Do you know what your student is doing? What if you strapped a camera on his/her head and then crunched the numbers to compare activities like reading, videogaming and watching television? The answer, my friends, is on the tip of the head. Thanks for the contribution, Jan.
Tag Archives: head
NYU Professor Mounts Camera on Back of Head
No doubt tired of the student’s “kick me I’m a unibrow” signs put on his ass,
an NYU professor had a camera mounted surgically to the back of his head.
No, really. I’m not kidding. If I made this up, I’d have made it less weird.
Wafaa Bilal, a professor at New York University, had the camera mounted on the back of his skull, and is recording everything he’s already seen. It’s actually taking single images for 24-7, and I’m sure the resulting collage will be interesting — assuming he edits out sleeping. I’m not sure there’s a large global audience for a tight shot of Bilal’s pillow.
Professor, Bilal, if you’re watching… I will trade you a free guest lecture (author of Beyond Viral) just for the opportunity to see this contraption… and maybe giggle a bit. If we do a collab video, I think it’s best if you play the straight.
If you don’t reply, I might just stalk you down when I’m in NYC on Wednesday, and hold a copy of the book to the back of your head (or moon you). Then I’ll dive into the bushes if you turn around… and giggle quietly about the image of you reviewing the jpegs the next day.
Advertising So Bad It’s Good
What happens when you give funny car junkies (who happen to have their own television show called “Gear Head” on the BBC) the assignment to make a Volkswagen ad? The videos below show the completed ads (and this controversy is months old, but wonderfully new to me).
This series of ads is so wonderfully offensive (and resulted in complaints according to this source) that it seems like a brilliant premeditated viral maneuver. Almost too perfect, right? Even better, you can enjoy the “blow-by-blow” of these ads being created and reviewed by Volkswagon’s advertising agency. Was the “making of” staged completely? Probably, but how much? And how much of the controversy was authorized by Volkswagon?
Anyway it’s a brilliant depiction of the tension between creatives and advertisers, and I can only hope the show’s producers were well compensated by Volkswagon. Seriously- I don’t care about cars, and this was heavenly to me.
To see the show, visit BBC’s TopGear website here. This is bloody brilliant- every bit of it. I need to meet the people behind this, and know the REAL backstory NOW. Then again I’m still trying to hunt down the makers of BWM’s Rampenfest (still have my t-shirt). The Rampenfest site has vanished, but here are the highlights.
How’d you like to be the BBC reporter who had to write this piece for BBC about how a BBC show pissed people off?
Videogame Violence & Your Children (Parody PSA)
This video has been in discussion for months and months, and I gotta give props to SlatersGarage and Iggy35 for continuing to provide pieces for it, as I stalled on it. CharlesTrippy, FallofAutumnDistro and Edbassmaster all turned around their parts with about 24-hours notice or less!
The idea hit me earlier this year, and it was going to be a fake news report about violence, where you’re supposed to believe it’s condemning violence. But then the clips get stranger and stranger. Then it seemed like the 1940-style public service announcements (PSA) made more sense, and the campy music makes a nice contrast to the simulated violence… Frogger getting run over, Mario’s head falling off, Dora the Explorer shouting “sniper says no sniping.”
Credit to my nephew who helped develop the concept and even provided some gurgling sound effects for it.
Seems to have been worth the effort given early response. I haven’t had too many of my videos shoot to the top-20 best rated videos within hours. THANKS co-collaborators!
Sanford and Son Stole My Bald Decapitated Head
