Conversation 104 - Army Base Camp (Instructional Audio 10)

Conversation between M. Schobel and J. Guerra:

M: So it's an experiment.

J: On the mind, yes. What we do is place the person into containment.

M: And experiment.
J: Precisely. We give them a laptop and wifi, set them up in isolation, and see what they turn to. This particular subject-

M: Chicago Ted?

J: Yes, an alias he came up with. He reached out to others that survived in the area. We had released a control group of men with little food, water, and protection, to see if they would rally to Chicago Ted.

M: Interesting.

J: Yes. We now know how they'll react in survivor situations.

M: Shame about the boy.

J: You feel remorse? I do not.

M: He was only sixteen, [REDACTED].

J: My dear [REDACTED], you treat Chicago Ted as if he was human. You mustn't-

Deeeeeeeeoooooooop.

M: What is that?

J: The damn audio logs. They keep going off.

This is Brandon Banton, responding to Steven May in regards to media as a whole. The entire conversation is in essence moot for several reasons. The first and foremost being the amount of success it's enjoyed thus far. Media is, was, and continues to be a dominant factor. The amount of popularity that all forms of the wide range we call "Media", has made a claw-and-scratch success out of itself. But what of Digital media, specifically? Digital media is making a very strong argument for itself. Interaction. Freedom. Individual development. All these things appeal strongly to the marketplaces -

J: Found the off switch.

M: It's weird to hear his voice so young.

J: Who, Mr. Banton?

M: Yeah.

J: Well, speaking of him, we need to get these results to his desk before Friday.

M: What does he make of your little 'experiment'?

J: Good [REDACTED], he created the experiment. I merely run it.

---END CONVERSATION---

Log Posted: (Instructional Audio 9)

The following article was discovered on December 16th, 2011, by Army Corps Rangers. The subject's writing, one Theodore Knolt, has been released publicly in relation to Free Right laws. It has been edited to fit the clarity of the subject's thoughts.

------------

And all of a sudden, it's nearly over.

All of a sudden, I'm sitting here, in the offices that I once lived in. Around me are men like me, who just tried to make a decent life for themselves, robbing and killing. And I've given them just desserts.

In my bloody fist, that I'm looking at right now, are the ruined audio logs. They played them right before each pillar they blew up. The building is structurally unstable, going to fall at any minute, and I'm in here cuddled around a laptop, bleeding everywhere. Earlier, when I said I was dying, I lied. Now I'm dying. And every sound I make could be my last breath.

I can't help but think about this blog, these tapes. They've attracted attention to me, the wrong attention. Men with guns instead of people with food. I can't help but feel like a rat in a cage, now. The building's swaying uncontrollably, and I can't do anything to stop it.

I hope this reaches people. I hope they see the motive here, that no matter what happens, no matter how bad it gets, Media will rule out. So long as people have a modem and an internet connection, we will continue to log on, post, and update each other on our statuses.

God, I hope you all get that.

This is Chicago Ted - fuck it. This is Theodore Knot, signing off.

For the last time.

--Chicago Ted.

Log Posted: (Instructional Audio 8)

The following article was discovered on December 16th, 2011, by Army Corps Rangers. The subject's writing, one Theodore Knolt, has been released publicly in relation to Free Right laws. It has been edited to fit the clarity of the subject's thoughts.

I'm dying.

I can't really explain how I know, other than the fact that the bullet's deep inside me. If I move the right way, I can feel it, lodged into my spine.

I'm using speech-to-text now, to try and say my final words.

Deeeebooooooop.

The PA turned on. They're going to taunt me again

This is Brandon Banton's response to Steven May, regarding the liberal use of "If/Then" statements. As a whole, I enjoy the concept of choice in a viewing experience, especially if said choice is immediately an obvious impact on story. However, utilizing a string of these statements in various projects, I feel, is severely limiting in creative capabilities. Instead of developing a concept that may have been floating around in our heads since the start of the year, we're forced to come up with one on the fly, making a very disgruntled feeling steal over us. We are forced to take these if/then statements and make them the focal point of our story instead of the story itself. Climaxes change. Characters are diluted. Rather than using 20 pages of character development, we are now forced to spend precious space explaining what happened in each different 'fork' of the path.

An example of choice.

Again, I truly enjoy the concept of choice. But sometimes choice is too much.

I can't do this anymore. I... I can't. Computer. Deactivate.

-ChicagoTed

Now you're messing with a... (Instructional Audio 7)

The proverbial shit has hit the metaphorical fan.

I was attempting to get those raiders out of my place of residence again, mostly to get to the Audio tapes. Strange that they've kept me mostly alive throughout my days here. Not alive as in they feed and clothe me, but alive in the psychology sense.

As I was limping with my bandaged wounds towards the exit, I heard the following.

This is a response from Brandon Banton to Steven May, regarding Video Games in media. I personally am a firm believer in video games as an art form, as they've taken the base concepts of Media (art, music, cinematics) and thrown in their own mix (3D rendering, player control). These concepts alone are something that society looks at with pride and appreciation. When they are together, however, certain elitists in the newsmedia and the upper class tend to thumb their nose towards them. My question is why? Why turn down the prospect of combining art forms? Because of content? Because of the tendency to be loved by younger audiences?

In the end, I don’t think there’s anything beyond a complete discrimination towards these pieces of technology. It’s an apt metaphor for life in general, actually. We as a species thrive on elitism, the bitten-thumb towards those that are lesser than us. Art is apparently no exception.

Strong opinions from this boy.

I’m looking to free my hideout soon, because the bastards apparently have my audio tapes.

You can shoot me. You can steal my food. But you can’t take professor Steven May from me.

-Chicago Ted

God's ain't going to get you, son (Instructional Audio 6)

Hello, Internet. This is God.

Just joking. Ted again. Hitting you up from a more secure position.

What a month I've had. It began when raiders found my position, which resulted in a minor

gunfight from the tower of E-wing, all the way down to the bottom level of A. I took a few in the leg, but it wasn't anything a little unlicensed surgery could handle. The problem was my water bottles, those things I've been refilling every few hours. As any survivalist will tell you (Link Here) water is the key ingredient to surviving any apocalypse.

So, without water, shot twice in the legs, and about forty-two rounds short, I managed to find myself in the middle of a shitstorm situation. While I dug the bullets out with some pliers, I realized that I had a lot of time to kill before I could re-invade my own home.

So I listened to some more Audio files. And discovered that I wanted to write a script.

My process started with a simple concept: I wanted a story like an apocalypse. Something like mine, but not involving… whatever was out there. I started with the main character’s name – Michael – and something he was chasing – food for survival – and went from there. Suddenly, I had a whirlwind of activity on my mind, rushing through like a waterfall. What resulted was a colourful cast of characters that I should really flesh out a little more.

More tomorrow,

--ChicagoTed.

Stop, Hey, What's that sound? (Instructional Audio 5)

This week, after reviewing the last four tapes, I thought I'd do some review myself, kind of a reflection of what I've accomplished.

It's looking, so far, that these tapes will mostly include learning about the various types and forms of Media in a Digital setting. Which is, I suppose, exactly what it says on the tin. I'm really enjoying going through these, because it gets my thinker a-thinking when it comes to stories and the like.

So I'm going to discuss the story idea that the instructor (Still haven't quite caught his name - I expect it'll be revealed to me eventually) keeps talking about to his students. For quite a while before the apocalypse came true, I had been attempting to write a screenplay tentatively titled "anxious". It was to be about my younger sister, and her constant and horrifying struggle with depression and anxiety. I wanted to convey two facts irrevocably; one that being depressed and having depression are two very different things, and the other being that you cannot expect those kinds of illnesses - for they are an illness - to go away.

Not without our help. But it doesn't really matter now, I suppose, being that most of the population is now dead and shambling around, and the few people I've met or spoken to in chat rooms and email are rapidly giving up hope. I'm here to tell you, fellow survivors, to not give up. Not yet. There's a whole world out there, and all you need do is grasp it.

Take care, talk soon.

-C.T.

All along the Watchtower (Instructional Audio 4)

To dive right into the interesting stuff, here we go.

The 4th tape in the compilation deals with something that I find very interesting; Digital Media as a whole. The definition of this is something that requires an input of some kind from the audience, almost like a choose-your-own adventure type style. In this vein, the class was shown a few examples of such Media, including something called 'endgame' where you're trying to find out about someone being kidnapped. These kinds of media I can really get into.

One example of an interactive media website I visited was a title launch of a video game, Deus Ex: Human Revolution; Sarif Industries, named after a key company in the game. The website is displayed as being 'hacked' by a certain revolutionary group that also plays a key role in the plot, and there's even little audio files hidden around it that reveal even more details about those who have hacked the site in protest.

These kinds of media are a godsend in more ways than one. They allow us to feel as if we have an interactive real say in the story, and they prove as great supplements for existing plots. Especially when people start throwing Alternate Reality Games (ARG's) into the mix that fit well with video games or movies. I'm really excited normally by this prospect, because of the creative content.

An example of an ARG. This one tied into the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

It's going on 9 in the morning, now, and I still need to find out when the Trading Caravan is heading over. See you later for now, Fellow Survivors.

-C.T.

And all men's hearts burn and beat (Instructional Audio Tape 3)

Welcome back, gang!

Today I ran out of AK ammo. Brilliant gun, but I didn't exactly have time to take a marksmanship class. It was mostly used to beat the rusted locks off of the roof access hatches in this building. Still useful without ammo, but now I know that if it's me versus one of these... things, down a corridor then I guess I'm running. Close quarters doesn't really work against this type of enemy.

I'm hoping that some of you reading this are here for the actual instructional side of things and not just hearing from another survivor, but either way, you're here. I'm grateful. It feels like old times again. Although, I am questioning a few things. Like why I have internet access. It seems as if te power is perfectly fine, and the routers haven't been damaged too badly. This is nothing like the movies I loved to watch.

I digress.

Today's audio recording was in regards to Digital Media, and what it consists of. Essentially, Digital Media is a type of story that involves user input, so they are an active part in the lives of others. One example shown to the class (I followed along with it online) was of a man who literally filled his apartment with webcams and microphones, and lived it publicly. He had a chatroom going where he and his wife would answer questions, and everyone was watching them every day.

Wow.

I want to be famous as much as the next guy, but holy shit, people! I don't think I would take it that far. Not being able to wipe after a solid bowel movement in private? Not being able to enjoy the intimacies of marriage without every single creepy, pedophilic, lonely man watching, waiting to see some skin?

Way too spooky.

This guy is a hack. An absolute cancer on what made society great (before they came, that is) and if I ever met him today, here, and now, I would lock him out. He might try to use the limited activity I have to set up a masturbation cam or something.

Anyways, that's really all I have time for. Does anyone have any tips on rooftop gardening? I really need to start growing my own food sources; nearly run out.

Sincerely,

--C.T.

I've been on my own a while. (Instructional Audio 2)

It's hard to keep this up with them knocking on the glass doors downstairs, having to go down every three or four hours to clear them out is a taxing endeavour. But here I am, trying to keep this thing going.

Four of you contacted me a couple of weeks ago, and yes, I do have extra AK-47 ammunition, but I'm low on canned pears. So if you could bring some with you to trade, I'll be more than happy to share it with you. A full itemized list of my inventory can be found on my alternate website - The Nice Man.

And now, onto the project I started a few weeks ago, abandoned, and am now picking back up.

Listening to the second audio tape, I thought of something interesting.

The tape contained a bunch of advice on how to write a script, the proper format to writing one, and ideas for starting your own scripts. The audio was pretty bad - it sounded like someone kept knocking the table where the tape recorder was sitting or something - but I managed to get a garbled version of it.

If you are reading this, it means your internet was saved. Which means that you can do this exercise with me. Go to Scriptnurse.com, read how to write a script, and write a short one. The instructor (Seemed to be named "Steeen", but I can't be sure) has his class primed to write a short (6 minute, I made out) script. He also had them watch a bunch of individual movies that I couldn't find because of the host server being down, but it was a long shot anyway, and the lesson didn't really need it to be effective.

Scriptwriting, I find, is a lost art. Well, now it's even more lost, what with the crazy bands of roving... nightmares walking the streets, but I'd say that it's lost even dating to the 2000's. Scripts back then were more packed with useless dialogue and one dimensional characters than a camel that is forced to carry the United States treasury on its back. The most interesting scripts, that had the most depth, were scripts written with the intention of direction, from the likes of Tarantino, Aronofsky, and those types of writer/directors that did so well in the industry. Because of their vision and conception of the project at hand, they were able to describe the picture and image they saw and work towards that goal, not bothering to hide such things like camera movements.

The problem with teaching scriptwriting, of course, is that there are a lot of rules that don't apply in all situations. For every creative mind working within the boundaries put before them in regards to the rules of screenplays, there are a pocket of film makers and writers working just as fervently outside those parameters. I understand that rules in regards to writing are important, but just as important is content. If a scene that doesn't sit well with you requires you to bend the rules of screenwriting, then I say to hell with it; rules were meant to be broken. If it leads to a better script, why not, right?

I haven't cleaned my dishes in a good while, so I better get going on that. Want to get to J-Wing before it gets dark out here. Remember, folks, if you have a radio, turn it to channel 104.9 FM (In the G.T.A) for survival tips from our friend Loony the Loverboy.

And if you have a connection, please hit me back.

-C.T.

Let's get right into it, shall we? (Instructional Audio 1)

In the first log, the class discusses a story and methods of telling them. What constitutes as a good one, what constitutes as a bad one. One sharp shooter (clearly the smart one of the bunch) said that rising action, strong characters, and a satisfying conclusion all are means of a good story. I think the instructor referred to him as Brandon. What a guy.

I agree with him. Some pre-event movies and even other media I was really drawn towards, way back when we all thought a terabyte was a lot of memory (how naïve were we!?) and pirating was still not punishable by death. One game in particular I played a lot as a child was a game called Mass Effect, developed by Bioware. The story not only was chock full of interesting characters, clever dialogue, and an all-encompassing story that spanned three different games, its climax was the most satisfying thing I ever played in the 2000s. I remember it released a visceral reaction in me, how I actually played it standing up because I couldn’t bear to not be in my seat when it reached the credit sequence. All these factors in every way contributed to a satisfying and face-meltingly awesome experience that was re-playable.

And I played it again. And again.

On the flipside of this, however, was a movie that just fell flat on every one of those points, involving a weak and poorly paced story, two dimensional and face-palmingly horrifying characters, and an attempt at horror that was laughable – not in a bad way. I’m referring, of course, to Dawn of the Dead – the remake, not the original.

Funny, how that movie kind of predicted our current situation. If you’re looking for a movie to take your mind off our plight, don’t choose that one.

Right off the bat, the movie features some spectacularly bad acting and even worse dialog. I even looked the script up at the time to find out if it was just a bad acting job or an altogether terrible effort by all parties. Zack Snyder, it seemed to me, has actually ruined a great concept. Well, until it came true, that is.

Here are the graves I dug for this info;

Mass Effect Review: http://www.oxmonline.com/mass-effect-review

The wind’s picking up, and I’m worried that it’ll blow my scent towards them, so I’m going to wrap this up quick and prepare for an entrance.

Remember to contact me if you’re a survivor. I would love to hear from you.

--C.T.

Here we are.

If you're reading this, then you've survived it too. You know what I'm referring to. The things that go bump in the night; the screams that keep us all up when the sun disappears behind that black cesspool of nuclear dust that we call a horizon nowadays. There are so few of us left, that we can't afford to not recognize each other. That's why I've posted these blogs.

The world still needs humour, right? And the world still needs education.

That's why I cooked this here plan up. I'm holed up in a strange... campus, I guess? Some place that was called "Sheida". Or maybe it looks like that because there are a few letters missing from the sign. I don't know. Either way, it looks like it was some sort of school before the creepy crawlies on our doorstep came a knockin'. I found a laptop here, belonging to someone named "Steve May", a professor of Story Telling in Digital Media. He apparently had some crazy students, with some of the notes he took.

Anyway, he kept a recording of each lesson he taught, some kind of ego boost, I guess. Or maybe a learning tool; at this point it doesn't matter. I've been listening to them, and well... I think that this is a good place to share them with whoever is alive out there. I realize that it's not the most practical of subjects to learn in the middle of a world teeming with monsters, but its something to keep our minds off of things.

Maybe you all could post your responses, as well. I'd like that.

Keep on living out there. That's all that we can do.

-C.T