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.

Video click throughs

A number of interactive video technologies have been developed in last few years that utilize a new way of encoding videos allowing users to add clickable hotspots to video.

V-Commerce

In April 2012, Canadian fashion retailer ssense.com released an interactive music video, featuring Iggy Azalea, Diplo and FKi, which was conceived from the outset as a marriage of art and commerce. All the styles featured in the video could be bought by clicking on the stars wearing them at any time the viewer saw an 'S' tag. The video was discussed on fashion blogs and in print.^[1][2]

"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 Crispin Porter + Bogusky and The Barbarian Group
• Ave a Word—customizable video ad for Mini created by Glue London - Silver Cannes Lion 2006.^[3]
• 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 Crispin Porter + Bogusky and 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.^[4]
• A conversation with Shimon Peres the Israeli President, the video was created by interactive agency "Interlude". ^[5]
• An interactive interview with John Hamm before he hosted the 2013 ESPY Awards. ^[6]

"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^[7] and Honoree 2007.^[8]
• 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.^[9]

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

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.

Interactive video in cinema

Interactive video has been used in interactive cinema presentations.

Interactive video in YouTube

In 2008 YouTube added Video Annotations as an interactive layer of clickable speech-bubble, text-boxes and spotlights. Users may add interactive annotations to their videos and by that a new trend of interactive videos arose, including choose-your-own-adventure video series, online video games using YouTube videos, spot-the-difference-game videos, animal-dubbing and more. In 2009 YouTube added a community aspect to its Video Annotations feature by allowing video owners to invite their friends and community to add annotations to their movies.

Interactive video art

Contemporary interactive video artists like Miroslaw Rogala, Greyworld, Raymond Salvatore Harmon, Lee Wells, Camille Utterback, Scott Snibbe, and Alex Horn 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 video experience.

Interactive video in cell phone gaming

A number of interactive video cell phone games have been developed over the last several years.

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. The main approaches to hypervideo interactivity include:

• Timeline-based navigation: Different points on the timeline trigger interactive elements, allowing access to these elements at any time during playback. Examples include: Videopath

• Hotspot-based navigation: Specific areas on the video screen trigger interactive elements. These hotspots typically appear only at relevant points in time, but can be associated with objects on the screen. Examples include: WireWAX

See also

• Interactive movies
• Interactive art
• Participatory cinema
• Cybertext

References