[arg_discuss] Interactive story-telling via podcast

[Michael Monello]

On Feb 22, 2008, at 7:15 PM, Christy Dena wrote:


> Filmmaking (indeed any artform) is limited by imagination not

> convention...you know that!


Editing and framing are not conventions they are tools. While I don't  
argue that setting up and orchestrating a 360 film might be a fun  
exercise, and I absolutely see the value in using it as a part of a  
cross media program, as film experience I find it a bit lacking.

Again, if it's a piece of a larger experience it could be interesting,  
but it does take away composition and editing from your toolkit in  
favor of allowing the viewer to look wherever they want. Given the  
timeline nature of films I find it less interesting than a straight up  
game, where I can walk around in a 3D environment and interact rather  
than watch by controlling the camera.

Long takes are effective in the context of an edited film, where the  
long take accomplishes something within the narrative (suspense, etc),  
and even then unless used masterfully, they can come off as flashy and  
call unnecessary attention to themselves. There was a film called  
Russian Ark years ago that was shot entirely in one 90 minute  
(digital) take that was truly motivated, but most of the critical  
attention focused on the technique rather than the content, which I  
always find disconcerting. The tagline for the film:

"2,000 Actors. 300 Years of Russian History. 33 Rooms at the Hermitage  
Museum. 3 Live Orchestras. 1 Single Continuous Shot."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Ark

Best,

Michael Monello
Campfire
62 White Street, 3W
New York, NY 10013
212-612-9600
http://www.campfirenyc.com




On Feb 22, 2008, at 7:15 PM, Christy Dena wrote:


>

>

> What I like about it is the challenge of creating a short film with  

> stories

> that are taking place in all/some of the points of view at once, while

> you're moving through a space. I think it would be fun to  

> choreograph such

> an event...the challenge of an incamera split screen ala Figgis's  

> TimeCode

> etc...but also creating some diegetic or metaphoric reason for the 360

> approach...and also, if it works, having cues in the vignettes that  

> the

> characters continue in different media too.

>

> This doesn't eliminate composition & editing.

>

> The challenge (to me) is being able to compose an entire 360  

> environment,

> choreograph the action so there is a single linear story the user  

> can follow

> with the action cues & their mouse, but also other vignettes that  

> elaborate

> or even better contradict the primary narrative. And as for editing.  

> The

> challenge is not being able to use editing. There have been plenty of

> amazing long takes in filmmaking.

>

> Filmmaking (indeed any artform) is limited by imagination not

> convention...you know that!

>

>

> [NB: It's really freaky, I had planned to post about Disney's 'Magic

> Connection' tests & De Palma's split screen films this weekend and 2

> conversations on this list has touched on it. Weird]

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org 

> ] On

> Behalf Of Michael Monello

> Sent: Saturday, 23 February 2008 04:23

> To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG

> Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Interactive story-telling via podcast

>

>

> On Feb 21, 2008, at 10:00 PM, Christy Dena wrote:

>

>> But as for interactive video technologies, the one that has got me

>> excited

>> is the 360 camera video, where you can scroll around entire scenes:

>> http://www.immersivemedia.com/. 360 scrolling around scenes created

>> with

>> stills has been around for a while, but this video approach really

>> opens up

>> interesting filmmaking possibilities. They're calling it "spherical

>> storytelling"...

>

>

> This has been around for some time, but I'm guessing smaller cameras

> and better video quality have made it more accessible. I can't recall

> the filmmaker or the name of her short, but I saw a film shot in this

> style at the Florida Film Festival. All I remember is that it was set

> in a hospital, and the filmmaker controlled the movement of the camera

> live for the audience in the theater, which was obviously not the best

> outlet for such a personally interactive form!

>

> Personally, I don't see the value in it as a filmmaker. Two of the

> most powerful tools in filmmaking are composition and editing and this

> eliminates those, and yet the interactivity is passive -- the viewer

> cannot affect the narrative, only what they are looking at in any

> particular moment.

>

> I definitely see the opportunities for ARGs and other cross media

> projects, but not as a stand-alone channel.

>

> Best,

>

> Michael Monello

> Campfire

> 62 White Street, 3W

> New York, NY 10013

> 212-612-9600

> http://www.campfirenyc.com

>

>

>

>

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