To introduce producers and broadcasters of the value and validity of the My Interactive TV concept, the authors have produced a pilot episode. A 19-minute interactive film, shot in 3 versions (total of about one hour of film).
Available on www.my-interactive.tv, the movie Hypnosis is the first truly interactive film on the web.
Launched online December 28th, 1998 for screening purposes, internet proved to be an ideally suited media for interactivity. As of January 2006, Hypnosis has reached more than 180,000 spectators.
The writers, Ali Bali and Violaine Meunier, admit that the complexity of writing for an interactive format is challenging, but that enthusiastic responses from their first audiences convinced them that the effort was worthwhile.
The creators have learned from the emails they’ve received that the audience appreciates having their individual choice taken into consideration –
unlike earlier experiments with interactive films where the audience’s majority vote decided the direction the film would take.
In a poll taken after viewing the film, two other points were made by early screening audiences: people like that their choices are taken into account instantly and enjoy being given the opportunity to participate at several moments in the film, not only at the end of the film.
A few hundred lucky spectators had the chance to attend a wide-screen interactive projection at certain festivals (FIFI 99, Narrowcast Content Awards, Streaming Cinema 2.0, International D-Cinema Festival 2001, Cinéma de demain in the National Art and Cultural Centre George Pompidou...).
Analyzing the information they’ve received, Violaine Meunier, co-writer and producer of the pilot adds, “Web users don’t go on-line to passively watch a program, the way you watch TV, but to have an experience in which they play an active part."
Ali Bali, for his part, suggests you now click and enjoy this unique experience, and look for new episodes coming your way soon...
