HOW NETFLIX, HBO, AND OTHER SERVICES USE INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS

Abstract

In the context of global digitalization and multiplatform content consumption, streaming media services such as Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Disney+, along with their functional counterparts, are implementing interactive mechanics as a paradigmatic shift in traditional narrative models. Narrative nonlinearity, determined by the viewer’s variable participation, correlates with postmodern reception theories that reflect on audience autonomy and its implicit self-referentiality. The relevance of this transformation is driven by the evolution of media consumption, particularly through the lens of hypermediatization and immersion in a cognitively perceptual discourse. The methodological framework of this study is based on the hermeneutic analysis of interactive cinematic products, complemented by tools from semiotics, discourse analysis, and narratology concepts.The study's findings indicate that the integration of interactive elements into the cinematic discourse occurs through multiple narrative modules, enabling a multi-vector reinterpretation of the plot. It was found that cognitive audience engagement is determined by a combination of iterative choices and algorithmic analysis of behavioral patterns, which, in turn, fosters the personalization of the content experience. Empirical data reveal a tendency toward the subversion of traditional cinematic syntax, correlating with the digital habitus of the modern recipient.The analysis of the obtained data allows for the extrapolation of conclusions regarding the transgression of the linear diegetic structure in favor of networked nonlinearity, determined by the dialogic nature of viewer choice.The study results highlight the necessity of further scientific exploration of the post-media continuum, within which interactive mechanisms determine new horizons for audiovisual content. Future research prospects include analyzing the cognitive-neurophysiological aspects of interaction with interactive cinema, as well as the influence of such mechanisms on socio-cultural dynamics and the representation of identity in the digital age.