Arcade Fire’s amazing interactive HTML5 music video

Arcade Fire

I had a lot of fun putting in different addresses and watching this amazing interactive HTML5/music video/Google maps mash-up for the indie band Arcade Fire. There is so much going on I had to watch it a few times. Windows pop open and shut, maps spin, photos of streets that you may know appear.

You have to use a HTML5 compliant browser, and be warned the film is processor intensive. You’ll want to shut down other programs first. It will take a while to load, but it’s worth the wait. I was able to view it with Safari 4 and 5.

“The Wilderness Downtown” page

Arcade Fire’s The Wilderness Downtown

More about the video

[UPDATE 9/6/10] NPR: The Secret Ingredient Of Arcade Fire’s New Video? You

Arcade Fire: Using social media to score a number-one album
Much like the now-fabled Old Spice Guy campaign, Arcade Fire and Merge Record’s use of social media is sure to be a model for album releases to come.

Official Google Blog: Arcade Fire meets HTML5

Google Chrome Experiment page
Choreographed windows, interactive flocking, custom rendered maps, real-time compositing, procedural drawing, 3D canvas rendering… this Chrome Experiment has them all.

Windows pop open and shut, showing video and Google maps all timed to the song “We Used to Wait” off of the new album

NPR animation: Travel the invisible highway

I loved this charming animation for a science report by Robert Krulwich about insects using high air currents to move great distances. The art and visualizations by Benjamin Arthur are well done and illustrated the story so well. Of course, since it’s NPR, the audio is wonderful. What a great way to make science fun.

Audio report, animation and story:
Look Up! The Billion-Bug Highway You Can’t See

Some outstanding work

I’ve been a bit bored with the internet. Too many of the same stories told in similar ways. So many look-a-like projects. Is everyone copying each other? I want the stories presented in original and better ways. Then I saw the following projects and the internet was exciting again.