Directed by Antoine Viviani, In Limbo Interactive is the latest project released by the NFB; a personalised interactive film that reveals the traces we leave on the Internet.
The work forms part of a broader reflection exploring our relationship with digital culture.
The experience begins by asking for access to all of your social media accounts, geolocation and webcam.
As I allowed this access (a procedure often required by third party apps) I began seeing snippets of my data, my life, appearing in the lines of indistinguishable code that made up the background.
Linking my data up with In Limbo
What personal traces do we leave on the Internet? And just how permanent and public are they?
In Limbo Interactive creates a disturbing mirror image of data incorporated from these accounts, presenting back to you your digital footprint. And it’s probably bigger than you think.
Alongside this, the documentary includes the thoughts and experiences of eight people, including computer pioneer Gordon Bell and Internet Archive founder Brewster Kahle, reflecting on the digital culture we find ourselves in.
Reminiscent of Clouds, the images of the interviewees are captured by a Kinect camera and with the interviewees being digitised and converted into lines of code. A constant interplay between the Web and reality.
What are the goals pursued by the alchemists of the digital age?
Last autumn, the NFB in collaboration with France Télévisions, launched the mobile app Cancer of Time, which explores our inability to enjoy a bit of downtime from our electronic devices.
Whilst the upcoming interactive documentary series Do Not Track (NFB/ARTE/BR), due for release in April 2015, takes this reflection to another level, with particular focus on the commercial aspects of digital life.
This production of work is important, as it causes you to pause and consider, whilst also being situated on the devices that perpetuate this climate.
Producer Louis-Richard Tremblay commented, “We’ve been exploring these questions for over two years. Our research has brought us into contact with the founders and developers of technologies that are transforming our existence into digital content. It’s fascinating what goes on in the electronic circuits behind your screen. How does that involve you? What are the goals pursued by the alchemists of the digital age: To make you immortal? To sell you the latest gadget? Or simply to sell you?”
In Limbo Interactive can be experienced at nfb.ca/inlimbo.
You can also participate in Do Not Track, by uploading your morning gifs… Find out more here.