We kicked off the new year at TLA with four words: Live. Action. Role. Playing.
Also known as LARP.
But first, a few items of note:
- Two members completed their master’s degree thesis last month: Cynthia Lieberman and Angelique Toschi. Grats, ladies!
- There was a consensus amongst the group that when you give a brief introduction of yourself to the group, it’s probably best not to use the word, “suck.” It’s definitely not good to use it twice.
- Mike Bonifer highlighted an interesting new project: LoNYLa Project.
The site describes the London/New York/Los Angeles (LoNYLa…get it?) as, “a shared, collaborative space for artists worldwide to develop and expose new material for stage, film and television” where the “project will provide a lab environment that links three major cities to help artists develop material for stage, film and television. Leveraging new media applications and the Internet, LoNyLa will facilitate transatlantic collaboration, feedback and exposure for artists and their work.”
Mike promised more inside details, so watch the distro list…but now, back to the LARP!
Aaron Vanek ran an experience called ‘The Road Not Taken’ for the entire group as a prelude to discussing the format of the experience and its possible role in transmedia storytelling. This LARP presents a series of different ethical dilemmas, where the outcomes were neither right nor wrong and the emphasis was on the improvisational and collaborative nature of the scenarios to creatively resolve the dilemma.
Aaron passed out a “Player Briefing” document, then explained how we would play this LARP.
While everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, we also took it seriously and spent time “getting into character.”
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...while Cynthia's and Mike's dopplegangers and Jenka Gurfinkel, Angelique Toschi, Dan Novy, and Chia Lynn listen
We ran almost ten different rounds of what can only be described as very intense scenarios. One group member was the main character and was surrounded by the rest of the members who tried to persuade the main character to choose a particular path. Voices were raised, and more than a few wild gestures were thrown. We even had a spontaneous outbreak of Power Knitting during a break!
After the LARP, Aaron gave a bit more background on LARPing and answered questions.
Thanks to everyone who participated in the LARP, as well as to Aaron for volunteering to run it. If you’d like to know more about LARPing, email Aaron directly (and be aware that a major LARP convention, Wyrdcon, is coming to Southern California in June).
Below is a copy of the email Aaron sent out to the group:
“Hello,
Thanks to everyone who came out and participated in the larp “The Road Not Taken” last night. That was tossing you into the deep end of live action role playing.
Notes:
My essay on larp is a free PDF. It’s called “Cooler Than You Think: Understanding Live Action Role Playing”, and although long, it has some cool illustrations by my friend Jennifer Albright and a lot of white space. It’s inspired by Scott McCloud’s landmark book, Understanding Comics.
The Road Not Taken was created by and designed by Mike Young of Interactivities Ink. From his website, you can freely download the original TRNT scenes as well as more of Mike’s games.
The scenes from last night were written by me. I am in the process of rewriting more scenes to go to Belarus as part of the larpwriter challenge. That group is looking at larp as an instrument of social change, a very (VERY) big topic in the Nordic larp scene, which is ahead of us here in America. But I’m trying to get us catch up to them. ;-)
You all did great in the run of TRNT last night. I hope it spurred some thoughts and creativity. Thanks for sticking around and discussing it.
Some issues I want to make, notes on the run:
(all my opinion)
1. Genuine human interaction is hard to fake or replicate in static words. Body language and volume and vocal inflection do a lot in interaction. Notice last night that where people were standing was important. I like that Dan got on his knees for the scene of “boyfriend in a coma”. How can an interactive dynamic change when someone is kneeling before you? Can we do that with twitter? Are emoticons up to the task?
In a chat, for example, why do some programs give us a small indication that the other person is typing? What about chat where you see exactly what they are typing in real time?
Does it give more emotional subtext to see someone write “I love” and then delete the word “love” and write “really like”?
2. TRNT is really about the group.
This is the second time I’ve run it, and I’ve played it once (Mike’s scenes). In each instance, the group has grown together, gotten to know each other better, after just a few scenes.
It’s a great team building exercise, even if the scenes aren’t directly about anyone particular in the group. I notice that the first few scenes are a little awkward, but by the fourth or fifth, they can get really intense. I
was tempted to bring a box of kleenex, because in the other two runs, there were tears.
The other runs, though, were in a quiet, secluded room, and each scene had ten minutes, not five.
But what I like about this, and one of the main elements of larp that I enjoy, is that the participants are creating the content, the story. TRNT is really hands off for me as the writer, all I did was explain rules and watch the clock. You did all the rest.
I think that aspect of larp, and transmedia, is one of the highest hurdles for commercial companies: “What, you mean I turn my IP over to the public? GET OUT!”
In my little socialist head, that’s exactly what I want to do: *use larp to show people how to entertain themselves with less corporate-fed packages.* Of course, this is also why I’m broke.
Mike Young is writing up an essay on how to write TRNT scenes, so people can take that system and create their own content. After my second run, I had some who wanted to do just that, but I wasn’t able to help or participate in that.
3. As I said last night, elf ears and boffers are to larp as super heroes are to comic books.
Fantasy campaigns (and I’m involved in them) are fun, flashy, and the most recognizable, the most profitable as a larp, but Superman and Spider-Man are not all of comic books.
I’m interested in widening the reach and understanding of larp to include things like mock trials, the Model UN, military simulations, the Stanford Prison Experiment (larp gone bad), etc. I’m interested in the fringes of larp.
Just as a crazy note, a friend of mine spotted what may be the first reference to modern American larp in a 1941 issue of LIFE magazine (go to page 102).
*4. So my question to the list is, how is larp transmedia, or is transmedia larp, or both, or neither, or something else?*
5. I would love to debate and discuss that question further at Wyrd Con.
Transmedia and ARGs are invited; I have a meeting room reserved all weekend just for Transmedia; we can do anything you want. I would especially like to encourage a game or event as well as panel discussions, roundtable,
lectures, etc.
I would especially like to see some kind of activity that leads up to a climax at the convention. So maybe a Twitter creation group, where each person is a deity in a pantheon, create a world, and then at the con we play in the world? A spy thriller? An election/campaign for Galactic Emperor?
And of course, I encourage everyone to sign up and register for Wyrd Conthis year. If you run stuff, you get deals on membership and such. I also have discounts I can offer.
Re: Boffers
Tara, if you want to build boffers and have a combat, I can arrange that (easily). I’m on the Board of Directors for LARP Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to outreach and education of larp. They have regular fighter’s guild practices all around SoCal on the weekend. On January 16, for example, Adrianne (VP of LARP Alliance, technical consultant on the Paul Rudd movie Role Models) and I will be at a seminar in OC for the Girl Scouts of America that will have workshops on voice acting, movement theory and improv, costuming, set design, prop building, and combat. In all seriousness, I can easily bring a bunch of weapons and instructors.
The latest video from the band A Hawk and a Hacksaw features boffer combat and weapon building.
The two main duelists are friends of mine: Rick, with the long black hair and barbarian outfit, is the president of LARP Alliance. Tony, the guy in armor, is relatively new to larping.
Finally, I don’t think this larp documentary is out yet, but I’m the guy in the suit in the first ten seconds of it. Rick and Adrianne of LARP Alliance are as well.
Keep playing!
Aaron”
January 20th at Crashspace. Robert Pratten will demo and discuss his new platform, Transmedia Storyteller!
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