A Star is Born: The Paths to Transnational Japanese Stardom
This team is set to develop an immersive role-playing video game that charts a Japanese actor’s uncertain journey to transnational stardom. Several Japanese stars have historically paved the way: Hayakawa Sessue broke into the U.S. and European markets amidst rising Japanese national pride in the 1920s; Yamaguchi Yoshiko emerged as a symbol of ethnic harmony within Asian colonies under Japanese empire during WWII; and Takakura Ken epitomized the zenith of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations in the 1980s. In the game we create together, players will take on the role of an aspiring Japanese star who must navigate the path to international fame. Which roles will you accept? Which will you decline? And at what cost or benefit? How to navigate the many pressures from your talent agent, your fans, the media, and sometimes also the censorious authorities? In this way, players will experience the challenges and triumphs of a Japanese star's journey to global recognition. We invite applications from creative minds passionate about blending historical insight with gaming innovation to bring this project to life. Join us in crafting an engaging experience that delves into the makings of a transnational Japanese film star.
Apply by Friday April 26 2024, using this short survey
The application process is competitive. Successful applicants will be asked to interview in the first week of May
No prior experience is required, but an ideal team will include students with a combination of:
Traditional art and/or digital art skills
Computer Science / coding experience
Japanese literature, culture, history, and/or language skills
Experience in background music and/or sound design
Strong creative and/or analytical writing skills
Students with any of the above are encouraged to apply.
Digital Humanities Intern Responsibilities
1. Familiarize yourself with the historical background
2. Take the lead on your portion of the game, and assist on others
a. Find historical artwork, develop original artwork, or a combination thereof
b. Write text and integrate it into the game
c. Design and code the game
d. Create an engaging user interface.
3. Participate in testing and refining the game created by the group.
4. Attend weekly meetings on TBD.
Digital Humanities Intern Learning Outcomes
1. Interdisciplinary research experience focused on Japanese history and culture
2. Gain familiarity working with and interpreting textual and visual sources for a public audience
3. Experience working as part of a team to complete a real, useable project
4. Coding experience
Parameters
Successful applicants will enroll in a COLA internship—or the equivalent for their own college—in digital humanities via registration for LA 320wb (3 hours of credit).
Interns will work 10 hours a week, including group meetings. Interns must be available to meet during one of the following times: