How many times have you regretted a choice a character made in a movie? How many times have you come out of the cinema thinking “I don’t think the protagonist should have done that”? It’s frustrating, isn’t it? Sometimes, we just feel like the Monica to the film’s Rachel: we want to take control of their love life and make all the decisions for them.
Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Now, it’s possible. Kurban Kassam, a member of the Raindance network, co-produced along with Baptiste Planche “Late Shift”: the world’s first cinematic interactive feature-length movie, and it gives you the opportunity to take control of the character’s decisions and, therefore, of the storyline.
Matt, a smart student, has to prove his innocence after being forced to take part in a bold heist at a famous London auction house. The consequences take him on a journey across London to escape the twisted web he finds himself caught in, discover the truth and gain his retribution.
At first, the choices seem benign -we banter about how much she should bribe me, and there’s nothing wrong with asking for more, right? Hilarity ensued when it turned out that the whole audience had decided to ask for more money. Gradually, the choices become more substantial, and that’s when things get really interesting. Should I stab the guy? Later on, should I shoot or not? That’s when the laughter turns into nervous giggles at the creepiness of having chosen to shoot. Seeing that film with a large audience turned into a social experiment.
You can have that experience yourself if you download the app. The story is very engaging to start with, and the interactivity takes that to unprecedented levels. Exploring the possibilities gives an exhilarating perspective to the film and just makes you want to explore it. It’s a choose-your-adventure kind of experiment, with film.
Take a look at the film’s website, and download the app to enjoy the experience.
Kurban Kassam is a member of the Raindance network and a mentor in the Raindance Postgraduate Degree. He, along with thirty other mentors, helps students improve their skills and bring about innovative projects. Check out the Postgraduate Home Page for more info.
Late Shift will be screening at Raindance Film Festival 2016.
Baptiste is a writer hailing from the part of France where it is always sunny. After a stint in politics and earning his Master’s Degree in Management, he was a marketing intern for the 23rd Raindance Film Festival in 2015, then joined the team permanently in 2016 as the Registrar of the MA in Filmmaking. He is passionate about diversity in film, which he researches and writes about extensively. He is the producer of the hit webseries “Netflix & Kill” and the multi-award-winning short film “Alder”, as well as a writer for stage and screen. His short film “U Up?” is currently in pre-production.
