Attending
@hazem, @unknown_author, @mahmoud, @owen
Summary
This week we had an interesting discussion about developing a new media platform exploring how storytelling can amplify citizen journalism and activism, how to bring very local stories to a global audience, and filmmaking combined with digital nomadism.
Discussion
@unknown_author brings up the idea of a platform to create stories that revolve around building a sustainable future, as discussed recently here, a new media platform where people can get help publishing new stories using a process that creates value for a community, similar to what is already happening on Edgeryders but with a focus on creative storytelling.
@owen - currently working on a distributed tv platform that could be combined with the above idea. The platform’s premise is to make it easy to build TV channels based in different locations around the world - sort of ambient location based TV. First plan is to set up in Exarchia, Athens. Will be using an open Wi-Fi mesh network in Exarchia that already exists, anyone using the network in the area can upload content to the channel. So a highly localised TV channel, viewable to anyone in the world. Something that could also easily be deployed in Essaouira, for example.
@unknown_author - expands on this with his experience with independent radio networks, and how this could be useful in bringing very local cultures that are essentially disconnected from the online world - and find unique stories from these places that can be shared.
@hazem - mentions the opportunity to produce original content in Essaouira and other locations around Morocco. Excited about the idea, has a list of potential locations to visit. Believes that many locations are undervalued by marketing/tourism efforts that are misaligned with the realities of a place - usually far more interesting than the way in which they are presented to visitors.
@mahmoud joins from Jordan, where he is currently working in online media, with aramram.com - a web TV platform producing regional content in Arabic in the Middle East. Excited about new storytelling ideas - media initiatives including in Amman, where the target is to build an alternative image of a city or place that is not touristic but real. Also interested in how this fits with digital nomadism, exploring ways to live and work remotely in the fields of graphic design, programming, filmmaking and photography.
@owen - thoughts on how filmmaking is evolving to become more and more (already is) a nomadic creative form, not only in a technical sense, where locations are improvised and shooting is free form, but also in how the story arc encompasses multiple perspectives, influenced by an ever changing context and the people who exist in them. call it ‘agile storytelling’ - a form that absorbs the stories and characters of the immediate environment, rather than sets out with a predetermined script.
@mahmoud - expands on the nomadic + storytelling theme talking about spicyroad.org - with the mission of “Hitchhiking for feminism and refugee support”, collecting recipes along the way and documenting with video and photography. Started in Berlin and ended up in SE Asia - the journey they took can be seen on a map, with documented entries on every stop of the way. More of a generic platform Tripline, allows you to map your stories in a similar fashion.
@owen - the idea of embeddable maps, or context aware (unobtrusive) information overlays, while you watch a video, with a link to an article or someone’s entry on the Edgeryders platform, sounds pretty cool and an interesting use of mixed media. Combining maps with video also plays into the theme of storytelling and nomadism.
@hazem proposes a centralised wiki to outline the idea, production plan, stories to tell, logistics involved (travel, equipment). What it needs will be planning, clarity and ideas for stories. How much of it will rely on online discussion, how much will be searching for something unknown out in the field - remains to be seen.
What is clear is that we all see a great opportunity to start working on something soon, and the Essaouira retreat seems to be a likely fit.