Turbulence (Interactive Film)

[Niztan Ben Shaul, 2010, Israel, 90-120 min]
Utilizing complicated video coding procedures behind the scenes, audience members watch and determine the plot of Turbulence. Made with a unique scene-sequencing technique, the director Ben Shaul won the Grand Prize at the Berkeley Video and Film Festival for its technological innovation in 2010. The Plot: Three Israeli friends, Edi, Sol and Rona, meet by chance in Manhattan. Twenty years in the past, a protest over the Lebanon War led to an arrest, and the three friends went their separate ways. Now, in present-day New York City, two of the characters rekindle a love affair. How will it end? You decide.

Post-screening ArtTalks! with Turbulence director Ben Shaul and Producer Daphna Cohen Ben Shaul, moderated by UCSD Professor Shlomo Dubnov.

Directions!

The director will offer a 10-15 minute introductory talk from the stage.

When audiences enter they will see on the theater screen simple download instructions for the App from the Google store (for Samsung Galaxy smartphones or tablets), or from the App store (for iPhones or iPads).

Once the Apps are downloaded and activated they take control of the devices, a caption appears on the device screen and then the screens turn black.

We start the screening. Once an interaction opportunity opens up, the audience members can tap or slide their choice by touching sign-posted objects from within the image on their device screen. Altogether the movie has 17 interaction events if the audience indeed materializes all of them.