Netflix releases ‘Black Mirror: Bandersnatch‘ one of the first interactive films on the streaming platform.
Netflix will end 2018 spending over $10 billion and producing more than 550 new movies and TV shows. Those new movies and shows would attract over 20 million new subscribers adding to the existing customer base of 120 million subscribers worldwide.
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But, Netflix is attempting to reinvent the way millions of people watch a TV show or movie. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is the latest movie from the anthology series. The film features elements of horror, science fiction, technology, and ‘80s nostalgia. The movie is an “interactive film” – one you control as you watch, choosing the way you want the storyline to unfold.
It took more than 18 months of planning and production, to make the show come to life and Netflix is focused on creating more interactive films.
“We realized that playing it a little more quiet means that more people will ultimately try it and give it a chance, rather than if they were ruminating on it for a while,” Carla Engelbrecht, Netflix’s director of product innovation told The Hollywood Reporter.
“People have never seen this before, so they could come to it with preconceived notions, especially if they think this is a video game or a heavy definition of what interactive is. We think the enormous delight that will happen is powerful — as soon as folks find out that it’s an interactive Black Mirror episode, their heads explode.”
Netflix Bandersnatch Explained:
When the episode is accessed by a computer for the first time, a short tutorial instructs viewers to “ “keep your mouse or trackpad close at hand,” as different storyline options are presented throughout the viewing.
Viewers are offered a simple “Yes” or “No” as to what might happen to characters in future chapters.
Netflix also says that should a user stop the show and opt to start from the beginning removing all previous story choices.
Bandersnatch follows the story of a young coder who helps create a computer game inspired by an adventure novel. Bandersnatch is also the title of a real-life 1984 game that was developed for the ZX Spectrum that was never released, according to CNBC.
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