blug: ICM FINAL PROPAGANDA MACHINE

James and I teamed up for our ICM final (the concept of pair-programming really rubbed on) and decided that we were both interested in creating an interactive experience that dealt with propaganda. What aspect or kind of propaganda has not yet been decided, but we ideally would like to have some examples of all different kinds: political, commercial, informative, religious or psychological.

The ideal interaction would take place in some type of booth where the user faces a tv screen; whether a modern flat screen or a tv with more personality like an old tube. There will be buttons as main interface tool, since we felt that in the case of propaganda, it would be the most obvious and intuitive choice: when you vote, you press a button, when you watch tv, you press buttons on a remote control, when you select a product out of a vending machine, you press big lit buttons and the list goes on.

The buttons will have some kind of indication of the topic/product/idea. When pressed, the viewer will be bombarded with a combination of images from videos, adds, commercials and other medias related to the button.

At the end of this experience we want the user to walk out with something physical, like a memento, a souvenir, a product of this process. He/she will be asked to select a product to receive outside of the booth. In the next cubicle, infact, James and i will be at busy at work, as in both an assembly line and also as the detached-from-society masterminds behind most propaganda you the user has just viewed/hear. The space needs to be eclosed so that he/she cannot interact with us directly, but only thru the machine, the view will limited to only parts of our bodies in order to not being able to identify us. We will be manifacturing or packaging your product and will promptly hand it to you or place it on a conveier belt/ramp, very much like the mouth of a vending machine, that will deliver it straight to you. Maybe miniture objects. Maybe logos.