End

Well, here it is, my final project for IMC 693g- Digital Storytelling, Divinyl Intervention. Enjoy! Oh, and if you’re interested, you can also find it on Facebook and Vimeo. Enjoy!

Distribution Strategies

Vimeo
Vimeo is a video sharing Website that was created by “filmmakers and video creators who wanted to share their creative work” (Vimeo, 2010). Although YouTube’s video sharing service has served me well in the past, I believe uploading my digital story to a site like Vimeo will allow me to reach an audience that is not only looking for content that is relevant to their personal interests (i.e. hobbies, et cetera), but an audience that is concerned with the art of filmmaking who is likely to provide constructive criticism in relation to my technical and storytelling techniques.

My digital story can be found on Vimeo at: http://www.vimeo.com/erikpie

YouTube
Like Vimeo, YouTube is a video sharing site. However, YouTube’s content is not limited to “user-generated” works, as their database includes everything from music videos and television shows to Hollywood movies and user-generated films. It is my belief that, by giving my digital story an effective title and keywords (i.e. Munny, vinyl toys, custom culture), my work will be able to generate quite a few hits in a very short amount of time along with feedback that will help me improve my storytelling technique in the future.
My digital story can be found on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/o0opizo0o

Facebook
Finally I plan to upload my digital story on Facebook. First, I plan to post the video on my personal profile. My social network includes many potential viewers from the art community and it is very likely that they would be interested in my digital story not only for the product that is featured therein, but because of the creative nature of the video itself. In addition to posting my digital story on my own Facebook page, I plan to tag the video with keywords like “Munny” and “Custom Culture”, which will post a link to my work on interest pages related to those terms.

My digital story can be found on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/o0opizo0o

Discussion
In the end, uploading my work to these three digital outlets should make for some interesting post-class analysis. For example, I am interested in seeing how audiences react to my work in all three forums, which outlet provides me with the greatest level of exposure, and which outlet encourages viewers to share my work with their friends and families more effectively. I do plan on sending Kidrobot an email about posting my video to their blog, The Kronikle, when the work is completed, but at this point I am more interested in seeing how well my work will travel around the Web through user interaction.

References:
Vimeo. (2010). About Vimeo. Retrieved on October 18, 2010, from: http://vimeo.com/about

Tick Tock Goes the Clock: Progress Report

Hey, everyone. Although the clock is ticking, and I’m nowhere close to having my project completed, I have a good feeling that I’ll manage to get everything done in the next two weeks. WordPress refuses to cooperate with me tonight,  so here’s a copy of my Progress Report. Isn’t technology righteous!?

Scripts and Storyboards…Oh My.

This week we were asked to create a script and storyboard for our project. I’ve made a lot of changes to the story in the last few weeks and I’m sure I’ll be doing a lot more editing as I continue to move forward. Like they say, hindsight is 20/20. I just hope I get it all right before it’s drops out of sight. Anyway, here’s a PDF version of my Week 6 assignment for your consideration.

Scene Descriptions

Act I

Scene 1

Black screen, fade in Kidrobot logo and text. “Some viewers may find the following scenes disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.”

Scene 2

Fade from black. Wide angle, late evening/night shot of Max’s home, a cookie cutter, two-story house with freshly mown grass and planted flower beds. Text cuts into shot with shot location data (household name, city, state, et cetera). Camera moves toward the front door of the home. Cut to next scene.

Scene 3

Camera pans past a woman, fast asleep in her bed. Cut to panning shot of daughter sleeping in her bed. Narrator describes a “growing problem” that has gone “unnoticed for years” despite the fact that it is “sweeping the country”, and a “monster that lurks just down the hall.”

Scene 4

Camera moves slowly down a long, dark hallway toward a door that is cracked just enough to allow the viewer to see a soft, glowing light coming from within. Narrator describes the problem as an addiction to creating custom toys from every day household objects. The door is opened to reveal Max as a shadowy figure, working diligently under the light of a small desk lamp. Cut to next shot.

Camera pans across shelves of toys and other household objects, kidnapped from their rightful owners, bound and gagged by Max himself. Narrator explains that “not even your great grandmother’s antique, Russian nesting dolls are safe.” Cut to next shot.

Series of quick-cut, close up shots of Max working on his latest creation. Fade to black.

Act II

Scene 1

Day breaks. Camera frames close up of Max asleep in his bed. Cut to wide angle shot of Max’s room, which has clothes strewn about, posters of pop culture icons on the walls (i.e. superheroes, musicians, et cetera), and a messy work bench with glue, paint, brushes, pliers, and a small desk lamp. There is a loud series of “knocks” at Max’s door. Cut to shot of doorknob jiggling. Max’s sister, Mary, yells out “MAX, have you seen my Computer Engineer Barbie!?” Cut to shot of Max waking and staring at a shelf across the room. He smirks. Cut to shot of Barbie sitting on shelf. Max replies, “NO!”

Scene 2

Wide angle shot of Max’s mother, Monica, and his sister, Mary, sitting together on a couch. Monica explains, to the camera, that Max has always been a “good kid”, but that, as of late, he has had some “issues.” Mary chimes in and adds, “Yeah, like, major issues.” Cut to close up of Monica. Holding tears back, Monica admits that her son is addicted to creating custom toys from household objects and that Max needs “help.” Cut to next scene.

Scene 3

Wide angle shot of Max’s room. Monica barges into Max’s room and begins confiscating all of his customizing supplies and reclaiming objects “borrowed” from around the house that Max planned to use in upcoming projects. Max yells, “What are you DOING!?” Monica replies, “Giving you the help you need, Max.” Cut to shot of Max in his bed. Monica hands him a stack of coloring books and a box of crayons, letting him know that this would be his new creative outlet. Max replies, “BUT, moooom!” Monica cuts him off with, “No buts!” Cut to next scene.

Scene 4

Day breaks once again. Close up of Max, asleep at his desk, amidst a pile of broken crayon nubs and completed pictures torn from the coloring books his mother provided him. Cut to shot of Monica standing in the doorway, looking satisfied but worried that coloring is not enough to satisfy Max’s insatiable need to be creative. Fade to black screen with text, “Three hours later.” Fade from black. Shot of Monica giving Max more “craft supplies” (i.e. beads and string). Cut to shot of Max with a forlorn look on his face. He accepts the “gifts” and says, “Thanks.” Series of cuts featuring Max attempting to make beaded necklaces, getting frustrated, and proceeding to lay face down in his bed as he gives up. Max’s spirit is broken. Cut to next scene.

Scene 5

Shot of Monica entering Max’s room. She sits next to him, places her hand on his back in an attempt to console him. With no response from Max, she leaves the room, closing the door behind her. Cut to next scene.

Act III

Scene 1

Close up of Monica and Mary sitting on the living room couch watching television. During a station break an infomercial airs. Narrator asks, “Are you tired of your kids or your brother always taking your stuff and turning it into art?” Monica and Mary’s faces light up as they nod their heads. Narrator continues, “Are you tired of them not acting right when you try to stifle their creativity, even just a little bit?” Again, Monica and Mary nod in agreement. Narrator continues, “Well, now there’s help. Introducing, the Kidrobot, Do It Yourself Munny Kit! Now your kids can be creative without requiring an intervention!” Narrator continues with, “Call 1-888-KID-ROBT today!” Series of cuts featuring Monica picking up the phone, dialing, and ordering the Do It Yourself Munny Kit. Fade to black. Text cuts in “Three days later…” Fade from black to next scene.

Scene 2

Shot of Monica and Mary sitting on couch watching television. The doorbell rings once. Exterior shot of door from a small package’s point-of-view looking up. Monica opens the door, looks confused that no one is there, and finally realizes that the UPS man has left a package at her doorstep. Monica picks up the package and closes the door. Cut to shot of Max’s room (camera faces the door). Monica enters the room, sees Max, who is looking depressed, walks over to him, and hands him the package. Series of close up shots of Max tearing into the package, revealing the Do It Yourself Munny Kit. Fade to black. Text cuts in “Later that night…” Fade from black to next scene.

Scene 3

Camera moves down the long hallway, once again with a soft glowing light shining through Max’s cracked door. Series of cuts featuring Max working feverishly on his latest project, the Kidrobot Do It Yourself Munny. Fade to black.

Scene 4

Day breaks once again. Shot of Max asleep in his bed, with Do It Yourself Munny by his side. Cut to shot of Monica, Max and Mary sitting on the couch. Mary explains that a few of her toys are still missing, but that she probably just lost them (Max smirks) and that she is glad to have her brother back. Monica describes how Max’s intervention, though extremely difficult on the family, has been successful, “thanks to Kidrobot.”

Scene 5

Camera moves down the long hallway, once again with a soft glowing light shining through Max’s cracked door. Series of cuts featuring Max “borrowing” parts from Mary’s Barbie (i.e. her hair) to add to yet another Do It Yourself Munny. There is a knock at Max’s door. Mary asks if Max is sure he hasn’t seen her Computer Engineer Barbie. Shot of Max placing Barbie’s hair on his Munny as he replies, “I’m sure!” Fade to black. Kidrobot logo cuts in with text reading, “Art happens.”

Scene 6

Kidrobot logo cuts in with text reading, “Art happens.” Tagline fades and is replaced with text reading, “If you or someone you love care about has trouble expressing themselves, visit: www.kidrobot.com.” Fade to black.

Market and Genre Analysis

Market Analysis

Although it would be easy to write Kidrobot Inc. off as a company that simply caters to kids, it would be a mistake to do so. Sure, Kidrobot responsible for multiple series of vinyl toys that no child could resist, but the company has managed to attract an audience that includes both the young and young-at-heart. The real question here is not, “who is Kidrobot’s target audience” but “what does the company have to offer that has earned them this seemingly universal consumer appeal?”

At this point, I think it is obvious that Kidrobot products are appealing, if for no other reason, for their aesthetics. However, reasons for finding Kidrobot products aesthetically appealing are most likely audience specific. For example, whereas young consumers (7 to 17-year-olds) might think Kidrobot’s tiny, vibrantly colored creations are just “cool” looking, older consumers (i.e. 18 to 34-year-olds) might have a stronger appreciation for the artist’s interpretation of subject matter, use of line, shape, form, and so on and so forth. Either way, it can be said that Kidrobot products are simply a delight to look at.

Next, this seemingly universal appeal could be attributed to Kidrobot’s refusal to rest their fate on stable product lines. That is to say, Kidrobot always has something new to offer consumers, as everything the company creates, outside of the Do-It-Yourself Munny kit, is created as a limited edition (i.e. 100,000 toys per unique production run). For example, each year, Kidrobot releases a new series of Dunny vinyl toys, and each year a new batch of artists and designers make their mark on the toys. Kidrobot’s mantra is, “Nostalgia = Death”, which is very appropriate, considering the fact that each Kidrobot toy might only see store shelves for a week doing a disappearing act (Kidrobot, 2010). As we all know, consumers, both young and old, are always looking for something new, and new is something Kidrobot does very, very well.

Kidrobot’s penchant for keeping consumers on their toes with new products brings us to yet another argument about the company’s universal appeal, which is, Kidrobot is now. By creating entirely unique product lines, as each previous product line sells out, Kidrobot remains relevant according to today’s standard. Whether or not Kidrobot toys feature the latest artwork from world renowned artists, such as Gary Baseman, or simply serve as abstract representations of wildly popular children’s television show characters, such as DJ Lance from Yo, Gabba Gabba, the company is living in the moment and passing the buck to consumers.

Another reason that Kidrobot has earned such strong appeal across age groups could be attributed to the company’s unbridled encouragement of self-expression. This encouragement comes in the form of the Kidrobot’s Do It Yourself Munny kit, which encourage consumers, both young and old, to create their very own work of art using anything from crayons, pencils, pens, and markers to clay and found objects, without restraint or fear of criticism. Although consumers know they aren’t creating Munnies for mass production, by encouraging self-expression at this level, consumers are able to feel a deeper emotional connection with the company. In other words, the consumer is Kidrobot.

Finally, it can be said that part of Kidrobot’s consumer appeal stems from the entertainment value that the company’s products provide. Entertainment value, in this case, can come in a variety of forms. One example could include the entertainment that a child experiences while playing with Kidrobot toys. Another example could include the entertainment experienced by a grown man as he glances up from his computer, at work, to see his Dunny/Munny collection posed atop his iMac computer, or discussing his latest Kidrobot acquisitions with a co-worker at the water cooler. Finally, entertainment could be provided to both young and older audience members as they work feverishly to complete their latest Do It Yourself Munny.

Foreign Market

In order to determine whether or not Kidrobot has a foreign audience, it was necessary to tap into resources offered by Quantcast, a company that analyzes how people spend their time on the Internet. According to Quantcast, Kidrobot has some appeal with consumers of Asian descent (2010). This comes as no surprise, as the vinyl art revolution began in Asia, more specifically, in Japan. Having said that, it is very likely that Asian consumers find Kidrobot products appealing for many of the same reasons listed in the Market Analysis found above. In addition, it can be said that this level of attraction can be attributed to the fact that Kidrobot’s offerings are a natural extension of a cultural phenomenon (i.e. custom vinyl) that made its debut in Asia long before Kidrobot was founded in North America in 2002.

Audience/Client Connection

After reviewing why audiences might find Kidrobot appealing, it can be said that the audiences mentioned above might be looking to connect with a company that encourages for unrestrained self-expression (ignoring criticism), accepts them for who and what they are (artists or not) and provides some form of entertainment.

Audiences desiring an outlet where unchecked self-expression is possible should find many reasons to connect with Kidrobot, as the story I have created is centered on the idea of unrestrained self-expression. In the story, the Max’s environment, his style, and the work he creates will serve as a representation of his escaped inner self. His undying need to express himself creatively will become more apparent Max’s spirit is crushed after his mother forbids him to express himself as he sees fit. Max’s spirit returns near the end of the story, after he is given a Munny to work on, almost as if to say, “self-expression is a necessity for life, not an option.”

Audiences with a need to feel accepted should also find reasons to connect with Kidrobot based on the content of my project. In the story I have created, Max’s immediate family (mother and sister) are convinced that Max has a problem and attempt “cure” him by not allowing him to express himself as he normally does. By the end of the story, his family learns that Max wasn’t actually ill or off his rocker, in fact, he was just fine all along. He just needed to connect with someone, in this case Kidrobot, who understood him and accepted him for he who actually is.

Finally, audiences looking for entertainment value should also find reasons to connect with Kidrobot based on my project. Throughout the story, Max is entertained by the creations he has collected over the years and by creating new Kidrobot Munny pieces.

Recent Successes

• On August 19, 2010, Kidrobot successfully launched their 2010 Dunny series, which includes twenty-one custom vinyl figures designed by nineteen up-and-coming artists (Kidrobot, 2010).
• In 2009, Kidrobot Inc. earned $16.2 million in revenue, a 114% from 2006 (Inc., 2010).
• In 2007, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City added thirteen Kidrobot pieces to their permanent collection (Kidrobot, 2010).
• In 2006, Wild Brain acquired a majority stake of Kidrobot and begin collaborative project that will lead to animated series featuring Kidrobot’s distinctive style (San Francisco Business Time, 2006).

Genre

Over the past few weeks I’ve put a lot of thought into what genre my project would take the form of. From the time I made the first few keystrokes of Max’s story I have known that I would like to tell his story with a documentary style that includes some elements of a public service announcement.  My muse, in this case, came to me in the form of late-night episodes of Hoarders and Intervention on the Arts & Entertainment network.

Setting

Documentaries take place in they every day world, the character’s natural environment. Visual images associated with this film genre could include urban landscapes (i.e. the big city), the suburbs (i.e. small neighborhoods), and the inside of peoples’ homes. In the case of my project, the setting will be Max’s natural habitat, his home. Some scenes may require settings to include a downtown environment, as Max’s mother goes out into the world in search of a cure for her son’s “illness.”

Characters

Typical heroes or protagonists that exist within this film genre are everyday people, like you and I, or those who have achieved fame or infamy. Supporting characters often include the protagonist’s friends and family. Characters in these roles can take on masculine and/or feminine qualities, depending on whose story is being told. As far as my project is concerned, the characters in Max’s story (i.e. Max, his mother, and sister) are just average people, with Max taking on a more masculine role and his mother and sister demonstrating feminine qualities.

Plot

Often the documentary film genre revolves around every day conflicts. Everything from domestic violence and drug abuse to one’s rise to fame or mundane life is fair game. Although plot structure will vary according to the project being filmed, documentaries are, more often than not, “factual works of art” (AMC, 2010). In other words, a documentary is typically a “slice of life” film that follows the lives of one or more people, and sometimes includes dramatic reenactments of real actual events. An example of this film style can be seen in television shows like Intervention, which typically: introduces the audience to the protagonist and a cast of supporting characters, reveals a source of conflict in relation to the main character (e.g. drug abuse), follows the main character on their journey from self destruction to healing (e.g. rehabilitation), and leaves the characters after the conflict has been resolved (successful rehabilitation)…or not. As far as my project is concerned, Max’s story follows this plot structure very well, as the character is introduced, his problems is revealed, his healing process begins, and all conflicts are resolved, or not.

Iconography

As mentioned earlier, films of this genre are often filmed in every day environments. Iconography that will be showcased in my project will most likely include: the average home in an average suburban neighborhood (run of the mill furnishings, messy, et cetera); a messy teenager’s room (chock full of pop culture paraphernalia); a downtown environment, teeming with life; a single, hardworking mother who wants nothing more than to see her children succeed; a typical, annoying, younger sister, who often puts herself before others; and a stereotypical young man who is into finding new and creative ways to express himself (i.e. clothes, hairstyle, art, et cetera).

Mood or Tone

Typically, stories told through documentaries begin with a sense of pessimism; that is to say, it is not apparent that the end of the film will resolve the conflict being explored. However, many documentaries leave viewers feeling optimistic about the future of characters featured in the film. At the very least, viewers are often treated a glimmer of hope in relation to conflict resolution. These films often examine very serious subject matter (i.e. interventions) and begin with a dark mood or tone, and the mood is often lifted near the end of the film as a result of conflict resolution. While some content featured in documentaries eerie (e.g. domestic abuse), some slice of life pieces are often wholesome in nature. My project will be produced with very similar mood/tone inflections. However, it is worth nothing that the project as a whole will take a more comedic approach and feature a much lighter mood than typical documentaries.

Cinematic Style

This genre of film utilizes several framing methods. For example, long shots are used to establish settings (panning increases the amount of visual information presented, increasing the overall scale of the scene); close ups are used when as characters present first-hand experiences directly to the camera (this can also emphasize emotion); medium shots are used when multiple characters are interacting or when it is necessary to introduce an audience to a new setting and character activity (this can also give the impression that characters are not aware of the camera’s presence).

As far as lighting is concerned, high-key or above-eye-level lighting might be used to convey a sense of normalcy, while low-key or below-eye-level lighting might be used to darken the mood of a dramatic scene or reenactment. As far as my project is concerned, primary lighting will be used in scenes that take place outside of Max’s room to convey a sense of normalcy, while low-key lighting will be used in scenes where Max is working on his art or experiencing something traumatic.

Editing techniques used in this genre of film could include: cuts, smooth cuts (action oriented), jump cuts (action oriented), dissolves, and fades. My project will take advantage of most of these editing techniques, however, at this point it is unknown when or how they will be used.

In documentaries, music is often used to emphasize the mood or tone of a scene, or to emphasize action that is taking place on screen. Again, at this point I am sure that I will use music to achieve these effects, however, I have not made any decisions on how this will be achieved in my own project.

References:

AMC Filmsite. (2010). Documentary Films. Retrieved from: http://www.filmsite.org/docfilms.html

Inc. (2010). 2010 Ranking: Kidrobot. Retrieved on September 17, 2010, from: http://www.inc.com/inc5000/profile/kidrobot

Kidrobot. (2010). About Kidrobot. Retrieved on September 17, 2010, from: http://www.kidrobot.com/ds2010.html

Quantcast. (2010). Kidrobot.com. Retrieved on September 17, 2010, from: http://www.quantcast.com/kidrobot.com/demographics

In Treatment

Client: Kidrobot Inc.

Theme: Art above reproach.

Title: Divinyl Intervention

Tagline: Art happens.

Production Style: PSA/Documentary

Treatment

The following is a public service announcement from Kidrobot^®…

Meet Max, a quiet but precocious young man with a passion for all things pop-culture and a flair for art. Although Max’s social circle is quite ample, and although he adores his mother, Monica, and his younger sister, Mary, he spends most of his days locked away in his room, or Area 51 as he calls it, watching cartoons and listening to music simultaneously as he sits under the warm glow of a small desk lamp working on what he considers to be top-secret projects.

When Max does leave his room it is usually out of necessity, whether it is to take a restroom break, nuke a microwave pizza, or to find artistic inspiration in items he finds strewn about the house. You see, Max is a found object artist. What does this mean? Well, Max enjoys taking objects, such as his sister’s My Little Pony and Barbie Dolls or his mother’s antique Russian nesting dolls, and recombining them into works of art, although some would consider his works nothing more than monstrosities.

Though he prefers to be alone while he is working every so often Max will hear a loud knock at his door. Turning up his music and/or television to drown out the distraction, Max continues to work. However, the mysterious visitor refuses to give up so easily. After another knock at the door, Max listens closely as someone on the other side, although muffled, says, “Max? Have you seen my Computer Engineer Barbie?” Realizing the visitor is just his sister, who poses no real threat, Max answers, “No.” and returns to his work, despite knowing exactly where Barbie has gotten off to.

After years of encouraging Max to express himself through his work, and losing countless household items for the “cause”, Monica is at her wits-end. Not knowing what else to do, Max’s mother arranges an artistic intervention where Monica and Mary confront Max about this growing problem. Despite thinking his family has gone completely bonkers, Max plays along and agrees to try to express himself in other, less destructive ways.

After clearing out Max’s room of all contraband (household objects, glue, paint, et cetera), Max is given nothing more than coloring books and crayons to work with. The next morning, Monica rises to find her son, asleep at his workbench, amidst the remnants of crayons nubs and a pile of completed coloring books. Knowing that coloring would not be enough to quell her son’s need for artistic expression, Monica goes back to the drawing board.

Soon thereafter, Monica decides to enroll Max in a few arts and craft classes at the local art store. After days and days of making Popsicle stick replicas of historical monuments and beaded necklaces, Max begins to lose his cool. Distraught, Monica calls a local art gallery, shares her son’s story with the proprietor, and asks for help. The gallery owner informs her that young artists seem to be drawn to “customizing”, as he called it, tells her “it’s natural” and suggests that she purchase several Do-It-Yourself Munny kits from Kidrobot Inc. for Max to work on.

In the end, Max was given back his paints, glues, and other store-bought art supplies and given a few of the Do-It-Youself Munny kits from Kidrobot, as the gallery owner suggested. Elated, Max rushes to his room, slams the door, turns on his TV and music, and begins working on a brand new masterpiece. At last, Max has found a new, constructive creative outlet that allows him to express himself as he sees fit without interference from his family. Max has been “cured.” Or was he?

Knock…Knock…Knock…”Max? Have you seen My Little Pony?”…Art happens.

If you or someone you love has a problem with creativity, visit: kidrobot.com/DoItYourself