Interactive Films That Read Your Mind

How often have you watched a thriller or horror film and, at the the most tense and suspenseful moment, found yourself screaming at the protagonist not to open that door? They always disregard your sage warnings, don’t they? Regardless of how unchangeable the film experience has been in the past, we always participated in the inevitable fate of characters through an intense emotional response, wishing our reactions could guide them to a more reasonable outcome (but secretly relishing it when they didn’t). So what if that emotional response could actually affect how the film unfolded?

Recently, media platform Myndplay has incorporated brain scanning technology into the film experience, scanning a viewer’s emotional state and using that information to influence the outcome of the film. Depending on how relaxed or tense you are, the film will read your feelings through electroencephalogram (EEG) sensors and progress accordingly. In Bullet Dodger, for example, staying relaxed could mean life or death in a game of Russian roulette.

Each short and episodic film is released as an app, and has a series of interaction points and multiple endings. The games range from horror to thriller and even include sports demos like archery. More abstract films/video games such as Light Evolution foresee the technology expanding beyond just narrative film to a functional supplement to exercise or meditation.

Unlike other interactive fare, however, Myndplay’s films put viewers directly into the shoes of the protagonist. Characters speak directly at participants, who must don a headset and use computer video software provided by the company. The technology, developed by the company NeuroSky, breaks down all barriers between the users and the art itself. Whereas most interaction requires that people still use a keyboard or touchscreen of some kind, by using just a small headset it is possible to become directly, viscerally immersed in the action as an actual character in the story. All it requires is the user’s brain waves.

Although it appears that the technology is only fit for one-on-one interaction for now, the possibilities for multiplayer capability makes its future exciting. What if instead of one person using a headset to interact with scripted characters, numerous characters were somehow under the influence of active participants? It could be the film equivalent to online multiplayer role-play gaming. Entire cinematic worlds could be built and scripted with potential narratives to be discovered and explored.

The technology and the films recently debuted at the Gadget Show Live in Birmingham, England.