Final answer:
Interactive media is non-linear and allows individuals to access and interact with content according to personal preference, creating a flexible and multi-interpretative experience.
Step-by-step explanation:
Unlike books or film, interactive media is non-linear, allowing the viewer to access information on an individual basis according to his or her preference. Interactive media, encompassing content such as videos, video installations, and digital projection, operates in both time and space, meaning it includes a temporal dimension where images and sequences change over time.
Unlike a static image, which can be observed simultaneously in its entirety, interactive media gives the choice to the viewer to navigate through content in a non-linear manner, encouraging exploration and personal interpretation. This non-linearity is especially pronounced in multimodal texts that merge various mediums such as GIFs, which harmonize images with text or video content.
In contrast, literature and film typically follow a linear narrative, progressing from beginning to middle to end. Non-linear storytelling, however, might present its tale through flashbacks or a series of vignettes, which can be more challenging but also more engaging for the viewer, as they need to piece together the story themselves. This approach to presenting content is more flexible and allows for multiple interpretations, differing greatly from the normative school approach which emphasizes finding a single correct answer.
Artists have found video to be particularly appealing due to the medium's accessibility and the technological abilities to edit or modify the video image. Installation works can be an environment constructed around video, which could involve distinct pieces of video presented separately or combined with traditional media such as sculpture. In such installations, the audience is invited to construct their own narrative, contributing to the non-linear nature of the art form.