This is Nick (age 18), an unusually mature and very respectful young man, due in no small part I believe, to having worked at CP for the last three summers. This is his 1st year at the Employee REC Center and hopefully not his last ! Nick graduated in June, 2014 from Margaretta High School & EHOVE in Castalia, OH. During the last two years he was involved in the Computer Networking Technology program at EHOVE, which also offers programs in Visual Media, IT, Global Business Management, Health Careers, Health Technology, Engineering, Construction and Auto Tech (wow !). EHOVE teachers come from a variety of technology and photography backgrounds, and with an average class size of 20 he got plenty of one-on-one attention. He shared that the kinds of jobs his program will prepare him for include marketing and graphic design as well as “producing internet videos for profit”, which is what Nick is focusing on. As an ‘oldster’, Nick had to tutor me for about an hour on how someone such as himself can develop a career in this area. His parents have the same reservations as I did (or had), about his prospects, and, although I still do not completely understand how he envisions developing his interest in ‘gaming’ into a lucrative career, I am sure that his confidence in himself will ultimately transform his ‘chrysalsis stage’ video media company (Youtube/FatTubaSleepGaming) into one as well known as Spielbergs DreamWorks ! To sample Nick’s work, see ‘Eyeless 2 Part 1 Little Big Planet 2‘ by FatTubaSleepGaming, his “most viewed video review” on Youtube. As (I understood) Nick explained that this is “game play with commentary . . . of me reacting to a game while playing it . . . to make a transformative work out of it . . . making it different enough, not to steal their work, it’s not copyright infringing, but adding onto their work.” The age of Nick’s ‘fan base’ is 14-25. He shared that he selects games that he sees on Youtube video magazines like ‘Playstation Magazine’, or ‘Game Informer’. Nick’s interest in gaming (like a lot of others his age) began at age 8 when he received his first ‘GAMEBOY’. He shared, “although I enjoyed what I had and made the best of it, I always felt a little behind . . . I was never the first to get anything . . . by the time I got GAMEBOY, other kids were getting GAMEBOY Advance SP, then I got Playstation PS-2 when Playstation 3 was coming out”. Paradoxically, Nick has turned his discomfort at never being the first amongst his peers to get these games, into his life’s passion, AND a way to earn money. He shared that the current trend amongst his peers is watching others play games for entertainment or to learn how to play. In order to do this, they go to Youtube channels like ‘Rooster Teeth’ or ‘SMASH’, where they produce weekly podcasts with sponsors who pay to advertise their products in popular videos. Ultimately, in response to the bewildered look on my face, as Nick attempted and re-attempted to simplify his explanation of the internet ‘video gaming’, I had to give up trying to understand this ‘Brave New World’ which he and others of his (and my grandchildren’s) generation inhabit . . . . and went back to reading my book, where I feel at home . . . . and safe
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 17:06:41 +0000
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