Project Description

Have you ever wanted to call attention to events and people that have fallen out of mainstream media, such as the protests in Iran, the murder of reporters in Russia, or the deforestation in Brazil? DiorActive blends elements of cosplay, DIY construction, outdoor theater and research to recreate events and people with the ultimate goal of raising awareness and encouraging action.

Ideally, the DiorActive community can have several chapters in cities around the world, while individual projects can be discussed on the main website. For each project, research needs to be done and collected through Open Source info-hubs like Wikipedia, Instructables, and ccLearn or through the mainstream media. Then, once a project is completed and has been performed in public, it is free for any other chapter to use or remix.

Stress is placed on information: both on its accuracy and relevancy. Also, The DiorActive Project strives to avoid bias, partisanship, and misinformation. Controversy is not prohibited, but common sense is a must in tricky situations.

I want DiorActive to team up with other organizations like Amnesty International, Change.org, OCHA (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) to raise awareness and easily provide an outlet for intelligent action.

Inspiration

I was inspired to create this because I want people to reach out into their community and make a difference! If someone can pass by my diorama and continue to think about that issue for the rest of their day and decide to take action, then my job is done. Also, I was frustrated with how quickly imporant issues fade out of media's tiny focus: the Protests in Iran being my main concern (It was covered continuously for days, then suddenly dropped off of the 5 'o' clock news on every channel. Nothing in Iran changed, but the media was tired of covering it. Violence was still occurring, arrests still being made, but little to no coverage.)

I was inspired by zombie flashmobs, monochrom, Civil War reenactments, Improv Everywhere, www.change.org, and an experience at Anime Central in 2005. Not in that order.

Who will enjoy this the most?

I was inspired to create this because I want people to reach out into their community and make a difference! If someone can pass by my diorama and continue to think about that issue for the rest of their day and decide to take action, then my job is done. Also, I was frustrated with how quickly imporant issues fade out of media's tiny focus: the Protests in Iran being my main concern (It was covered continuously for days, then suddenly dropped off of the 5 'o' clock news on every channel. Nothing in Iran changed, but the media was tired of covering it. Violence was still occurring, arrests still being made, but little to no coverage.)

I was inspired by zombie flashmobs, monochrom, Civil War reenactments, Improv Everywhere, www.change.org, and an experience at Anime Central in 2005. Not in that order.

The Project

Project 1: Refugee Camps in Asia or Africa

First, lots of research was done to make sure my presentation was accurate. I looked up information through Wikipedia, the UN website, and sites like Amnesty International. I didn't have much time, so I put this presentation in my yard. Then, I started building the props:

Making a tent: I used two garden stakes that were a yard long, and a wooden stick I found in my garage that was 1.5 yards long. I drove the stakes into the ground, and then taped on the wooden stick horizontally across the two stakes. Then, I cut an old sheet into a long rectangle, with the width of the rectangle being as long as the wooden stick. The length was pretty long -  I didn't trim it, but I tucked the ends underneath.

The next part was tricky - I used four strings to make the bottom of the tent completely vertical. I poked holes in the tent about 3 feet from the top, and used nails to tie down the strings. This gave the tent a more authentic look, so it wasn't just a sheet draped over a few sticks. However, this tent can barely stand prairie winds, let alone a sandstorm in Chad!

I painted UNHCR on the side of the tent in messy block letters with blue paint, and added a rug and other fabric in the tent.

Next time, I hope to use more authentic materials - canvas, wood, and real twine, for starters. Also, using spray paint for the letters on the side would have been better, as well as adding the UN symbol (a round globe-map with laurels).

The Terrain: I cut up a green sheet to serve as a sort of tarp - this provides for quick clean-up, and doesn't mess up our lawn. I spread play sand over the green to try and create a tiny desert. I added a dirty bucket with water, and some charcoal and burnt wood to look like a cooking fire.

Next time, I want to use a bigger tarp and more sand, just to make sure everything is covered. The problem would be pitching the tent on the sand, because you obviously don't want to poke holes in the layer under the sand, but you want the tent to stand up.

My neighbors and my family were curious, so I gave them this flyer to help inform them about the situation in Africa. They were impressed, and a few logged on the websites to find out more.

Project 2: Anastasia Baburova and Stanislav Markelov

Do a ton of research on the state of affairs in Russia, underground crime, corruption, and the lives of the people you are trying to portray. Then stand in a public place and talk to people about why you were killed, providing a sign or flyers or something with questions the public can ask (examples: Who are you? What were you reporting on? Why were you killed? Has anything been done to find your murderer?).

I did a ton of research on human rights in Russia, the mysterious deaths of journalists, and what they were researching. This issue is a lot more bloody than I imagined, and I don't think that it is covered often in American media. Ideally, I would wait until January 15th, dress up in warm clothes, and "haunt" a particular area in my community. These flyers would sit nearby: