We’ve heard it before: the web is the future of entertainment. In 2007-2008, the Writers Guild of America fought the good fight to let the world know that New Media was the way of the future. As the writers earned the animosity of viewers who were left without new shows to watch, SAG waited in the sideline for their moment to fight for the exact same thing: rights in new media.
Now, HBO is proving that writer’s were right to strike with a new storytelling adventure based online. HBO Imagine is a unique web experience that blows movies like “Vantage Point” out of the water. Instead of simply cutting back and forth between multiple perspectives, HBO employs a semi-cube viewing device that allows you to view a story from four different angles. The interactive cube features two films, each 2 minutes long. Once you watch them you can unlock bonus footage as if you were playing a video game.
Since each person’s experience is unique, we’ll be checking out this new venture and letting you know our own experience.
Check out the trailer for HBO Imagine now:
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Click here to be a part of the HBO Imagine experience.
Anything new will probably bear the stigma of gimmicky, especially in new media. However, the 360 degree story is a real cool concept.
The choose-your-own-adventure style is a nice throwback to my childhood-scholastic-books reading days. So, I’ve dived in. The only problem is, it gets to be work, going through each clip. I wish the interface was slightly easier to navigate.
Once you leave the initial 360 degree story, you’re left wondering, “Uhm, and now what the heck am I supposed to do.” Sure you can just click around forever, but it would have been nice to get some direction in this experimental interface.
This seems like a potentially interesting, but also gimmicky idea. If it’s used right, to tell a story in a new way, it could be cool