How we made a movie

The task of the second week was to film a movie that will indicate the stereotypes about countries. So, DIABS, the Korean team, was working on the film about Russia, while The Another Russia was creating a scenario to their short film about South Korea.

Approaches that teams chose were quite different. Korean team preferred to cover their identity by covering their faces with masks and playing frozen Russian beauties. A rather artistic approach could be sensed in the way locations for scenes were chosen, the dialogues were played and moustaches were travelling from the face of a Russian guy to one of the Russian beauties'. The final scene depicting national intolerance was like a fly in the ointment.  However, it helped the Russian youth recognise problems affecting the international image of Russia today.

The Another Russia took another road: the guys created a Russo-stereotyped video about stereotypes about Korea. Well, you just need to check out the video to understand this description. They also showed that among people who might know nothing or just a few about Korea, there are some individuals who are really into Korean (usually pop) culture. Witty and not without an irony about Russia, the movie gives us a short description of common stereotypes.

Enjoy watching and follow the project:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/STereotART
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/STereotART
Blog: http://stereotart.wordpress.com/

Just a little about differences.

I asked the participants to STereotART to jot down their most memorable feelings and moments while preparing their tasks every day. Later, I wanted to use these notes as a basis for the "Project's diary", the non-official chronicles of events.
When teams submitted their first notes, the difference in the way they wrote them was striking!

It is not a rigorous approach at all to analyse a small piece of writing and attribute traits of national character to it. However, you just need to take a look at them to spot the difference right away.

• Russians: creative thinking prevails. The way those notes were written insinuates a vivid mind, strive for social activity, and the ability to perform better when under a time pressure.
• Koreans: discipline, good organisation and responsibility are those traits that differ the team greatly from The Another Russia. However, the promptness in obeying the rules of the project strictly defines the borders of the action field, thus limiting the overall creativity and non-standard thinking of the team.

I leave the following notes for your judgement:

January 10 

Our team members are uploading their works on the Cyworld Club! [DIABS]
Panic! Panic! Panic![The Another Russia]

January 11 

Checked how we’re doing on-line! Can’t wait to meet the Russian Team  [DIABS]
Much to do. Do not have enough time. [The Another Russia]

January 12

 Worked on PPTs, final check! [DIABS]
The main goal for today is achieved: we freezed ourselves to death. [The Another Russia]

January 13

Russia, Siberia, Tomsk

 Finished the PPT and sent it! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED  [DIABS]
Froze too much yesterday. Still moving slowly. [The Another Russia]

January 14 

Waiting for the meeting with Russian Team. Time scheduling~ [DIABS]
A couple of members of our group are balloons…[The Another Russia] 

January 15 

Finally!!!!! The meeting was really awesome. New participants, new friends. [DIABS]
silence or echo – perfect conversation^^ [The Another Russia]

Screening process is over

Soon the project I was designing for several months will start (if Russian participants are more active than they are at the moment)

Yesterday I was looking through the applications received from Korean students. Of course, it is not correct to generalise (especially in my case, because I am the one who is trying to work against generalisations), but still. Here are some interesting conclusions (generalised!!) I came up with after screening somewhat 30 applications:

1) The biggest achievement or failure for Korean students is getting/not getting into the university they were striving to get in.

No doubts, in the country where education is highly prioritised, and even brought to the level of mass hysteria, what else can you come up with but your academical achievements. The majority of people just bored me with their touching stories of struggle with memorising lengthy passages in text books and sleep deprivation in the entrance exams preparation period. Isn't there anything else left to achieve?

2) Lack of non-conventional creative thinking
 I don't really know what causes this, but it is a fact that students do not really show the sparkle of non-standard thinking. There was this question supposedly to check student's imagination's flaw.

"Imagine You have 1 kg of coins, a grandson of Cuban government leader 

as your friend and rubber shoes in bulk. 

What are you going to do with this all? "

Standard answer: sell shoes, give money to the poor Cubans.

Yes, and what's wrong with the poor? Many people wrote that they are wholeheartedly willing to help the poor and deprived of any opportunity and joy of life Cubans (well, I a bit exaggerated here.) 

The best answer award goes to a girl from Yonsei University, department of Politics and Diplomacy:

"I'd like to give rubber shoes to Cuban beggars and 1 kg of coins if they learn Korean. After that, I will ask Cuban government leader to visit Korea with those beggars and it can be a chance to exchange cultures with them." 

One 'cool dude' asked the following: "Do you think it would be possible to save world with these stuff above?" 

Hello! Did anyone here ask to save the world???

No doubt, people ARE different. With tons of similarities...