If you've ever wanted to direct your own Netflix show, now's your chance. The streaming service has introduced two shows that feature interactive storytelling - in other words you, the viewer, get to decide what happens next.
You can't go wildly off-piste and, say, kill the main character (a shame, given certain lead actors we can think of) but you will be able to choose plot developments from a supplied list.
"Content creators have the desire to tell non-linear stories like these, and Netflix provides the freedom to roam, try new things and let them do their best work," wrote Carla Engelbrecht Fisher, director of product innovation at Netflix, in a blog post. "Being an internet-based company enables us to innovate new formats, deliver at scale to millions of members all over the world on multiple device types and, most importantly, learn from it."
The service claims it has carried out extensive research, speaking to children and parents alike about the feature. It says that kids' content was the natural place to start because children are eager to 'play' with their favourite characters, and are used to interacting with screens. "They also talk to their screens, as though the characters can hear them," Fisher goes on. "Now, that conversation can be two-way.
"It's about finding the right stories - and storytellers - that can tell these complex narratives and bring them to life in a compelling way."
