Have a close look at this picture. It looks like a young boy about 6 years old who appears to be playing a computer game using the sixaxis controller for the PS3. Take a closer look and maybe, like me, you'll begin to think that something's not quite right here...
First of all, look at his face: does that look like the face that children make when they are lost in a game? His bored and indifferent look suggests that maybe the computer game is not switched on at the wall!
Also, look at his posture. Again it shouts out that there is a clear lack of engagement and disinterest in what he is playing.
What on esrth is going with this young man I ask? Does he really have a PS3 that works?!!! I don't think so and neither do I think do Sony! Well this picture was taken from a short video clip that is currently being used in a new campaign by the Department of Health via their Change4Life initiative.
Take a look at the short clip from which this photo was taken and try not to feel the presence of the director at the side asking the young lad to look unhappy and unhealthy.
I have recent experience of this attempt to reinforce uninformed and unhelpful stereotypes of game players when I accompanied a BBC crew to a school in Scotland to investigate our use of Dr Kawashima's Brain Training in schools. The editorial take was such that they wanted to show the transition form 'old school' to 'new school' by taking a shot of the kids using pencil and paper and looking 'glum' as they did this. Happy faces would then return when the DS came out! Needless to say we intervened to ask this not to happen because it's not the message that we want to give nor is it the ethos that we aim to nurture. It does look like we still have to fully address the easy negative image that has been associated with computer games. I bet the production team all went home to play with their Wii that's in the living room though ;-)
A tip for Director's who want to construct an appropriately negative image of children and games in future. Get real! Children do not look like that when they are challenged, excited and engaged by the complex environments that games can offer them. Maybe eventually the message will get through...
Find me a child that sits down to play a game! Also tell me what's wrong with eating a sponge cake. This ad seems to be clearly directed at a middle class parental audience group. Gaming participation along with anything else that children do is about balance. It's a shame that this advert seems so intent on promoting such a negative image
Posted by: Lynne Lewis | March 10, 2009 at 08:40 PM
Exactly Lynn.
Posted by: Derek Robertson | March 10, 2009 at 10:08 PM
Lovely expose. It would seem that they're lining up around the block to attack the blockheads who commissioned this nonsense. I've acknowledge you in a referenced piece in my own blog. Thanks Derek.
Posted by: Donadl Clark | March 16, 2009 at 11:23 PM
The kid's clearly on the later part of a 12-hour gaming marathon stretch. Just barely holding himself up and awake because he loves playing his PS3 so much. Clearly.
Posted by: John Roda | May 25, 2009 at 03:03 PM
Hi,
The best media that works for the different PS3's I have tested (launch 60gb, 80gb, 40gb) is Verbatim. Unfortunately they do not make a 50gb BD-RE yet...but the Verbatim 25GB BD-RE have worked the best.
r4
Posted by: r4 | June 10, 2009 at 07:51 AM
Yep is only an anouncement
Posted by: Alzheimer | September 14, 2009 at 05:25 PM
I don't know any child who would look so bored when engrossed with a game, specially one's like PS3 or any media/computer games in particular.
And how would such a video make the campaign- "change4life" be realized?
What exactly do the department of health wanted to emphasize in this video?
Do they want to show that this games and many other forms of media/computer games are unhealthy?
well, I could agree on that, they do, and not only health but it is affecting the performance of children in school and is also the very reason I believe, on why the academic performances of schools are not good.
But, the video doesn't show that.
I think it might be negatively taken by the companies who making these stuff for kids..
or kids of all ages:)..
Posted by: deadale | October 23, 2009 at 08:18 AM
Interesting and hilarious! PS3 is all about falling of my chair, but on the second thought, perhaps it is something he brutally dislike after all - say, a game for girls?!
Posted by: David Swensen | December 17, 2009 at 03:10 AM
Is it possible he is indeed playing a game in which he's utterly absorbed? I've been fed images by magazine and TV so often I tend to have a stereotyped view myself of what emotions look like - ecstasy, love, excitement and boredom in the media are not recognised unless they are pantomime comic book expressions. But when I see some children playing a game they can be so intent on it they're in Zen zone. Any chance this boy might be in flow? Or seriously intent on his game? I suppose it depends which bit of the game he's in. Not that I wish to defend anyone who thinks games are inevitably bad.
Posted by: Karen Johnson | February 25, 2010 at 07:45 PM