Digital Evangelism Issues

Remarkable video from Chris Milk (who has previously worked on the Johnny Cash Project) and friends at Google who have produced an experimental HTML5 multi-screen video called The Wilderness Downtown, based on Arcade Fire’s new song We Used To Wait:

• It is optimized for the Chrome browser, but works in any modern browser that can handle HTML5.
• There are several screens running concurrently. Some take personalised Google Streetview and Google Earth shots, based on the user’s entry for the address they grew up at. The Streetview clips are based on the revolving pan-shots from their camera cars and the Earth shots are manipulated in various ways. Presumably the raw Streetview clips are unavailable to other developers wishing to do the same? Development story.
• Other screens are based on a child running, and are seen by all users. This imagery relates to the song lyric which perhaps could have been beneficially scrolled on another screen.
• At the end of the video, a screen pops up inviting you to write a letter to the child you once were. You can also submit this as a ‘postcard’ to The Wilderness Downtown, and also apparently respond to other people’s postcards.

Pain, hope and healing

The concept is thought-provoking (read recent online comment) and the lyric deals with issues of pain, bewilderment and hope, which are therefore valuable conversation starters. There’s big potential to use in a youth group or discussion setting. Some leaders are already considering how to use it as a component of an outreach meeting. It’s also a concept that could be adapted to extend this ministry potential.

If you are looking for healing, go here.

View the presentation here. To see what it looks like, below is how one user made a video capture from their computer with their own birthplace clips:

What do you think? How do you respond to the lyric and imagery? How can we use this video and the ‘postcard to our younger self’ concept to start people thinking about pain, healing, and the good news? Please share your thoughts using the comment button below.

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