internet at broadband speeds
* the addition of video as a media type to Flash

Because users are often reluctant to pay for online content, it is perhaps unsurprising that many of the new {online interactive videos (including all the examples given below) are either sponsored content or part of advertising campaigns. A number of these pieces of these have won major awards.

Some principal forms of online interactive video that have emerged are listed below.

"Customizable" online interactive videos

Customizable videos allow the user to adjust some variables and then play a video customised to the user's particular preferences. However the user does not actually interact with the video while it is playing. Recent examples of this form of video include:
* Miss Helga -- customizable video ad for Volkswagen Golf created by The Barbarian Group
* Ave a Word -- customizable video ad for Mini created by Glue London - Silver Cannes Lion 2006. [http://www.gluelondon.com/casestudy/2.pdf] Ave a word is no longer online (formerly at www.aveaword.com) - but a customizable video ad for TV show Dexter at http://www.icetruck.tv/ offers similar functionality, created by http://www.ralphandco.com.
* Electric Feel -- customizable music video for the so-titled song by the band MGMT.

"Conversational" online interactive videos

Conversational videos allow the user to interact with a video in a turn-based manner, almost as though the user was having a simple conversation with the characters in the video. Recent examples include:
* Subservient Chicken -- a "conversational" interactive video ad for Burger King created by The Barbarian Group Cannes Grand Prix 2005.
* A Conversation with Sir Ian - Interactive video interview with Sir Ian McKellen on Shakespeare. Created for the National Theatre by Martin Percy. BAFTA nominee 2007. [http://www.bafta.org/site/page132.html BAFTA nominations 2007] .

"Exploratory" online interactive videos

Exploratory videos allow the user to move through a space or look at an object such as an artwork from multiple angles, almost as though the user was looking at the object in real life. The object or space is depicted using video loops, not still, creating a more "live" feel. Recent examples include:
* The BT Series - Interactive video exploration of the works of Tracey Emin, Anthony Gormley and Rachel Whiteread. Created for the Tate Gallery by Martin Percy. Webby Nominee 2006 [http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?season=10 Webby nomination 2006 for The BT Series with Tracey Emin] and Honoree 2007 [http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current_honorees.php?media_id=96&category_id=11 Webby honoree 2007 for The BT Series] .
* Tate Tracks - Interactive video exploration of various works, allowing the user to listen to music while looking at art. Created for the Tate Gallery by Martin Percy. Part of integrated campaign winning Cannes Gold Lion 2007 [http://www.canneslionslive.com/titanium/win_23_1_00165.htm 2007 Cannes Gold Lion for Integrated Campaigns] .

Aside from online use, interactive video may be found in a variety of applications, as listed below.

Modular Interactive Video

Modulated streaming video that allows the viewer to direct the course of the interaction at any point during playback while still remaining in the video experience. Rather than a solid block of linear video, Modular Interactive Video uses modular video files to reduce load time and keep the streaming video and menu sections integrated and continuously functional. Applications are endless. This technology is available free of charge for Job Seekers looking to create an Interactive Video Interview on [http://www.AskMeHireMe.com AskMeHireMe.com] and [http://www.cinume.com Cinume.com] .

Interactive video in early computer games

The term interactive video or interactive movie sometimes refers to a nowadays uncommon technique used to create computer games or interactive narratives. Instead of 3D computer graphics an interactive image flow is created using premade video clips, often produced by overlaying computer-generated material with 12-inch videodisc images (where the setup is known as "level III" interactive video, to distinguish it from "level I" or videodisc-only, and "level II" requiring specially made videodisc players that support handheld-remote based interactivity without using an external computer setup). The clips can be animation like in the video game Dragon's Lair or live action video like in the video game Night Trap. Compared to other computer graphics techniques interactive video tends to emphasize the looks and movement of interactive characters instead of interactivity. For more on this please see interactive movies.

Interactive video in cinema

Interactive video has been used in interactive cinema presentations.

Interactive video art

Contemporary interactive video artists like Miroslaw Rogala, Greyworld, Raymond Salvatore Harmon, Lee Wells, Aaron Miller, Alexander Horn, Naiko Tosa, have extended the form of interactive video through the dialog of gesture and the participatory involvement of both active and passive viewers. Perpetual art machine is a video art portal and interactive video installation that integrates over 1000 international video artists into a single interactive large scale emersive video experience.

Interactive video in VJing

Technically VJing is also about creating a stream of video interactively. However it rarely involves interaction between the end user and the video stream.

Hypervideo

Hypervideo is interactive video that is akin to hypertext and allows for non-linear navigation of the video. [http://www.asterpix.com Asterpix] offers a free online service for creating hypervideo.

ee also

* Interactive movies
* Interactive cinema
* Participatory cinema

External links

* [http://www.crimeface.net Online interactive film "Crimeface" - winner of Experimental Film & Video category at the Webby Awards 2008.]
* [http://www.17lifefables.com/ 17 Life Fables: one of the first interactive films]
* [http://www.subservientchicken.com/ SubservientChicken.com]
* [http://www.stagework.org.uk/mckellen/ Interactive video interview with Sir Ian McKellen on Shakespeare, Richard III and Richard's opening speech.]
* [http://www.tate.org.uk/btseries/ The BT Series -- Interactive video interviews with Tracey Emin, Rachel Whiteread and Anthony Gormley and interactive exploration of their work at the Tate Gallery.]
* [http://www.tatetracks.org.uk Tate Tracks website.]
* [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/archiveinteractives/index.html Interactive video talks by Malcolm McDowell, Paul Merton and Jonathan Ross on aspects of British cinema history for the British Film Institute]
* [http://www.perpetualartmachine.com/ Perpetual Art Machine - Interactive video art installation]
* [http://www.icetruck.tv/ Customizable video ad for US TV series Dexter]
* [http://www.beonlineb.com/ be oNline B, an interactive video for Arcade Fire by Vincent Morisset]

References