Throughout the last decade, there has been consistent speculation on just how (or how much) the internet will change various (or all) industries. There is no doubt that enormous shifts have occurred with all informational based services. I mean... when was the last time you pulled out your fold out road map to find directions? When was the last time you flipped through a phone book for a phone number?
Of course, the entertainment industry has made significant moves as a result of the online world. Even if you are not purchasing music online, you are likely previewing/listening/discovering it there first. The music video sector has also shifted in the last decade but not all as a result of the online world. Viewers apparently lost interest in the "promotional" direction record labels were committed to and MTV apparently decided to become a reality network in the mean time. Seriously, when was the last time you saw a music video on MTV?
Obviously, YouTube has made the biggest impact on the industry as of late; however, this influence is only in the "medium" of viewing and not the videos in and of themselves.
Enter Arcade Fire.
Earlier this month, this Canadian mega-band (who we are big fans of by the way) has made a move to shift the ways in which we experience music visually. Simply put, Arcade Fire has released one of the first of its kind (that I am aware of) "interactive" music videos. Utilizing the endless creative possibilities of Flash programming technology, director Vincent Morisset and team have created a choose-your-own-view-experience alongside Arcade Fire's title song "Neon Bible". In many ways, this move embodies the difference between creativity and innovation. Expect others to soon follow suit, but in the mean time, experience it yourself at beOnlineB.com (an anagram of Neon Bible). Enjoy.
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For more information on Arcade Fire's album Neon Bible, see our previous write-up on the album here.
For the Neon Bible music video, visit beOnlineB.com.
