Saturday, May 11, 2024

Active Video

screenshot of Eyes in the Prize showing the video, map and timeline

Glen Chiacchier has devised an interactive mapped, timeline for the American civil rights documentary Eyes on the Prize. His 'active video' of Eyes on the Prize turns what might otherwise be a passive viewing exercise into an active learning experience by providing viewers with the opportunity to browse the documentary by date and location. 

The civil rights documentary Eyes on the Prize was a 14 part history of the 20th-century civil rights movement in the United States which originally aired in the late 1980s. Glen's 'active video' allows you to watch and explore Episode 2 - "Fighting Back (1957–1962)".

Instead of passively watching the video Glen's active video allows you to browse the video by location (using place-name links on an interactive map) or by date (using links on a chronological timeline). A transcript of the video is also provided, with space for viewers to add their own annotated notes on sections of the documentary. 

Glen notes that the "video can still be enjoyed passively if desired, but now viewers have a low-friction way of engaging further." The format is particularly useful for research. Most 'academic' reference books contain contents and index pages, which help students and researchers to quickly access the information that they need. This kind of 'active video' template really could help students and researchers browse and reference video documentaries. 

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