WebGL makes 3D storytelling interactive

The Carp and the Seagull is an interactive short art film about a fisherman who encounters a ghost. Directed by Evan Boehm at Nexus Interactive Arts, it's a bold experiment in storytelling.

Like the 'Explore Outer Space' demo we told you about yesterday, The Carp and the Seagull gives the viewer the power to manipulate the 3D scene as the tale unfolds (note: you'll need to view it on a desktop computer in Google's Chrome browser for this to work).

The story is told in a stripped-down polygonal style that reflects the emotional, spiritual states of the characters. High density, smooth polygon vertices symbolise the man's oneness with the world while distorted, non-uniform shapes show unease within the characters.

The project was created using 3D character modelling, rigging and animation, with HTML5, WebGL, and THREE.js techniques. It was commissioned by the Creators Project, a global initiative by VICE & Intel, to join their newly launched digital gallery, a new dedicated section of their website for online works of technological art.

Find out more about the thinking behind The Carp and the Seagull by watching this 'Making of' video:

Liked this? Read these!

• 10 stunning examples of animation with CSS3
• 15 top free 3D models
• The 20 best 3D movies for 2012