This is a whole other level of dedication. I really like this concept – we talked privately about what the Inception idea might include in the seminar but she’s really outdone herself with this. Cool.

Heres some stuff I just wrote up for you guys to think about today, how we might structure the seminar and frame everything related to the topic. Hope it makes sense!
IN(ternet sensation)CEPTION – The Dream is Real
Like the world of Inception where dreams are ‘designed’ by ‘architects’ we now have the capability to design our career and carefully construct our ideal online persona. Social media allows us to plant ‘seeds’ in the minds of our audience and influence a broader online audience in the hyperreal world that is the online sphere.
Like the designer dreams in the movie Inception, the mobile environment is hyperreal and can be edited or manipulated and allows us to do things and reach audiences and limits which would physically be impossible in real life. Social media allows us to project an ideal image of ourselves (or a brand) and build upon this in deepening associated ‘levels’ of the dream, ultimately affecting ‘reality’ outside of the cyber sphere.
(Use this concept to frame our interview with our first guests the creators of “Homeless of Melbourne” who created a social media campaign that now has several linked accounts and has extended past the online sphere to now actually affecting the physical, tangible world with the opening of their pop up shop and the change it has been able to have on the real lives of Melbourne’s homeless. We should refer to our guests as the “architects” (like in the film) of “worlds”.
And the social media platforms they use as “tools” they have used to plant the seeds.)
For example, like different levels of ‘dreams’ in inception working on different levels so would a social media campaign:
-You start with the seed – for example a Facebook group or page. You create interest around the seed by planting an ‘idea’ – for example, that the homeless people of melbourne have stories of their own. Share these stories, create intrigue and interest. Plant the idea in the audience’s mind that these are stories worth hearing.
-You continue this by going deeper to the level of a linked Instagram account, connecting content and furthering the image you wish to project or concept you want to promote. More content creates more intrigue and allows you to cross from one form of social media to another, captivating the audience across a variety of media.
Once the ‘idea’ has been planted and now is widespread, you legitimize it by a proper website hosted outside a social media site.
You then have enough of a following to bring this into real life ‘reality’ – holding events, getting audience to actively participate by donating real money, attend events etc.
The deepest level is the real world manifestation of the online or social media project. What is the actual effect? What are the capabilities for this model to actually alter everyday reality? The ‘dream’ is now realised and the goal has been attained (the goal being homeless people supported through the proceeds of a pop up shop).
Other things we might want to address/aspects of social media that might reference the movie-
Clickbait and Advertising
In the movie the characters have ‘totems‘ which are small items to remind them they are dreaming. Like totems, the existence of Clickbait and advertisements make the user aware they are engaging in an online environment ?
How to make sure your subconscious doesn’t show up and F*&^ your dream world up, or how to create a convincing dream world- (in the movie if the persons subconscious knows the dream isn’t real it ‘attacks’ and ruins the dream) Maybe use this section as a description of what to do to avoid negative social media attention? Discuss the concept of internet sensations, memes, viral threads, and how to avoid becoming negative press online.
Or maybe even this section could be about carefully editing your personal profile or whatever so that future employers don’t find compromising photos on your Facebook – it could be about your online footprint & reputation and not having some gacked photo of you at 3am at revs coming back to bite you in the ass and stop you from getting that job you wanted (true story).