Just a Reflektor is an interactive music-video-meets-short-film that explores the themes in Arcade Fire’s new song, "Reflektor".
Aaron Koblin, leader of the Data Arts Team in Google’s Creative Lab, collaborated with director Vincent Morisset on the creative direction of the video.
The duo looked at how technology could be used in a forward-thinking and interactive manner to produce a music video that is somewhat controlled by the viewer. Simultaneously using a computer and smartphone or tablet, viewers are able to decide upon different visual effects, altering the look depending on how close they hold their smart device to the computer and at what angle.
Filmed in Haiti, Just a Reflektor follows a young woman who travels between her world and our own.
The video is built using WebGL, or web graphics library, the same technology Koblin employed on The Arcade Fire's "The Wilderness Downtown" video, that allowed users to track through their childhood neighbourhood via Google Maps as part of the music video. Google has also made Just a Reflektor open-source so that other developers can learn to finesse the technology.
Experience Just a Reflektor right from your browser. Google Chrome is recommended.
Watch our interview with Aaron Koblin at Design Indaba Conference 2012.
