[MUSIC] So, what we're looking at here is an interactive film by Chris Molk, produced for the Arcade Fire and for Google. The Arcade Fire is a band, a popular band here in the United States. And, this is a song called We Used to Wait off of their album, The Suburbs. Chris Molk was hired really because he is somebody who thinks really critically about experience, and about experience of- >> Audience experience. >> Video. Audience experience, absolutely. And so here, you know, one of the things that he talks about is the difference between video and audio, and how audio really is such an inherently intimate experience. So when you are listening to audio, it's usually, you know, close in your ears. It's sort of this intimate relationship with the music or the broadcaster the podcast whoever is speaking. And you lose a little bit of that when you, when you come to video. And, you wouldn't necessarily think that, but it really is more of a transmission, right? You're, it's a lean back experience. You're, you're sitting back. You're consuming this piece of video. So, what he's trying to do here, in conjunction with Google, to showcase some of the new technologies that are coming online, is to make this video interactive, and have it be personal for you. The way that he accomplishes this is to incorporate satellite imagery from Google satellites, from Street View. So, that you enter the address of the place where you grew up. And if those satellite images are available, then it works those images into the music video itself. >> Mm-hm. So even before we begin, the points I hear you making for content strategists are, music particularly touches people deeply if it, if it's really powerful. If it hits the right cord, it can go deep inside them. Listening to a person speak to you is a very personal experience. When you put music and/or words, and/or video together, it gets a little more distance. It's a little at arm's length. And, you're sort of just sitting back, like, in a movie taking it in. And perhaps, as we watch this, we'll come away thinking wel, l I'm not him and I couldn't do that. But, I'm somewhere in the world and I want to to tell a story, as content strategists do. And so, I might watch all of this and think about well, what could I use with photography or video, and music and voice to personalize the story? To anchor it somewhere to have it have more experience and impact on my audience? >> Yes, and I think, you know, as with anything, there are no real hard and fast rules. Its not that all video is going to impersonal. But, you know, here I do think he is taking it a step further. And, you know, the, the, the barrier, if we want to talk about barriers, is this initial ask, right? You don't have this experience without giving your address, giving the address where you grew up. >> [INAUDIBLE] we're about to watch. >> Yes, absolutely. >> Okay, so let's do it. >> Let's do it. All right. I'll type in my address where I grew up in Atlanta. >> So Atlanta, Georgia, Southern United States. An address which for our participants will be blacked on only because, not because you're really shy, but because people shouldn't give up their addresses generally. >> Generally speaking, yeah. >> But, we do get to see your home- >> Yes. >> So that's nice. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, it's loaded. It's ready to go. It says please turn your speakers on. And, we'll go ahead and launch the film. >> Okay. And, somebody's running. >> Yes. So, the opening bars [LAUGH] play. And, we start to see this figure. One of the important things here is that it could be anybody. It's someone running. It's, the person is hooded. We don't necessarily even know whether it's a man or a woman, because that's blocking their face. And so,, here we're being invited to imagine that this could be us. >> Mm-hm. You're in really good shape, Emily. >> Thank you. >> Look at how fast a clip you maintain. >> [LAUGH] I'm wearing my Fitbit. >> Uh-huh. And the birds are something that might be up in the sky at this moment. >> Yeah, so we're starting sort of generically here, and then as this progresses, we'll start to see more and more of these pieces worked in. [MUSIC] Here, we're starting to see some of the satellite images. This is the aerial view, and we have the birds from the beginning, sort of, taking us into the personalized experience. >> So, this might be near where you live? >> Yes. [MUSIC] We're getting closer here on the aerial view. And as the runner slows down, we start to center on the house. And, he begins to spin around at the bottom. >> Or, she. >> He or she, yes. And up top, you have the spinning aerial view, centered on the house, as well as the Street View on the right also rotating. So, these two depictions up top mirroring what our character is doing down below. >> And, I am assuming that the house is your house. Yes, the house there are the center is my house. >> And, since most people don't get to see their neighborhoods from the top, is it recognizable when you see it from a satellite or aerial view? >> It is. And there's, there's a, an aerial view here where I'm grounded by some railroad tracks that are, that run near my house. >> So, let's go back to the experience for a moment. >> Sure. >> Most people in the world have seen clips of music videos, or they've heard music. I mean, they have done all these things separately. Let me ask you the question, suddenly to see this band with their music at your house, what do you feel when that happens? >> I feel connected to it in a way that I wouldn't necessarily otherwise. When I think about music videos, the music videos tend to be about the band. You know, they tend to be about the band's life. They tend to be about the story that's depicted within this. But the song, which is really personal, and it's about growing up. And it's about nostalgia. You know, here, they're really tapping into those feelings in me. So, we talked a little bit about these universal truths, and that being the way to establish connection between the audience and the story teller. And so, I hear, I think they are doing that in a really dynamic way. >> So conceivably, I could take a story that I thought would work this way. And even still photos, and the right music, and present it to the audience in a way that would localize it, if not personalize it. >> Yes. >> Mm-hm. >> Great way to tell a story, talk about a powerful story form. [MUSIC]
