Netflix Working On Technology That Lets Viewers Control The Story

Netflix is currently working on new technology that will give viewers control of key plot [...]

By William Cannon

Netflix is currently working on new technology that will give viewers control of key plot decisions. So whether you love happy endings or reality TV dramas, you can soon be in control of that specific content.

For example, viewers might decide whether an inmate in the prison drama Orange Is The New Black joins a gang or not.

The technology could also potentially be used to allow Princess Margaret to marry Peter Townsend in The Crown, instead of having her relationship with the divorcee blocked by the Establishment. Other storylines will be much more complex, allowing viewers to connect plot points in a variety of ways using their TV remotes.

A source said, "We're doing work on branch narratives so you are actually making choices as you watch. All the content will be there, and then people will have to get through it in different ways."

The source continued, "We'll see how it plays out. It's an experiment. We'll see if it gets much success. For creators, it's new territory."

This works by the actors would film numerous alternate plot segment in advance, letting viewers choose which route to take through the story.

The most complex versions could turn back on themselves, so viewers could in theory watch dramas that are infinite.

"It is almost random – you could go through a story in incredibly weird ways," the source said. "I can't imagine what the story will be like but it's highly fragmented."

Netflix will run a trial with choose-your-own-adventure shows for children later this year, based on an established character.

If they are successful, it will use the format for TV series aimed at adults.

Netflix president Reed Hastings confirmed the company is working on interactive shows.

Hasting said, "Once you have got interactivity you can try anything."

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[H/T Daily Mail]

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