Olivia De Camps is a freelance Dominican-American film student in her Senior year at New York University Tisch School of The Arts and a former intern at the New York based independent film production company, Killer Films Inc.
For her latest project, she has teamed with producer and writer Tom Sidi in order to produce a documentary examining the ways in which people use virtual worlds like Second Life, with their introduction to the project stating:
THROUGH A SERIES OF INDIVIDUAL STORIES, THIS DOCUMENTARY AIMS TO EXPLORE THE CORE OF BASIC HUMAN INTERACTION. FOR MANY INDIVIDUALS, VIRTUAL WORLDS NOT ONLY SERVE AS ESCAPISM, BUT ALSO MORPH INTO AN EXPANSION OF THEIR REAL LIFE – WHERE GENUINE FRIENDSHIPS ARE FORMED, ECONOMY THRIVES, AND OFTEN ROMANCE IS BUILT UPON AN VIRTUAL IMAGES THAT IS FREQUENTLY TRANSFERRED INTO THE REAL WORLD. USERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO IMMERSE IN THE WORLD THEY HAVE ALWAYS DREAMED OF LIVING IN, EXPLORING THEIR GENDER, RACIAL OR SEXUAL IDENTITY, AND CREATING STRONG BONDS WITH PEOPLE THEY MIGHT NEVER GET A CHANCE TO MEET OFF-SCREEN. AS WE HAVE BEEN SUCK AT HOME WITHOUT A POSSIBILITY TO PHYSICALLY MEET, THE IDEA OF A DIGITAL WORLD HAS BECOME EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE.
– Olivia De Camps and Tom Sidi
In order to make the documentary, the team are seeking Second Life users who are willing to to be interviewed and have their avatars filmed as they tell their own stories about their particular interest(s) in, and use of, the platform. In particular, they are interested in hearing from people who can represent the broadest possible use of Second Life, noting:
WE ARE SEARCHING FOR STORIES TO TELL FROM AN EXPERIENTIAL, NON-JUDGEMENTAL AND VISUALLY-DRIVE WAY. TELL US YOUR STORY! HOW HAS SL BEEN A WORLD FOR YOU IN QUARANTINE? HAS IT HELPED YOU FIND YOUR IDENTITY? DID YOU FORM A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP ON THE PLATFORM? IF YOU ARE AN ARTIST, DO YOU COME HERE TO SHARE YOUR WORKS (DESIGN, CLOTHES, HOST VIRTUAL RAVES, TAKE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY)? WE ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THEIR SL EXPERIENCES WITH US, DURING OR BEFORE QUARANTINE. YOU CAN CHOOSE TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS IF YOU WISH.
– Olivia De Camps and Tom Sidi
Those interested in taking part or wish to receive further information, should cotact either Olivia (oliviadecamps-at-gmail.com) or Tom ( t-at-boraxcfm.com) directly.
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