The Carp and the Seagull

The Carp and the Seagull is an interactive short film about one man’s encounter with the spirit world and his fall from grace. It is a user driven narrative that tells a single story through the prism of two connected spaces. The film is an experiment in space and narrative using the latest in web technology.When the film was released, it was billed as the world’s first interactive 3D film for the web, going on to win numerous web awards. The story is told in a stripped down polygonal style that reflects the emotional, spiritual states of the characters. High density, smooth polygon vertices indicate oneness with the world while distorted, non-uniform shapes show unease within the characters. The film’s protagonist is Masato, a simple fisherman, spending his days fishing the waters near his village eking out a quiet, structured life. The Carp and the Seagull focuses on his encounter with the Yuki-onna ghost.