I grew up in the eighties and nineties when Disney was still in its “Golden Age” and I’ve gotta say, the introduction of the purposeful second screen to the theater is a great move from Disney. The fact is that the iPad is the new toddler toy for better or worse, so why not take what would otherwise be an annoyance and make it commonplace? Obviously, a classic like The Little Mermaid is made for this type of interaction due to its appeal to younger audiences (and simple interactive puzzles), but I can envision a time when downloading an app and following along on your iOS device might become popular. In particular, I think items like script notes, audio commentary, and behind-the-scenes footage could go hand-in-hand with what is happening on-screen. There is already precedent for audio commentary, so why not?
Posted: September 11, 2013