Crimeface

Interactivity in media is an under developed, over hyped concept, thanks in part to our over-zealousness in the 1990s regarding the web as a medium. The true potentials there have yet to be fully mined, and we are in desperate need of more multi-media pioneers to lead the way. With all of this in mind, I talked with Krishna Stott about his interactive film Crimeface, and about the trials, tribulations, and rewards that are involved with producing any kind of media- but especially something so involved.

How did you get into interactive media?

I came to interactive media as a film maker- making short films using very basic digital video technology for low budget post production purposes from 1995. As a way of making a living I would train people using the knowledge I had gained in banging my head against the screen with no manuals. I then got involved with a digital arts team in Manchester called IDEA. Through them I hooked up with programmers and became obsessed with the possibilities for narrative and film available through interactive authoring. A little later as broadband and firewire DV took off the general rise of video media as a means of communication became another fascinating side to it all.

I got into media in a similar way myself, which is pretty much trial and error. I’m sure you’re aware of the possibilities that were first encoded into DVD technology- multiple camera angles which could provide different narratives and so on. One thing that’s always stuck out to me is that just because a technology is there doesn’t necessarily mean that people will use it, or use it in an interesting way. So I love it when I find someone who does. Do you find that it’s difficult getting people involved? Specifically people who are raised on ‘passive media’?

I do and the only way around it is to make the interactive thing work without a user having to interact, so it has both sides (and really the story should be strong enough to facilitate both). The percentage of people who just watch Crimeface without looking at the extra stuff astounds me but then I remember that I have a vested interest hence I want to interact. Thankfully Crimeface does work in a linear way and you can just let it play through like a film. In general with any of this stuff I think less than 10% of people interact so you have to try and make whatever it is compelling anyway.

What do you see as future of interactive media?

Story telling is a basic human need- to tell and listen. It finds its level on any new means of communication. I can’t predict the future for this kind of work and I don’t think that Crimeface is right- it