Cinematic Approaches to Web Design
This page summarizes our findings. Click on the links below to go to sites that we found to be especially cinematic.
In one of our collective research projects, titled Virtual Realities, we tried to figure out how cinematic metaphors influence web design. We looked at many private, commercial and artistic websites that use new types of animation and visual representation, and made notes about the use of Flash animation and other media to create a movie effect.
We chose to focus on sites that do the following:
1. Use cinematic elements, specific references to film genres, or film "quotes."
2. Use animating techniques to create mini-movies.
3. Create the effect of directed movement for the viewer. Sometimes this looks like a journey through space. Other times, the space of the screen itself seems to be animated or to come alive with almost spontaneous or autonomous action.
4. Try to reimagine the possibilitites for screen interface design, navigation design, or toolbar design.
5. Make some claims (especially the web studio sites) about the abilities of the internet as a visual medium.
Our criteria
Cinematic Metaphors and Web Design: A Sampler
This web and television design studio uses Flash animation to create interactive mini-movie web sites, which often include innovative navigation and toolbars. Look through the list of their client sites, also, for different examples of their approach.
This web design studio uses Flash and other Macromedia products to create fantastic musical and visual effects.
This is a new type of search engine. The site starts with a short animated feature of the "searchbots" coming to restore order in the chaotic internet. Then you can use a personalized searchbot to look for websites not just for keywords, but also for colors, moods, or attitudes.
Here you can find many cartoons and short animated films created with Flash Animation. Some of this studio's productions link live action with computer animated cartoons.
See more about this assignment
Contact the instructor: dk2244@yahoo.com