Narrative seminar task:
Produce an analysis of three additional interactive narratives, commercial or artistic.
Zdob si Zdub are a Moldavian band whose repertoire consists mostly of ethnic or folk inspired songs and Balkan rock. And just to show consistency all the way, the site`s narrative is abundant in references to myths and symbols of Eastern Europe and the Balkans. The home page takes the visitor on a journey through the use of the magical bird (pasarea maiastra) that flies off whenever one clicks on an animated button. In as much as spacial awareness is concerned, the stage is set from the beginning as a story layed out on a tapestry. Having symbols for buttons invites one to be curious because they are not as straightforward as one would guess. The personalised video player is an excellent idea, partly because it blends so nicely with the theme of the site, but also because it incites one to play around with the little bug that acts as a scroll. The site also gives the bio section a twist, by having a collage placed upon the members of the band, consisting of traditional garments with animated folk motifs running up and down on them.
http://www.tarkan.com/
The narrative idea behind this site becomes clear when one reads the description to the artist`s latest album (the site is made to promote this recent album, and does not contain older material or thorough information about the singer). Metamorfoz has been presented as the artist`s most revealing album to date (a funny way of saying he wrote all of the songs on the album) and the basic layout of the site illustrates that: one gets only a peak, a short glance inside, knowing there is more there, but just out of reach. There is a player in the top left corner, a feature that is useful no doubt but because it starts to play right away as you connect to the site, I found myself scared a few times by the sudden outburst of music. Buttons are animated and additional information appears in pop-up windows that bounce into the active area. Surely not the most interactiv site out there, but it does tell the story of the album and it does sell the image. And seeing that it is a promotional site for an album, it fulfills its goal.
http://www.adamilea.ro/
I always found Ada Milea an intriguing character. Her songs reveal the hollowness of many disputes, controversies, held-up-to-be-worshipped symbols within Romanian society. All this in a distinctly playful vein, often times using allegories and similees instead of blatant criticism. The narrative of the site reflects her style, looking much like an enfant terrible` s playground, with the little animated sheep (a reference to poem) pacing slowly from one end to another of the active screen area. The way the CD and VIDEO sections are organised brings an increased level of interactivity by, again, making the user play around with the little tablets and cds that hang on ropes (they are mouse sensitive and follow the mouse movements). The player on this site is so well integrated into the site...you can`t find it at first and have no idea where the sound is coming from. The active doesn`t take up the entire screen, and the desired effect in this case seems to be, seeing that it is the singers playground, to give the space a petite, childish look, like the secret corner to come and play in.
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