Category: interactive

In his essay, Viola states that “We are proceeding from models of the eye and ear to models of thought processes and conceptual structures of the brain.” In short he invokes the shape of something planar instead of linear, an expansive matrix with infinite points of inflection and engagement, something that is not confined by the continuity of video. He specifically references 3d geometry in his visualization of such a narrative evolution. He explains that a “participant” may be able to traverse such a 3d plane of hypermedia and thus a new type of artistic experience would be created. 

If we are to compare Viola’s prophecy to Bandersnatch, I would argue that Netflix has not reached Viola’s described “data space” with their ambitious yet bottlenecked choose-your-own-adventure project. Because the user is not, in fact, free to traverse a planar space, or interact freely with media. They are passive observers, occasionally providing an input between some options, which is quite novel and impressive but not the innovation Viola details. The series could as well have been 30 discs, and at the end of each one there might be text displayed that indicates, “Insert disc two for option one, and disc eight for option two,” or something to that effect. The degree of interactivity and exploration of a data space is comparatively shallow when put next to Bill Viola’s outline. It does not contain its own “structure and architecture” beyond what derived flowchart you could illustrate from the decisions. 

That being said, I wouldn’t say Bandersnatch is “tedious” or even “boring.” For what it is, I enjoyed the experience and had fun selecting the options available to me. I admired the commitment to making a massive amount of film that the user might never experience. And I think the very fact that it doesn’t reach Viola’s expectations indicates a bright future for other such artistic innovations that will take its cues from the fearlessness of Bandersnatch as a project.