As mentioned in my previous blog my group and I are planning to focus on the concept of dissociative identity disorder (DID) through the form of vlogs connecting to an online website. Through these vlogs we want to be able to capture how the charter feel’s and copes throughout the day . We were able to gather consistent feedback in order to develop our final idea. Many people enjoyed the idea of the creation of vlogs and the idea of creating a fiction storyline on YouTube. From this I learned that there are many functions on YouTube that can show the characteristics of interactivity. These include the functions of polls, captions or info cards which can link to other websites.

Some groups even suggested to focus on another online platform such as Instagram as many people use this platform as another way of expressing there identity. Making an Instagram account for each alter ego can help audiences make connections to the multiple personalities and identities that one can have with the disorder. One group suggested to try an interactive website called eko which allows individuals to choose their own path and navigate their own story. This website really intrigued me therefore I plan to investigate this further.

In order to help with the storyline of our project I decided to investigate some short films on YouTube in order to gain some inspiration. I came across this short film called ‘Inside’ published in 2010. ‘Inside’ is a linear fiction short film that demonstrates dissociative identity disorder from the perspective of the patient. The film was created to show the multiple alter egos that a patient with the illness can have by visually portraying the other identities. After watching the clip as an audience member I felt very confused which was established on purpose to show the confusion of the patient. The dark lighting and eerie sound effects established an intense environment that can have the ability to trigger reactions with viewers. The editing, dark lighting and different camera angles establishes a dramatic and intense mood. The project shows a more theatrical version of DID straightforwardly showing individuals the effects of the disorder. There are not many characteristics that show interactivity making it more of a liner source however the short duration and inclusion of sound effects as well as different camera angles has the ability to draw audiences in.

We could use similar idea’s throughout our own project by  showcasing the many identities through the use of sound effects and voice overs. Establishing different camera angles and changing the lighting through the editing process can help audiences understand the changes with each alter ego. At the beginning of the short it warns people about the following content and for our project we plan to do the same. This video however has the effect to villainize the disorder which is one of our main constraints as we want to bring awareness so we need to try and create a storyline that showcases the disorder in a lighter way.