Technology, eh? Undoubtedly very handy, but full of concepts with funny names and purposes seemingly designed to befuddle and confuse. Take 'offbeat 360° video' for example. Who on earth would have the first idea what that is? Perhaps not you, and certainly not me. Well, not until earlier this week anyway.
"The Future of Music is a brave boast"
It's all the work of an outfit called 'Hello play!' who have joined forces with creative designer Greg Barth, to create a world first: a 360° video written for the screen on an electro track by Polar Youth and available for free download. 'The Future of Music' is a brave boast, but these guys tell us this is nothing less than a 'revolutionary experience immersing you in a surrealist musical universe'. Shall we take a look then?
So, did that change your life/the world in any way? Possibly not. In fact, the whole shebang may well be a spoof. Nevertheless, it's undeniably intriguing. That is to say, I'm completely sure what I'm seeing but I think I rather like it.
"The platform pushes the boundaries of video production."
'Hello play!' offer completely new electro music experiences through innovation. They say: "The platform pushes the boundaries of video production and launches 'The Future of Music', a ground-breaking 360° experience. The users are completely incorporated in a captivating universe that offers visual discoveries wherever the eyes fall. Left, right, up or behind, the experience proves wholly encompassing and original: the same scene can be enjoyed from a plethora of different angles. The experience is increased tenfold on smartphones or tablets."
"The artists invite us to discover the offbeat universe of Carré Bleu."
Apparently, this project results from a co-creation between London-based Artist and Director Greg Barth, who previously directed a video for 'Hello play!' blending stop-motion and 3D printing and one of the launch videos for the iPhone 6, and Polar Youth, a young Ghent female electronic music producer. With 'The Future of Music', the artists invite us to discover the offbeat universe of Carré Bleu, a bizarre electronic music producer with extravagant working methods. At the intersection between art and marketing, this digital work questions the relation between humans and our era’s completely digitalized music production approach. Filmed in a London studio, the 360° video is an amalgam of startling visual effects hovering between inversed gravity, GIF loops and optical illusions. Phew!
"They are intent on boosting visibility by using mobile first technology."
The technically minded may wish to know that the 'Hello play!' electronic music platform stems from an initiative of 'Hello bank!' (BNP Paribas Fortis’ 100% mobile bank). Conceived and supported by DIGIZIK, a communication agency specializing in music projects for brands (how many people are involved in this, by the way), 'Hello play!' tell me they are intent on boosting its visibility by using mobile first technology: 360° videos. This format – which is available on YouTube and Facebook – offers a personalised experience thanks to its gyroscope and accelerometer functionalities integrated in mobile devices.
Now this is all very complex and adventurous, but at least now you know what an 'offbeat 360° video' is. Whether you take it completely seriously, consider it an elaborate prank, or a blend of both, is completely up to you.
