Gaming Back to Health

“No reading, no writing, no video games, no computer time, no running, and no caffein, so, in other words, no reason to live.” - Jane McGonigal, developer of Superbetter

On the Media - Gaming Back to Health

Using video games to recover from serious illness and injury?

I started listening to On the Media podcasts as part of a class last year. In September, they interviewed a game developer who created a gaming/social media experience to recover from a serious concussion. It intrigued me, as I was also recovering from a severe head injury. The story of her struggle to recover (along with a similar experience of one of the show's producers) resonated with me. I did a lot of research about the game and the theory behind it, and continue to read the producer's blog about his ongoing experiences using the game in his recovery.

The story is interesting because Jane McGonigal has created a video game that helps people recover from illness and injury. We often separate the fields of entertainment and medicine. And we certainly separate the world of video games from anything productive. The efficacy of positive emotional experiences in the recovery process has long been recognized. Superbetter seeks to create this positive experience using media we are familiar with.

The medium of the story is interesting because it echoes the content of the story. This story pulls from sources of many mediums. The link is to a blog post, with an embeded clip from a radio show that played an audio segment from an online video presentation by McGonigal as well as the live on-air interview. All these converge in a concise story that we can read, listen to online, or download and listen to later. Similarly, with Superbetter, the fields of medicine, technology, psychology, and gaming and social media converge to provide a valuable tool for people to reach health goals. It is the story of interactive healing told through interactive media.

The Robot Dance

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/816d0d66d4/perfect-robot-dance?rel=player


So, I found this video when I was on Stumbleupon.com. I think the reason I chose it is because I am just fascinated at the things people choose to do with their lives. Who is sitting in their apartment, or at home, or work or school and thinks, we should make a robot dance!? It is cool and pretty neat to watch, but it just impresses me how many different talents people have and how creatively they choose to express their skills.

I guess in the same respect, other people could think I'm weird as I sit in my classes or at home and think, I should make a movie... and making one about robots is probably the least weird I've come up with. It's just incredible to me what people choose to do with their talents and how we get to benefit from them. That's why we really shouldn't be afraid to show what we're good at, because even if it's a random robot dance, it could bring a smile to someone's day.

Cultural Collision

I found this video almost a year ago when a friend sent it to me in an email. I think he sent it to me as a joke, but it has been one of my favorite videos ever since.

The video consists of legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma and famous dancer Lil Buck collaborating in LA to produce a song and dance routine that, frankly, is like nothing you have ever seen. It is immediately fascinating to see a young, modern dancer move to a classical composition. It is interesting because of the unexpected nature of it, as two very different world collide into something that is unique and beautiful.

In terms of the storytelling aspect of it, I believe that the story is conveyed much like any dance routine, in that the movement of the dancer and the sound of the music together covey the mood of what is happening within the composition; so while we may not be able to derive specific details of the story being told, the audience is able to interpret the movement and current feelings being felt within the story. In a way, it is like many stories are being told all at once, as the audience is allowed to project its own experiences upon the musical piece, and so are able to interpret it in many different ways.

This video is a wonderful example of digital media storytelling due to its cultural collision of vastly different arts that tells two stories at once: first the emotions that are conveyed through the performance piece itself, and second the emotions that are garnered from the knowledge that these two worlds may never have come together to create it without the use of digital media.

Interesting and Simplistic

   This video seems a bit long, but it is really interesting the entire time.

   I initially found this video via Facebook, posted by one of my friends. I think this video is definitely worth watching--the whole way through--because it discussing an important topic, and is able to give you facts without overwhelming you. Also, this issue talked about in this video is becoming even more important to discuss in today's world because so many people lack he knowledge, or just do not understand how incredibly minimal steps can be taken to drastically improve one's health.

  This particular video's subject matter makes it seem to be an interesting choice for an online video, however, I feel that it makes the message more profound. When it comes to health and fitness, a lot of people will tune out things that they have heard before (even  though they have yet to apply and internalize them). With this video, viewers are able to be exposed to this simple information without having to listen to a lecture about it. As a result of this video being so visual--the pictures being drawn always changing with the narration--an audience will not have to suffer from boredom as they are told how it is exactly that they should be living if they want to have long, healthy lives. This visual style also pulls the viewer in because they never know exactly what will be drawn next.

   Although this is not your traditional story, it does tell a generic tale of what one's body does and what their life is like with or without adhering to the measures prescribed. Like all good stories, this one grabs you at the beginning, creating interest, and then expounds.

   Since this video consists of drawn images exclusively, the audience never feels as if so seemingly all-knowing health nut is telling them how to live their lives. This allows the audience to have a wider range of acceptance for what is being said.

   Finally, the purpose of this video seems to be to educate people on how important the little things are to one's health and to do so in a way that does not put them down or make them feel as if they are being judged if they do not conform. Personally, I feel that the video accomplished this goal and that is is a brilliant way to get an important message across.

My Broken Collarbone!

I found this story with my brain, simply because I created it! This is the story of how I broke my collarbone along with a few other things. I personally try to post a story about my life every week on YouTube! This story is interesting to me simply because of it's utter complexities and exaggerations. It makes light of something that happened, because focusing on the positives is so much more important then focusing on the negatives of any situation.

This relates to traditional story telling (when it gets to the actual story of how I broke my collarbone) because it follows the traditional outline for a story. We see characters, a conflict and a plot as well as many other things. The story is overall about thirty seconds. I don't feel that a story has to be a full on novel, but it can simply be a person telling something about his life in a concise, yet entertaining way.

My goal with this video, and all of my other videos is to leave the audience not only entertained, but I want them to leave with something more. Whether it be a moral or simply a laugh making their day a little better. I'm all about focusing on the positives. Even if I may mention a few negatives I rarely ever expound on them.

Don't worry, I am not as cocky as I seem from this post! An assignment is an assignment! :)

(notes on) biology

This video is best watched at fullscreen.

I'm not sure how I found this but I've loved it for a while now. The stop-motion photography at the beginning is a little difficult to get used to but prepares the viewer for what is to come. The story told in this video is one most people can relate to-- being insanely bored in a science class. What happens though is so unexpected that you keep watching, through the tedious beginning, for the enormous payoff at the end.

The protagonist, the boy who starts drawing in his notebook, is a character I immediately connected with, though his artistic abilities were actually able to meet his imagination's expectations which was impressive. And the thing he chooses to draw-- a robot elephant that blows things up with its cannon trunk-- is so absurd yet so fitting that you hardly question it. (But it's such a guy thing to draw.) The addition of sound effects and the numbing and eventual disappearance of the teacher's voice completes the effect until we too forget that he's in class and he's drawing all over his notes.

While it's a boring story at its bones (kid gets bored in class so he draws on his notebook) the medium allows a completely new story to be told, one that wouldn't make sense in another form.

I don't think the story is trying to tell us anything specific except maybe that biology can be boring and robot elephants are the shiz. What I gained from it was that a simple fun idea can be worth the large amounts of work you put into it-- they had write hundreds of believable yet unique and hilarious pages of biology notes before they could begin the animation. That amount of work for little or no financial benefit is inspiring.

Life of a Modern Day Knife Maker

Life of a Modern Day Knife Maker

http://vimeo.com/31455885

(I can't get it to embed properly, whatever.)

I found this video a while ago while on a tech blog I frequent. It stood out to me because they don’t often post artsy things, but the other times they have I’ve enjoyed them (they had another documentary about a man that makes hand-blown glass eye replacements).

 I really liked the man’s change he underwent, and how he compared himself to the knives he makes. He talks about how he underwent a big change in his life because of suffering rejection, and how this tempered him into something stronger and more resilient.

This story is especially captivating as a film because while we listen to him tell his story, we simultaneously get to watch him make his knives. I have never seen knives made in such great detail, but as a man I am obviously greatly invested in the idea. I also like the use of black and white. It takes the viewer’s attention off of everything distracting and draws the eye right to the action—his crafting the knives.

The subject is a writer. He is very well spoken and understands the creative process and storytelling. I think this helped influence how he told his story. Listening to him talk is captivating because of his manner of speech, something about his cadence just captivates me.

This story makes excellent use of film because not only do we get to see the rugged man with the delicate hands and a talent for knife-making, but we also get to watch his craft. We get to see what he creates and it really is beautiful. Even if you don’t know anything about cooking knives you look at what he makes and you know it is well done.

I think this film wants the audience to recognize and appreciate hand-made, quality items. The series is called Made by Hand and it talks about other people who do similar things. I think they also wanted the audience to appreciate good old American hard work. 

LITTLE BOAT!

Little Boat from nelson boles on Vimeo.


Look at this thing! Behold, for it is good. Little Boat is an animated short that warms the heart and all that junk. But it is also cool to look at with your eyes. If you are reading this then you have watched it already. Already you have watched this thing. Hopefully. If not, do so, for I am going to speak/write as if you have.
   
Little Boat is a simple-but-masterfully-executed story, and is unique in a couple of ways. In fact, more than a couple. I will name THREE. Number ONE: it doesn't use words. This is not a mind-blowing new technique, but do you remember that old adage that goes something like, "Don't tell what you can show"? Little Boat does that. It does that a whole bunch. Number TWO: the protagonist of our story is a boat. And not one of the anthropomorphized variety. A regular one, incapable of speech. This is a pretty rare characteristic for a story to have, because despite using female pronouns in reference to ships, there aren't a lot of narratives that pay this much attention to naval transportation. One could make the argument that the supporting cast of characters are the real "heroes" of the story, and the focus on our little boat is just a means of telling their tales. But I don't agree, ok? Ok. Number THREE: uh... maybe I only had two things? I mean, this film is still unique and outstanding in that the sound design is perfect and deadly effective, and that the animation is GORGEOUS, but it doesn't have any other particularly distinctive tricks as far as the narrative goes. I will say that the brief introductions to the supporting cast (the launderer, the monkeys, the soldiers) and the boat's returning visitations are really rewarding, maybe because we (or maybe just me) didn't expect to see them again, and especially not with such kindness and generosity. So that's a lovely thing.

 I should mention that this artist's other works are also exceedingly rad. For example, this. That little Orfeu trailer looks how The Adventures of Tintin should have looked. But I forgive Tintin because of that chase scene. With the motorcycle? It was cool. So yeah, traditional animation forever and ever, never give it up. LITTLE BOAT!

Optimist

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2qEn8L

I found this video one day when I was procrastinating on stumble upon (which if you don't know about this website thing-y then you have to go look it up) and I got interested in it because I was wondering if it was from the Festival of Colors that happens in Spanish Fork. Which I turned out it was, and then I was really intrigued with the title of this documentary. Optimist is not only the name of the song that is being played during the video but it’s also what these people are gathering together to be, to gain optimism from the simplest act of throwing colored powder.  The idea of throwing colored powder into the air is such a strange concept when you don’t know anything about Hindu festivals or Holi.  But yet it is beautiful and it draws happiness from people, coming together to get dirty with colorful chalk.  I’ll bet that some people that go to this festival don’t even know what they are really celebrating and what it really means but yet they are celebrating. They gather in optimism to celebrate life and being alive and doing something that they may never do again.  It’s a beautiful metaphor. The innocent celebration of life.

The story of this celebration could have easily been done with the medium of photography but then you lose the music that is being played during the film.  You lose the whole experience of knowing that the picture express optimism but so does the music.  The music could easily be taken away but you lose that feel of calm simple happiness that it brings.  There are many types of optimism and forms of happiness but the music narrows down that spectrum and gives you that calm happiness.  The simple optimism of celebrating life with complete stranger and colored chalk.  

Aimee Mullins: A Work in Progress

Click HERE to watch.

It's a little long, but worth it.

I’m a frequent listener to The Moth podcast and radio show. They hold events where anyone from everyday people to celebrities can tell a story live, on stage, in front of an audience. Each week they compile stories for the radio and occasionally release one as a podcast. They’re typically about fifteen minutes long (although this one is only thirteen, and well worth your time) so they’re perfect for fitting into a car ride to work or walks to class.

Aimee Mullins’ story about overcoming a huge obstacle in her life is incredibly inspiring. She loses her legs at a young age, yet she talks about how this has given her entirely different perspective on life. It’s also presented her with opportunities she never would have had otherwise. Opportunities to set world records in the Paralympics, model professionally, and be a huge inspiration to people facing her same dilemma.

This story is influenced by traditional storytelling because…well…it’s about as basic as stories can get. It’s a person with something to say sharing their experiences with others. Where digital media becomes an asset is with exposure. Instead of inspiring only those that she meets, this podcast/video allows others to experience her triumphs.

The theme for the night was stories of prejudice and power. This story is so effective because it shows how the prejudice Mullins was faced with from a young age inspired her to become so successful. The prejudice let to the power. This is a valuable lesson for everyone to learn, not just those with disabilities. It’s important not to turn and run, but accept what makes you unique. My favorite part of the story is when Mullins mentions how a young girl was inspired by her and now takes pride in her similar disability.

Simplicity

Spring Break Summer Vacation- Handmade Snowboards
First, feel free to jump around through this video. It's a little long and there are lots of other posts. Whatevs.

      It's been sometime since I've seen this video. I could have posted something with a much more defined narrative, but one of my favorite things about this is its simplicity. It's really just a documentary of creation and adventure- making snowboards and then testing them, and yet (for me at least) it's entertaining, inspirational, even charming. It's a testament to the beauty of creation and personality, of doing something different.
      The music is this video also contributes to the above. It's a little different, maybe not what we'd have chosen, but I think it's most effective because it's unordinary.
      Cinematography has always interested me and that's something that's well done here. From a aesthetic standpoint, Spring Break Summer Vacation is relatively advanced. It looks good, and yet was made quite simply. This for me serves as motivation to follow suite and continue to explore cinematography. To document this, all you really need is a DSLR, a few lenses, and decent color/editing software. I also liked the framing and coloring. It was commonly center-framed, which commonly, is frowned upon (rule of thirds!) but I found it effective. The color was also very film-like, with high contrast, warm tones, and poppy, cross-processed-ish colors. I love the traditional film look so likewise, the color in this sweet vid.
      If this video did have a purpose, I think it'd be a call to adventure, a call to thinking outside the box. I enjoyed it because of its personality, its quirks, its difference (it was awesome). These people could have very easily just used their own snowboards, but no, that would be lame. Don't be afraid to do something different, to try something new, to be yourself. Also maybe, go have fun with your bros. Wear sunglasses. Do big turns.
      This piece has very little dialogue and yet it's completely effective. Of course it's not as if there's anything complicated to explain, but nonetheless, it's lack of dialogue pulls the viewer in, focusing less on the literal, palpable but more on the visual, speculative.

Version 2.0: The Digital Story of the Nativity

I found this Youtube video not long ago (but already after Christmas, shucks) just by reviewing the currently popular videos on the Youtube homepage. I was surprised at how spot-on all of the uses of modern social media were; in the end, the variety of social media options available today enabled the story of the Nativity to be told completely with technology. This story (at least this version of the story) exists solely because of social media’s relevance today, and it loses all of its irony and the ensuing humor when the story is removed from its vehicle of online communication. The very fact that someone was able to tell the story of the Nativity using only digital methods is immediately intriguing, as the Nativity story has (to my knowledge) never before been communicated through modern social media technology—and solely through modern social media at that. The portrayal of the Christmas story using digital methods creates an ironic juxtaposition of images and story because we as viewers do not expect Mary and Joseph to be quite so tech savvy and constantly jacked into the web.

Of course, this story’s main plot elements are derived from the story as it is contained in the Bible, but not a single book is to be found in the video; instead, Facebook, Twitter, Google searches, iPhones and similar technologies help Mary and Joseph, and later the Wise Men, navigate to their desired destinations and make the proper preparations (cheap gold on Amazon, anyone?) for the birth of Christ. The usage of online networking adds a lightness to the story that otherwise might not be there, and the creators use clever aspects of social media (like “following” and “liking”) to produce humorous results. The humor of the piece makes it easier for the viewers to digest the intent of the video without feeling like they’ve been smacked in the face by some Christian message. The video uses this medium to not take itself too seriously, which opens the message of the Christmas season to a wider audience than it might otherwise reach, and that’s an admirable accomplishment. By the end of this video, its emphasis is made clear by two short lines of text, explaining that although times change, feelings stay the same. I think the video creators wanted to highlight the spirit of the Christmas season, along with the emphasis on togetherness that goes along with that, as well as encourage viewers to continue using digital solutions, 'cause golly, if Mary and Joseph do it--and the Archangel Gabriel too!--then it must be right for all of us.

Bank Dance

Two things before I begin: this does not actually have anything to do with (500) Days of Summer, and feel free to skip the first 20 seconds or so.

Being somewhat of a Joseph Gordon-Levitt fan, I came across this video a while ago and immediately fell in love with it. I was initially drawn to the simplistic, yet well-made and stylistic (I was kind-of reminded of the original Ocean's 11 with Frank Sinatra) portrayal of a bank robber who has his heart softened. I watched it a few more times, however, and realized that this story can be much more personal. As an easily distracted and imaginative person, my mind often wanders and I find myself daydreaming. In a matter of a few seconds, I can construct fantasies that I know will never happen. I found myself connecting with Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character, who I believe experiences the dance sequence in his mind. This was interesting to me, as it provided a new depth to the character. The first time I saw this video, I threw the character into a stereotype in my mind, only to realize later that he had the ability to daydream just like me. Maybe I'm not so different from somebody who would rob a bank after all.

I think that this character trait (one which the story is ultimately about) becomes more evident because of the digital medium. During the dance sequence, there are cuts that give the story a more fantastical feeling, similar to thoughts in a human mind. How often do your fantasies go in perfect chronological order and make perfect sense? Mine almost never do. This tone would not be as achievable if it weren’t for the film medium. I think this video is a wonderful invitation to embrace one’s daydreams. These imaginations of ours are what make the world interesting to everyone, especially when we share it with others. Imagination can make a dull life feel worthwhile.

(Please forgive me if this post seems to be written by a person half asleep. My head is filled with snot and I made the unforgivable mistake of taking the drowsy kind of decongestant before attempting to complete this assignment. My sincerest apologies.)

Björk Talks About Her TV

I found this video a few years ago while looking up videos about Björk with some friends. We really like her. I think that this video is really awesome for many reasons. Firstly, I firmly believe that Björk is one of the most interesting people or our time. Unlike most celebrities these days, Björk actually has a personality, but it's not a personality she shares with anyone else. One of her greatest qualities is her unique and in many ways childlike view of the world. I think that this video in particular really showcases just how interesting her world view is. Anyone else it seems, who would look at something as everyday as a television, would not think twice about it. Björk on the other hand decides to not only dismantle the TV, but also to allow herself the capacity to think beyond the literal and logical basics of a TV. 

While the stories that Björk is saying are about her imaginative take on televisions, I think that the real story is just getting this little glimpse into her life. Like the exposition of any traditional story, this video in some ways acts as an introduction to Björk as a character. To someone who knows nothing about her, this video would be a great way to introduce them to the image Björk has made for herself. 

While storytelling can occur under just about any medium, the video aspect of this story is especially effective. The person experiencing this story is thus not only able to hear the wonderful things that Björk is saying, but they are also able to see her, and see the things she is describing. Part of Björk¨s persona is her striking and unique appearance, and I think it is interesting for the viewer to experience Björk in her own home, a much more personal and intimate setting than seeing her on stage.  

This story is both interesting and important because the viewer is able to get such a good grasp on Björk¨s image and to an extent, understand her as a person. I would even go as a far as to say that this video is so ultra-typical of Björk, that it represents everything we as the public understand and believe about this unique and interesting character. I wish we could all embody her sense of exploration and wonder! Think how much more exciting life would be!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75WFTHpOw8Y

Shell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSkYbgxl93Y

One day during last semester my brother decided to showed me this short film and as a result, converted me to Wong Fu Productions' work. I appreciate that they are capable of creating quality work that is intellectually meaningful with only a three-person production team and minimal resources. This film definitely demonstrates their ability to do so.

` This story allows the characters to explore and develop their imaginations while simultaneously developing a more meaningful relationship with each other. Obviously, the two are incredibly different, but their opposite natures actually complement each other in the sense that one can dream romantically while the other's pragmatic nature can bring these dreams into reality. By combining each person's strengths and differences, together, the characters create a new and better reality. I strongly believe that creativity and imagination should not exclude others from our lives, but rather, should allow us to form more significant connections with others. I didn't realize how much this film impacted me until I wrote this post, as my creative sample for the film application explored a similar theme. It's always interesting how the things we watch can subconsciously influence us.

The medium allows for the contrast between reality and the "fake memory," or fantasy. Obviously, the cold, dark colors and the industrial background of the reality scenes juxtaposed against the intimacy of the warm, whimsical landscape of the man's imagination signify the discrepancies between his perceptions. However, the editing at the end suggests that through effort on both characters' ends, "fiction [is able] to become reality" because of the girl's insistence on discovering this memory and the man's revealing of these feelings.

Although this obviously is not an extremely realistic conversation, this film suggests that "it's the feeling that matters." So I would assume that the director wants his viewers to pursue those ideas and dreams that create significant emotions and/or develop relationships with people who allow these feelings and dreams to be possible.

Lowell, MA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLRsRxes-F4&feature=share

While browsing various news forums and blogs, I came across the preceding video about what is being perceived as a hate crime that recently occurred in Lowell, MA. From what I can understand, the video demonstrates the response of the local Iraqi veterans and their reaction to the crimes being committed against this local business that is bringing in jobs for the community and supporting the American Dream. I love this country and find that the opportunities that abound here truly cannot be achieved in like manner in any other place on Earth, and it only saddens me to think that we still cannot be tolerant of others in their desire to achieve success and pursue happiness – a right that this country holds as one of its founding principles.

Politics aside, I find that this story humanizes what is often portrayed in other forms of more mainstream media as a dark, conflicting, or heavily politicized debate by all sides, when in reality, this video is able to portray the more human side of compassion that the veterans feel towards a people that they spent time fighting for in their country, and even now stand up at home for those same beliefs that they struggled to help others with overseas.

By utilizing a modern social media platform to convey this message, there is no overhead, and simply instead a story to be told. It is a story about tolerance and respect for all people – people should be respected simply by being who they are first, with a general level of human decency that should dictate our societal norms from which a more profound understanding and love can develop for other people. If we fail to understand such a principle, we can slowly become misanthropes, despising others for their achievements due to our own jealousy or ignorance.

That’s just one point of view on the subject, and by no means the most complete or accurate. What do you think?

10 Myths About Introverts

All growing up I was told I was an introvert. Personality tests, friends, and family members seemed to unanimously agree. But in my mind, the word “introvert” conjured up images of shy and socially awkward misfits – and I didn’t feel like a misfit. It wasn’t until I came upon Adam Young’s blog post called “10 Myths About Introverts” that I actually realized what it meant to be an introvert, and began to feel lucky to be among their ranks.

In the post Adam tells the story of his discovery of the true definition of “introvert,” and goes through ten common myths about the term. As I read I discovered that being an introvert had nothing to do with being shy, just more quiet and reflective. I felt like a giant light switch went on in my mind. He also talks about how introverts need time to process what happens each day, and how they get their energy and rejuvenation from within. Bingo! I couldn’t believe I’d spent all that time resenting being called an introvert when really it was just a term for a different – and equally important – way of seeing the world.

This digital story became extremely significant to me because it was something that helped me find my identity. No, it wasn’t fictional, and it didn’t have plot twists or great music. In fact it was written more like a journal entry, but it was written so simply and honestly (with just a hint of humor) that it grabbed my attention as much as any best-selling novel or blockbuster movie.

From this experience I concluded that a great story is something that has the ability to connect with people. Not every story will connect with every person, but I think that when it is written from the heart and reveals something about the human experience, there will be people out there that will identify with what it’s saying. Reading this blog post left me with a new, positive perspective of myself, and helped me realize that I was not alone in the world. That seems like a very successful story to me.

http://owlcityblog.com/2011/06/27/10-myths-about-introverts/