Original Music and Sound Design: Agent Walker
Digital Video: Agents Adams, Shafer, TV Boy
Digital Photography: Agents Nicholson, Fountain, Sokoler
Produced by: Agent Biederman
edited by: Matt Adams
For our fifth annual Mp3 Experiment, over 1,000 people downloaded the same mp3, pressed play at the same time, and had a blast together on a misty, gray day on Governor’s Island in New York Harbor. This year we partnered with Yahoo! to transform The Mp3 Experiment into a full-on North American tour; after the New York mission, we made stops in Toronto, San Francisco, and Chicago. You can see a highlight video of the entire tour here.
Below is the mission report for the New York event. Enjoy!
If you’ve never heard of The Mp3 Experiment, check out our coverage of the past four years:
This year’s location was beautiful Governor’s Island. The island sits in New York Harbor just a seven-minute ferry ride away from Manhattan. The island has a beautiful fort and castle, and it played a role in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the Civil War. It was an Army post from 1783 until 1966 when it was transferred to the Coast Guard. In 2003, the Cost Guard sold it to the city for a symbolic $1, and it has been open to the public on summer weekends since then. While visiting earlier this summer, I came across this sign:
To participate in this year’s experiment, agents were given these instructions. Everyone synchronized their watch to the clock on the instruction page, downloaded the mp3, wore a red, blue, yellow, or green shirt, and then took the ferry to the island. At exactly 3:15 PM, everyone pressed play from wherever they happened to be on the island.
Canadian Geese flee the island as our participants arrive
It was fun watching the deserted island (there weren’t too many tourists visiting on such an overcast day) fill up with primary colors as our participants started arriving, many getting there a few hours ahead of time to explore the island. We had a wonderfully diverse group of people show up this year. All ages, races, and backgrounds were present. We had newborns, children, high school kids, college students, 20/30somethings, parents, and grandparents, all playing together.
Participants sit in front of Fort Jay
Participants sit on top of one of the fort’s cannons
Two rangers smile as dozens of people give them high fives
Agent Bozarth follows Steve’s instructions to “hug an inanimate object.”
A young agent touches his nose
Steve announced that later in the day there would be a giant “epic battle” taking place on the island (a nod to its history!) and that participants would need to get themselves battle ready by playing thumb war with someone wearing a different color shirt.
An island employee looks on suspiciously as hundreds around him play thumb war
Participants exiting Fort Jay
Participants were instructed to open and spin their umbrellas as they approached the big field
Inexplicably, a bear participated this year! He had an iPod and everything.
Two girls tethered to one iPod run around during “attacker/defender”
A couple not participating looks on at our puzzle of color
“Right hand, red head!”
It was finally time for the epic battle, and Steve instructed those wearing red and yellow to go the north side of the field while those wearing blue and green headed south.
The red/yellow team heads north
Father and son bring up the rear
Steve didn’t instruct participants to hold their balloons over their heads, but it seemed like the right thing to do
Agent TomTom and his father Agent Massari, fatally wounded
The bear down for the count!
Thanks again to Yahoo! for embracing our mission and making this tour possible. Be sure to see our reports on the other three cities:
OTHER RESOURCES:
PHOTOS
Agent Nicholson’s highlight photos
Agent Nicholson’s full set
Agent Sokler’s set
Agent Fountain’s highlight set
Agent Fountain’s full set
AUDIO
You can download some of the songs from The Mp3 Experiment on Agent Walker’s MySpace page.
AGENT REPORTS
Check out first hand reports from participants and links to their own flickr sets and blog posts on Recap Page. Add your own report if you were there.
HIRE US
We have also toured The Mp3 Experiment around the world to places like Berlin, Germany and Adelaide, Australia. If you’re part of an organization (festival, university, arts group) that is interested in commissioning an Mp3 Experiment, get in touch via our contact form.