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Snowfall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek
The innovative story, Snowfall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek, is a multimedia article published by the New York Times in 2012. Taking place in Washington’s cascade mountains, the article discusses the harrowing story of skiers caught in an avalanche through the use of contemporary communication technologies. Branch utilises interactive features to engage his audience and raise awareness of the event.
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A notable interactive aspect of the article is the employment of first person perspective, which creates a personal connection between the audience. This is frequently shown throughout the video clips of the survivors, to allow the reader to immediately connect with the author emotionally. Branch’s use of this perspective provides an emotional connection be his audience, allowing for a better understanding. Furthermore, Branch provides visual evidence of survivors to engage the readers and inform them of the tragedy visually.
Branch's use of profile slide shows alongside the text, provides the audience with background information about the individuals involved in the tragedy. By using still-photo slideshows and animated simulation, it documents the causes and deadly impact of the monster avalanche. This offers different perspectives and engages the audience to feel empathy for the survivors as well as, highlighting the important ideas of the tragedy.
The panning shot of the map allows Branch to reveal the location of the avalanche, which helps the audience to visually understand the distance and speed of the snow. It highlights the physical aspect of the terrain such as the steepness, as well as a greater visual representation of the weather and climate. In addition, Branch conveys a real sense of movement and reveals to the audience the suspense and action of an avalanche.
With the rise of unique storytelling techniques, Branch provides the audience with limitless opportunities to read an innovative story. By providing factual evidence, Branch was able to successfully engage the audience and evoke a sense of sympathy.