New Media is Interactive

As Manovich addresses cinematography as the 'essence of cinema', he strips the term, underlining the concept of a 'writing movement.' (Manovich, 2001, p.47) 'Film images would soothe movie audiences, who were eager to escape the reality outside', (Manovich, 2001, p.46) but how has this interactivity further developed through New media? As the lines of a fictitious space continue to blur, products and merchandise from fictional story lines are available elsewhere. Media texts don't necessarily exist primarily in a fictional space, but also expand knowledge, spilling out into "the actual." This has now become 'transcoded' (Manovich, 2001, p.64) throughout our society, influencing the convergence of Alternate Reality Games and "Second Screen" developments; allowing the consumer to interact and produce their own idealogical material through platforms of familiar media. 'Audiences become active outside the home.' (Hayes, 2011, p.16) 'Writing' (Manovich, 2001, p.47) becomes a movement increasingly difficult to establish. 'Old media involved a human creator who manually assembled [texts].' (Manovich, 2001, p.56) The interactivity of New media integrates human intelligence from not only the creator, but also the initiative of its users.

Unified and coordinated viewing experiences have been conveyed through multiple media platforms. For example, although games are commonly perceived as an inherent medium, it gives the possibility of character manipulation and participating in an active role; rather than becoming a passive consumer. Manovich's suggestion potentially opposes this; 'computer characters can display intelligence and skills only because the programmes put severe limits on our possible interactions with them.' (Manovich, 2001, p.54) We follow a scripted development, however our viewing experience varies as we interact not only with 'simulated human intelligence' (Manovich, 2001, p.54) within games, but furthermore with each other. The 'information left by other people, [helps] you find your way around'; (Manovich, 2001, p.55) particularly through social networks and specialised forums.

Although 'the popular definition of New media identifies it with the use of a computer distribution and exhibition,' (Manovich, 2001, p.43) when virtual story lines begin to merge into our 'reality', or 'humanity', (Barthes, 1977, p.75) they no longer distribute ready-made content, instead 'wanting the audience to produce' (Barthes, 1977, p.163) based on ideologic experience; 'the most perfect realization of the utopia of an ideal society.' (Manovich, 2001, p.61) 

Bibliography:
Manovich, L. (2001), 'The Language of New Media', Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Barthes, R. (1977), 'Image Music Text', London: Fontana Press.
Hayes, G. (2011), 'How To Write a Transmedia Production Bible: A template for multi-platform producers', Australia: Screen