APD Week 1 - Play and Self

Theme: 

In response to the theme of Play and Self, I shot a real-life video around me on my phone and created an interesting story around it.

Context:

Vivian Paley (2005) has stressed the value of fantasy or make-believe play. I believe that the combination of play and self and make-believe play is a fantastic one. Because individuals require imagination in order to be creative, secondary creation based on one's own life is unquestionably a type of play. This emphasis on imaginative thinking has also been championed by psychologists Jerome and Dorothy Singer (1990). Fantasy or make-believe Play is not a flight from the world: it is an inquiry into the challenges and responsibilities of social living. 

I believed my life was repetitive just like everyone else's. Day after day, I think my life is monotonous. I go to work, eat, go to class, study, and sleep. However, human beings can always sift through the monotony of life for intriguing nuances. That was my first concept for this week's idea. Make my daily life more enjoyable by using imagination. If audiences also have some emotional reactions after watching this short animation, such as the hope that their lives may change in such a fascinating way in the future, That's exactly what I was looking for. After all, humans thousands of years ago could not fathom the way we live now. As Thomas S. Henricks (2014) expressed, "Play frees us from the grip of instinct and manufactures new possibilities for living."

The initial concept was to film and record a first-person perspective of "my typical day" and then build upon it. The same day, the same tram ride, and the same glance to the left. However, on the left, instead of a human, a strange creature is dozing out. Then, with a slight movement of the head to the right, the world changed. It was an incredible day to see humans and other exotic species coexist together. 

However, due to the content's length, I rapidly altered my mind and came up with a different concept. Play also has a peculiar, reversed connotation. I've been wondering for a long time whether human life exists in other realms or dimensions in the same way that video games do. While developing the video game, we provide the narrative, storyline, character interactions, and other aspects of human life to the video game. Players fight enemies and earn experience points to level up and enhance their equipment. What if the monster, like a human creature, has a favorite game, television show, or romantic relationship? Perhaps some creature will fight us humans and get EXP as a result? After it was brought up, the notion lingered with me, and I'd like to do something with it. I can shoot some real video and utilize it to create a piece, just like I can draw a monster and bring it to life in a short animation. Incorporating elements of reality and animation. 

A similar format can be found in Lucas Levitan's work. (https://www.lucaslevitan.com) I’ve always admired his work. This fusion of realism and cartoon is prevalent in his work, and the outcome adds a lot of emotional and meaningful content. 

Method:

The exact method of the present way was the first thing that came to mind after I had a clear notion. It could be a game experience, an animation, a short film, or something else entirely. I decided on the short video because people use Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook to record their daily bits using a short video. A very lifelike way. 

First, I used my phone to record what happened from my first-person perspective. Although the cat's inclusion was an accident, I pondered what else can be done to strengthen people's willpower. Humans have a unique potential because of their strong emotions undefined protecting something. As a result, I kept this minor mishap. Then I had to draw an enemy with my iPad, who may have an out-of-place appearance in our lives. Similarly, our game character frequently looks different when confronted with enemies and their surroundings. The final step is to add sound effects to the completed short video in order to make it more genuine.

Reflection:

This is a rough draft. The monster's movement and appearance are both a work in progress. However, I believe it gave me new motivation and ideas for future projects. It's an intriguing thought, both conceptually and in terms of the reversal of roles. Players who slay monsters for the purpose of upgrading will have no regard for the monsters, as we are creatures of a higher dimension than these monsters. They were created solely to provide experience points to the game's protagonists. Then species living at higher latitudes than us will be free from any obligation to murder us for any reason. On the other hand, I find this synthesis of physical and virtual representation appealing. Human life has been infected by digital technology inexorably, and our lives are now in perfect harmony with these high-tech devices. There is no way to predict when these fantastic creatures and tales will be explained and discovered. Maybe someday, these magical creatures can be smoothly integrated into our everyday life. This is a direction that can be pursued indefinitely.

Introverted and conformist individuals require a window to break free from their shells. Fantasy or make-believe play is a great way to express their emotions and wild ideas. Play can be either a physical act or a state of mind. Consider things from an unusual vantage point. Why should people not assist themself in enjoying their life in a manner that appears a little bit weird or crazy to others? Whether it's poring over one's inner world or delving into a certain concept, I feel the topic of Play and Self is fundamentally about discovering and enjoying oneself simultaneously. I have strong views about this subject, and if given the opportunity, I would like to go deeper into it in the future. Create something that I would enjoy doing in order to learn about myself.

References:

Paley, V. G. (2005). A Child’s Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play.
Singer, D. G. & Jerome, L. S. (1990). The House of Make-Believe: Children’s Play and the Developing Imagination. 

Henricks, T. S. (2014) Play as Self-Realization Toward a General Theory of Play

Outcome:

https://youtu.be/KGMBv415GC0