This project has forced me to spend time (that I don't have) looking through scores of web sites developed through flash, and I'm glad because it was entertaining and exciting to think that I might be able to develop something like them some day.
I find that I'm positively influenced by sites that are clean and easy to navigate with good background music. I decided to discuss a locker room site for the Los Angeles Lakers because it is straight forward and easy to navigate.
http://www.nba.com/lakers/lockerroom/index.html
The site was developed to promote both the Lakers and Verison Wireless and that is clear on the site's opening page with attention to both. You can also tell their intended hierarchy by giving the Lakers more attention then Verison. The eye is naturally drawn to the right corner where the office door leads back toward the locker room. Clarity is created by the clean desk and the obvious three objects (buttons) and and doorway.
This hierarchy and clarity are repeated as you enter different rooms which adds consistency. The cleanness of the front office and hallway and the large open carpet space contrasts with cluttered lockers in the locker room and the cluttered desk in the owners office. This contrast draws our attention to these areas for further inspection where we can find the Lakers schedule and can even buy tickets or watch a clip of game highlights.
I appreciate that you can turn on and off the background music and the sound effects. There is also a "share this" button where you can send it to 47 different places like face book, blogger, email, twitter, buzz up! (what's that?) etc.
A second site I would like to talk about is something completely different. I really encourage you to take a look at this and see if you are moved as much as I was.
"The Last Day of Betty Nkomo"
http://www.poemsthatgo.com/gallery/winter2004/YHCHI/index.htm
The artist, Young Hae Chang, strips away interactivity, graphics, photos, illustrations, and colors and leaves you with just language and sound. Sounds boring doesn't it? But the speed of the text and the rhythm and tone of the music requires your full attention and you are forced to let all other thought leave your mind or you will miss some of the words and meaning. The music seems upbeat and happy, but you soon find how sad and real to life it is. This is a dramatic use of white space, balance and contrast. The text size, placement and length of time on the stage all have implicit connotations as to the meaning of the poem.
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