The Carp and the Seagull

“The Carp and the Seagull,” created by Nexus Interactive Arts and directed by Evan Boehm, is an interactive short film about Masato the fisherman’s encounter with the spirit world. Though the story evokes a time-worn fable, the method of its telling is as modern as can be—using cutting edge web technologies, we experience the story in a futuristic 3D environment. Our interaction drives the narrative forward and the use of 3D framework WebGL encourages us to explore parallel story worlds. With a click and a drag, we can send Masato soaring through the skies or plunging through the netherworld. This merging of traditional story sensibility with interactive, digital techniques is an intriguing exploration into a new method of storytelling as well as a classic tale of a man’s fraught relationship with nature.