Full-screen images came into vogue last year (as we noted in our 2014 web design trends article), but with growing access to high-quality images and speedier technology we’re seeing websites take these “Book Cover” layouts to the next level. Use_of_Java_Script_snow The “Cinematic” trend relies on a fullscreen (or almost fullscreen) video with a few words and/or elements overlaid on top of it. We initially referenced this style in our article,” Web design trends for 2013,” when it was seen on a few agency websites. Now the trend is picking up fast. Only last year Paypal updated its homepage with a fullscreen video background – a landmark move that has helped bring this concept into the mainstream. 2. The multimedia experience jack_daniels The multimedia concept is quite dated. The word itself has been so used and abused that it’s nearly lost its meaning. Nonetheless, armies of designers and programmers are constantly fighting to create increasingly engaging multimedia experiences. A while back, Flash was the platform for these experiments. Presently it’s the HTML5 element that will eventually allow you to create almost any visual effect on the website. Another noteworthy example of an interface built with HTML Canvas is a community-driven DNA project by Brooklyn-based musician Jonathan Dagan. Opening with a highly visual background video, j.viewz tells us how he plans to special leads build his new musical album through his personal experiments (which users can download) and other collaborators’ uploaded videos, music, and feedback. Navigation Website via Raise the River Raise the River’s website is yet another fantastic example not only because of its apt visual metaphor, but also its presentation. The pace of animation and inability to scroll almost forces the user to take a breath and adjust to the page timeline. While designing interfaces, we usually do everything to enable users. This website shows that disabling users for a certain amount of time may sometimes enable a better experience. 3. The Parallax effect mutationsParallax has evolved into many different mutations that have one thing in common: designers use page scrolling or mouse movement to animate elements or properties of the page. If you look carefully, most of the websites showcased in this article use this logic. Here are some additional examples. Scroll events and hand-drawn animationUse_of_Java_Script It’s easy to appreciate Mint Design Company’s creative use of an old CSS sprite technique. The result is an engaging and unique take on an otherwise straightforward company website.