Interactive examples

Death Perceptions combines compelling storytelling with reinforcing data

If you haven’t had the chance to check out Interactive Narratives today, you might have missed The Columbus Dispatch’s latest project, titled “Death Perceptions.” Using videography, photography, graphics, databases and interactivity, this team certainly covered all of the bases in this ultimate multimedia package.

Now, we could debate the use of intros, music and black&white photography all day, but as a user I definitely enjoyed the presentation. The lack of color made the red in the graphics really pop, and death is colorless, so I can understand why they chose this look and feel for the package.

There are several cool factors for me in this site. First, try flip-flopping the video and graphics. I got excited when the video continued to play as it transitioned to the smaller version while I examined the graphics in closer detail. I have never seen this technique done before, and I am a huge fan. Since the graphics correlate to the story, I was able to enhance my experience by listening to the speaker while looking at the charts and statistics. Very nicely done.

Second, the animated breakdown of the statistics in the “Ohio death by numbers” database was a very nice touch. The animations emphasized particular figures within the data sets that I might have originally overlooked. I also think the animations made me look at the data longer than I would have if it was merely displayed as a still image.

There is an overwhelming amount of data used within this package if you take the time to search through the database, but it is extremely well parsed out and organized for individual use. Kudos to the data editor of this project who converted everything into chewable bites for the user.

It looks like there are three more installments, with a total of six more video vignettes. I look forward to seeing the rest of the package unfold in the weeks to come.

Other posts that might interest you:

• Top 50 multimedia sites of 2009
• Michelle Minkoff brings us wealth of interviews with “data delvers”
• BBC’s “Dimensions” overlays geographic data of large-scale events on your region

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