New Process Lets Viewers Steer Films

In what they are calling a first, New York multimedia designers at ARC Studios have developed a process that allows a viewer watching a filmed live action scene on a computer screen to navigate within the frame and determine direction.

With what is called ARCinemotion, a viewer, watching footage of a country road from the point of view of a camera moving down that road, can veer either to the right or left of that road, move forward or in reverse, and take a right or left fork by manipulating a joy stick.

By identifying “decision points” within the scene, ARCinemotion is “the steering wheel that lets you navigate through motion picture film the way you can through 2-D or 3-D graphics,” said D’Antona.

ARC is hoping to raise $16 million in order to have a final prototype ready by next spring.