NFB launches new interactive photo essay The Last Hunt

Montreal – One of the world’s leading digital content hubs, renowned for its mobile and online experiences, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is launching its new interactive photo essay The Last Hunt, online and as an app available at the iTunes Store and Google Play. The Last Hunt will also be one of the 25 groundbreaking interactive projects featured on October 3 at the Story Arcade as part of the Future of StoryTelling summit, which annually brings together top executives and creative talent to change the way stories are told.

Equal parts tenderness, brutality, love and death, The Last Hunt delves into the motivations that led Montreal photographer Alexi Hobbs to photograph his grandfather’s last hunting expedition, exposing both the strength of family bonds and the spirituality implicit in the pragmatic act of hunting.

Created and produced by the NFB’s Digital Studio in Vancouver, The Last Hunt pushes the envelope of multi-platform development, making innovative use of the Adobe AIR/Flash platform. Using one codebase across the web, iOS and Android, and combining traditional Flash DisplayList and the Starling framework, it takes advantage of GPU acceleration to achieve smooth scrolling and incredible game-like 60 fps responsiveness.

The device’s gyroscope also drives a parallax layer to create a subtle element of depth, enhancing the user’s experience as their tablet becomes a window into the world of The Last Hunt.

With story and photography by Alexi Hobbs, The Last Hunt creative team includes Jeremy Mendes as co-creator/art director, Vincent McCurley as creative technologist/developer, and Jennifer Moss as writer. NFB Digital Studio head Loc Dao is executive producer and creative technologist. Rob McLaughlin is also executive producer.

About the NFB

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is one of the world’s leading digital content hubs, creating groundbreaking interactive documentaries and animation, mobile content, installations and participatory experiences. The NFB has created over 13,000 productions and won over 5,000 awards, including 4 Canadian Screen Awards, 7 Webbys and 12 Oscars. To access acclaimed NFB content, visit NFB.ca or download its apps for smartphones, tablets and connected TV.