I found the reading to be quite intriguing as it prompted me to think what interactivity really is, a concept I had not given much thought to previously. Crawford’s definition of interactivity, drawing parallels with the dynamics of a meaningful conversation – involving listening, thinking and speaking – resonated with me. Throughout most of the reading, I found myself in agreement with his perspective on interactivity in various contexts.
However, I didn’t quite agree with Crawford when it came to his perspective on movies. He appeared to suggest that movies, inherently, lack interactivity. This reminded me of “Bandersnatch” a movie on Netflix that challenges this notion. In this movie, we as viewers have the opportunity to make choices for the characters, and the storyline changes depending on these choices.
Thinking about it a bit more, this difference in opinion really makes me wonder how media and storytelling are evolving. Traditional movies tend to stick to a linear plot, but “Bandersnatch” blurs the line between cinema and interactive storytelling, challenging our old-school idea of how movies work.
It’s clear that interactivity is changing and adapting to new technology. We, as consumers, want more immersive and hands-on experiences in our media. While Crawford’s view has its merits, it might need a bit of an update to include these exciting, new forms of interactive storytelling that are turning our passive media consumption into an interactive adventure.