My colleague Stephen Totilo, Deputy Editor at Kotaku, recently tweeted this interesting info:

Stephen Totilo on Twitter

Stephen Totilo on Twitter

Touted on many gaming blogs as a must-watch about the future of gaming — and the future of life, Carnegie Mellon assistant professor of entertainment and technology Jesse Schell’s presentation at DICE Summit is full of win.

Totilo previously noted in his post that Schell explained (among other things) where games are heading, beyond consoles and Facebook’s FarmVille.

Schell argued that the leading trend is games “busting through reality,” denying the old notion that gaming’s best attraction is fantasy. Games that have you connecting with people in the real world, outscoring your friends have an undeniable lure.

The Kotaku post on the “Design Outside the Box” Presentation advises you to find an intriguing point at the 20-minute mark.

All of Schell’s thoughts on point systems for everything in your life made me think of this terrifying/awesome book series I read as a kid:

Spirit Flyer Series

In the Spirit Flyer Series, everyone in Centerville (except for outsiders called “Rank Blanks”) live by a point system. The mystery behind who operates the point system is scary and can be interpreted as commentary on the effects of rampant consumerism.

Schell’s presentation also made me think of DJ Spooky’s incredible presentation on “Remix Culture.”

DJ Spooky aka Paul Miller spoke at UNC Chapel Hill in 2008 as a participant of the “Information In Life” Digital Video Series, where he discussed media in culture. Miller demonstrated the unexpected side effects of free speech, law, and copyright while showing the power of remixed art.

Remix culture and gaming definitely intersect and influence each other. From graffiti writers incorporating gaming iconography into their pieces to video games featuring pieces by legendary writers, the spectrum of influence is undeniable.

{ 0 comments }

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson is one cute misanthrope.

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, circa 2007
- image via SEQUENTIAL LOGIC

The recent Uncensored Interview newsletter included this piece that I cut for them last December:


Oh MBAR, it was a joy listening to your self-deprecating humor for seemingly endless hours. But seriously, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson is riddled with some crazy young-dude angst. How can a guy be so the-trombone-of-failure-sound when he calls the guys from TV on the Radio and Grizzly Bear his friends, has a record deal and is playing a showcase at SXSW next month?

Yes! This lucky bastard is playing at SXSW in the Saddle Creek Showcase on 3/18 at Maggie Mae’s Gibson Room. Do you still feel sorry for him? If you’re a girl with hetero proclivities, then probably yes. He’s a downer but still very cute. Sigh.

Luckily, the last time MBAR spoke to Uncensored Interview he seemed to be feeling better about life, which I hope is reflected in the piece. Hear the Brooklyn songwriter sound off on cleaning up his act, writing songs while surfing couches, growing up in showbiz and transcending the past.

I incorporated images that I had taken at the last JellyNYC Pool Party held at Williamsburg’s McCarren Park Pool. I was there shooting Ebony Bones and took them for personal reasons, not knowing that I would eventually use any of them in a work piece.

The moment that MBAR mentions actually happened in 2007, while my photos were taken in 2008, but I still think it works.

Check out another Uncensored Interview gem that I worked on:
“Amanda Palmer Sounds Off”

{ 0 comments }

On My Radar: Skateistan “We Build Ramps, Not Bombs”

February 25, 2010

Skateistan is Afghanistan’s first dedicated skateboarding school. This rocks more than I have the writing ability to describe.

Luckily, I found this FRANK mag interview with skateboarding pro Louisa Menke that explains her participation in the school and related documentary (I’m so excited about the film!!).
Skateistan is special because women’s rights are severely restricted in [...]

Read the full article →

Brain Leaks: Fear & Femininity

February 23, 2010

related post: Girl Antagonists In Cinema
I’ve noticed that a lot of my favorite films, books, videos and works of art have to do with a fear of the mystical/”unknown” aspects of femininity.
Frequently, the content creator is preoccupied with his/her discomfort around femininity and is outright with it or tries to disguise it with symbolism.
One [...]

Read the full article →

Quotes: La Roux On Gender Identity & Sexuality

February 18, 2010

La Roux (real-name Elly Jackson) shared this in an interview with Fabulous magazine:
“I don’t feel like I’m female or male. “I don’t belong to a gay or straight society, if there is such a thing. I feel like I’m capable of falling in love with other people. I’m not saying I’m bisexual, I’m just [...]

Read the full article →

The Archive: Great Women of Film Networking Event Recap (2002)

February 16, 2010

I am in the process of cleaning out a hard drive that has been in my possession since 2000. The files that I am stumbling across are so old and random; I can’t believe it was me who wrote them in the first place. I was so scarily honest and hilariously tragic while purging all [...]

Read the full article →

The Lair In February 2010: Student Senate Geekdom, Webgrrls, IFP & Ebony Bones

February 8, 2010

I have created a new category on The Lair called “Calendar.” Sometimes I don’t have time to write anything of (perceived) substance but I would still like my readers to have something to chew on. Here we go, the inaugural post!
New School Student Senate Allcampus Party/Forum (TONIGHT)

WHAT: NSU students can hear from the Provost and [...]

Read the full article →

Quotes: Manohla Dargis On The Gender Glass Ceiling In Hollywood

January 30, 2010

On why women in Hollywood aren’t faring any better:

“This business is really about clubby relationships. If you buy Variety or go online and look at the deals, you see one guy after another smiling in a baseball cap. It’s all guys making deals with other guys. I had a female studio chief a couple of [...]

Read the full article →

On Nicki Minaj, Sexuality & Media Literacy

January 29, 2010

Nicki Minaj is not the first female artist to use her sexuality as a platform for success and she certainly won’t be the last. This post isn’t intended to blast her, I’m actually a fan. I think her lyricism is clever and playful with a subversive streak. She’s hot. She’s smart. She knows exactly what [...]

Read the full article →

Q&A With RAT TABLE Creator Jeeves Basu

January 13, 2010

Ben. Willard’s Socrates. Splinter. The Bubonic Plague. The Secret of NIMH. The word ‘rat’ might conjour the aformentioned pop culture zeitgeists, but these misunderstood rodents have never been poised to change the face of design — until now.
Enter RAT TABLE: a miraculous object that will be created entirely by rats.

(Visit RATTABLE.COM for project updates, video [...]

Read the full article →