Action Hero Game FAQ

What is this game?

An Action Hero sets new rules for street behaviour. 

The game player/ Action Hero receives a series of instructions or tasks over a period of four hours. The Action Game is played simultaneously across cities, countries, towns and time zones. The instruction arrives on the players mobile phone as an instruction.The Action Hero has to start from the location that is unfamiliar to her/ him.

While every Action Hero receives the same tasks, each participant responds differently to the given task or challenge.  For example if a task in the game specifies that the Action Hero initiates a conversation with a stranger- its upto the participant to decide which stranger he/ she chooses to speak with etc. This kind of decision making is contextual. Every potential Action Hero who participates in the game goes through a process of making decisions and enabling new behaviour on the street based on her/ his existing comfort level and the willingness to push or question it.

How many people can play this game?

Any number can play the game. Anything from one to hundred people.

Is this only for women?

No, not at all. Anyone can participate in the game

Do I need a smart phone to play this game?

No you don't need a smart phone. A basic phone that allows you to receive text messages will do! 

Do I need to have a twitter account?

Yes you need to create a twitter account if you dont have one.

Send a request to @actionherocity to play this game

Turn on mobile notifications on the twitter account when you follow @actionherocity so that our tweet can arrive on your phone.

Is there a number we can call Blank Noise at in case we can't figure twitter set up?

Sure!

*Preferred * Email us at blurtblanknoise@gmail.com

You can phone us between 9 30 am- 5 pm at 0091.9886840612 and we can take you through the registration process.

What if I don't feel like playing the in the middle of the game?

Try to understand why. You can always ask for another task if you're not ready to take the task sent to you on the phone. You also have the option to quit when you feel like.

Have you played this Action Hero Game before?

Yes, three times.

We played it for 12 hours in Bangalore in 2009

For five hours in Bangalore in 2012

For four hours in Tokyo, Japan in 2010

What should I keep in mind while playing the game? How do I prepare myself? 

Prepare yourself by being willing to explore the new and unfamiliar. Prepare yourself by finding the new in the very familiar. Prepare by not over preparing. Be open. Take a walk. 

What if I feel uncomfortable?

It's something you could be doing for the first time and it might be uncomfortable. Sit with discomfort , examine it, accept it, chose to reject it. We don't prescribe the behaviour; you define what you want to do. We will be proposing ideas. Your willingness will give these ideas shape and form. We will enable situations through our game task proposal but its your comfort and will that will build the experience.

Does this game mean the streets will become safe? 
Blank Noise is committed to tackling the fear based relationship women have had with their cities. The game does not promise a harassment free street after this. What we do those this game is set new rules for our interaction. Create new memories and associations with a place through a series of unexpected , sometimes risk taking, fear fighting actions.
The game is gender neutral. Anyone can play it.  How would men and women respond to the same task? How does every individual strategise around a challenge?
Having both men and women play the game and then share their insights enables a deeper understanding of our cities and public interactions.

What if I run into a friend on the street?
Say hello and get back to your game.

What if people ask me why am here?

The game rules don't give you the permission to tell anyone you're participating in an Action Hero Game. Find your reason.

What are the game rules?
Rules are published here

Can I play the game again?
You can play the Action Hero Game level 1 up to three times only.
After level 1 you can play Action Hero Game level 2.
Action Hero Game level 2 comes with a different set of parameters.

How many times can I play level 2?
You can play level 2 , twice after which there's the last and final level 3.

What's Action Hero Game level 3?
It's the last and final of our Action Hero Game series! After playing this game you're going to be the celebrated Super Action Hero Star.

What do I get at the end of the game?

TOP SECRET/// + ( and hopefully soon an Action Hero Kit) 
the kit is work in progress

Action Hero Testimonials: Diversity

Dear Action Heroes world wide.

At Blank Noise we have largely used the web space to build dialogue on the issue of sexual violence. We announce events, build participation, work towards growing a community of men and women who take ownership and responsibility of sexual violence. We intervene across spaces with multiple forms of media (live street actions/ t shirts/ posters/ sound installations/ interviews) but rely largely on the web to build testimonials of sexual violence. There are spaces and communities this blog space hasn't accessed. That's also where we count on you.  For example, we can't take the blog to a domestic help just right away but we can count on you to be the story gatherers, the trusted agents who gather and deliver testimonials

Sexual violence/ harassment at the workplace, at home.  Domestic help abuse goes unreported. untold. silenced.

It's crucial that we gather testimonials of women from across socio economic backgrounds, languages, age groups, histories to establish both the widespread nature of the issue, share strategies of how and when women became Action Heroes. There's something incomplete in our understanding hence approaching the issue of sexual violence if most of the testimonials come from women who access this space only. Let's make this space diverse.

Here's what you can do:
Identify groups and communities that largely don't access web space:

1. speak with senior citizens about how they dealt with sexual violence
2. speak with/ interview/ record testimonials of women who speak other languages
send us both your testimonial report and also the audio piece.

We will build a testimonial gathering Action Hero team to manage this space.
To apply for this role, email in at blurtblanknoise@gmail.com

Thank you.

ACTION HERO GAME

ACTION HERO KAUN? Register here 
hindi- 'who is an action hero?'

The Action Hero Game is built on a series of personal challenges in the city. 

The game is simple. Your game partner and opponent is you.
There is no one method or quick solution to be an Action Hero. 

Each potential Action Hero goes to a new area in his / her city. On arriving there potential Action Heroes receive 'challenges' via phone messages 
Action Heroes across locations receive a set of 6 tasks over 4 hours via sms

If you don't wish to do a task (eg task 1a) text us and we will send you another task (eg task 1B) 

Are you an Action Hero? 

Find out! Play this game!

The same rules apply to all participants.

no. of tasks = 6
duration = 4 hours
time = 11 am- 3 pm IST
date = 5/ 10/ 2013 
day= saturday
no. of players = infinite. 
multiple action hero players across cities, towns, countries.

location: 
start point:  chose your location on the city map. be sure to chose a place NEW to you as your start point.
end point:  top secret. cannot be disclosed. play the game. find out!

Action Hero Game Guideline:
Be willing to be vulnerable
Be willing to challenge yourself
Be willing to explore new and unfamiliar
Be willing to define your own limit
Be willing to take risks. Be willing to define your comfort level

Action Hero Game Instructions: 
the location start point should be unfamiliar to you
go to the starting point alone
play the game alone
take public transport to reach the start point

please use your phone only to receive text messages from us. text messages will be sent every couple of mins to an hour.
please do not fold your arms at any point.
please do not wear your sunglasses
please do not plug in your ear
please do not get into a conversation with a friend ,incase you meet one on the street while you are playing this game.
please do not take photographs unless asked in the game
please do not introduce yourself as someone participating in a project - try and think of other ways of introducing yourself, if required.

create twitter account and or send us your mobile number

follow @actionherocity to receive game instructions.

it's a closed account and only those playing the game can follow that space.

it will send tweet instructions to your phone

Action Hero Game Faqs here.
for any thoughts and questions do email us at blurtblanknoise@gmail.com

Action Hero Team on board includes
Shivangini Tandon, Abhishek Chaudhury, Yamini Deen, Maria Del Rio , Ameya Gutta , Jasmeen Patheja 

How To Design a City For Women

Via The Atlantic Cities

"In 1999, officials in Vienna, Austria, asked residents of the city's ninth district how often and why they used public transportation. "Most of the men filled out the questionnaire in less than five minutes," says Ursula Bauer, one of the city administrators tasked with carrying out the survey. "But the women couldn't stop writing."

More here

Are you an urban planner
An architect
A politician / corporator in charge of an area or district?
Think inclusive design. Take the #SafeCityPledge
Share your thoughts, plans, ideas on making cities safe and inclusive.
We would love to be part of this conversation with you.
email in at blurtblanknoise@gmail.com

No Thank You.

WHY is this image considered by several people on facebook and twitter as 'hard hitting'?

I am not a Goddess
I am not a Goddess

I am not a Goddess

I am not a Goddess

I am not a Goddess

I am not a Goddess

I am not a Goddess

I am not a Goddess

I am not a Goddess

I am not a Goddess

I am not a Goddess

I am not a Goddess

I am not a Goddess

I am not a Goddess

What is the opposite of Goddess?

Citizen. Cities. Autonomy 
Has little space
Dialogue
or thought even
For the kind of 'good woman' you construct that needs to be worshipped.
Is she 'Goddess' if
She's single
Not a virgin
A divorcee
A single mum
Child free 
If she laughs out loud
If she lets her hair lose
If she flirts
Initiates sex.

Empathy. Not worship.

You aesthetically bruised image of a Goddess
You disturb me.
Not just because you are bruised
Also because you are bruised
We need a new narrative.
Not the victim story.
Action Heroes Only.

Not a Goddess

I don't need to be protected only because I am your virtuous sister
I don't need to be protected only because I am your virtuous mother
I don't need to be protected only because I am your virtuous daughter

You need to be protected too. Just like me.

Not the kind of protection that involves men to protect 'their women' from 'other men'.

Another kind. The equal kind. 

Links
Hindustan Times
The Trouble With Being a Goddess
First Post

Your Attention Please. Reporters . Journalists

By Kalpana Sharma for the Hoot

On Sunday, August 25, three days after the journalistic fraternity and many others in Mumbai were shaken by the gang-rape of a young journalist, the Times of India (TOI) announced that from henceforth it would use the word “survivor” instead of “victim” while reporting on rape and sexual assault.  Its competitor in Mumbai, Hindustan Times, had already beaten TOI to this by using the term in its coverage of this dastardly crime from day one. ....But if it represents just a cosmetic change of using politically correct terminology, it means little. More here

" In Mourning and In Rage"

All through this week we are sharing works of artists we have been immensely inspired by. Thank you Suzanne Lacy, Leslie Labowitz , Bia Lowe, 1977 Los Angeles.

In Mourning and in Rage.
In memory of our sisters, we fight back

more here

Talk To Me- Next Step

Dear Friends and Action Heroes,
Thank you for the amazing response to Talk To Me.
We've been getting emails and messages from you asking if you can do this in your city/ hood. Yes ofcourse you can. Just drop in an email at blurtblanknoise@gmail.com
We're trying to co ordinate Talk To Me across places on the same day.
In solidarity
Blank Noise Team

Action Heroes

Call for Volunteers and Interns
Apply here

Talk To Me:

Talk To Me was designed to fight fear itself. To get rid of biases and prejudice. 

To create space for a conversation, not threat. To make cities, neighbourhoods, streets friendly. To build empathy. 

Five tables,  two chairs per table, chai and samosa. 

The Yelahanka Action Hero invited a stranger to an hour long conversation about anything- fear, love, life. At the end of the conversation the Action Hero gifted a flower to the person across the table.

A conversation is a collaboration and requires openness, willingness, vulnerability. 

 After Conversation: Action Hero Pavithra

After Conversation: Action Hero Radha

3pm -7 30pm

Action Hero Masood

Action Hero Arushi

Action Hero Spandhana

Action Hero Mithra

Action Hero Anamika

Action Hero Shalini

Action Hero Arushi

Action Hero Rahul Singh with New Action Hero

Action Hero Anusha ensures a samosa at every table

Action Hero Pallavi

December 2012: In the past we have focussed on city specific Action Heroes eg: Delhi Action Heroes, Bangalore Action Heroes. In November last year we initiated the concept of a neighbourhood Action Hero network.  

"Yelahanka Action Heroes" was formed during a month long Blank Noise Action Hero course at Srishti School of Art Design and Technology ,with a group of 19 students. Team YAH practiced a range of events/ interventions from mapping, identifying places perceived or identified as unsafe and worked out strategies to build safe spaces . This location was known as 'Rapist Lane' by many students at Srishti. We have no reports of rape to justify it's name but several incidents of molestation/ sexual violence have created its reputation. Our objective was to make the Rapist Lane, now the Safest Lane. 

Factors that make it unsafe include it being dark, with no street lights, no commercial activity, men on bikes/ cars would occupy this space towards the evening to drink inside the vehicle. During the day the space was occupied by empty parked private buses. 

*

There was a unanimous sense of having overcome their own fears when they participated in this event.  Biases work both ways. There's unsafe and there's a perception of unsafe. Often the unknown is feared, thus makes it unsafe. In this case unknown strangers who were further distanced due to the distance of  socio economic class, language, gender were brought together over tea and samosas. It was an open conversation with no agenda or pre set questions. They were asked to not talk about street sexual harassment . Being defensive, hyper alert to 'making safe'  doesn't ever lead to actually 'feeling safe'. We tend to make ourselves feel safe by building defence. We need to make ourselves safe by making familiar instead. It requires a purposeful unclenching of the fist.  Fear creates fear. Defence creates defence. We need to build safe cities with empathy.

*

The team was asked to share their response by adding in what they learnt about the 'stranger' and what they learnt about themselves. Here's what they said-

Action Hero Vishaka : The fact that I could converse with a stranger without hesitation increased my confidence. I was trying to make the other person comfortable, which shows that I was trying to think from his point of view. He was shy, so I tried to make the conversation light-hearted and fun. 

He was quite open and sharing. He was a teenage boy, focusing on his academics. He spends his day going to school, doing homework, going to tuitions and playing sports.

Action Hero Anamika

What I learnt about myself is that I can talk to a stranger, that’s something I had never done. This exercise actually made me feel a little more confident. and the guy I had my conversation with was one of those who stalk girls and drink on the safest lane, follow girls on their bikes. i was glad he was honest to me. what i learnt was not all ‘such’ guys are threatening, as in, yes he does all that, but he wouldn’t harm anyone physically, poor fellow is dying for a girl friend  . And the fact that I actually made him realize that his way of approaching wont get him any girl and that he genuinely wants to change made me feel really good about myself.

Action Hero Spandhana: What I learnt about myself was that I was more open talking to a stranger than I expected, however there were awkward pauses, what I learnt about the person was that she really wishes that she was allowed to study after she finished 10th grade, her dream is to study and earn her own living and not have to live off her husband’s earnings.

Action Hero Saasha:What I learnt about myself- I could carry on a conversation for more than 30mins even though there was a huge language barrier between me and my partner. After the conversation I realised that it isn’t that tough to talk to a stranger. I was so worried about what I would talk to my partner about but the conversation was so easy and fun! I learnt that my partner was very content with all he had. He loved his life just the way it is.

Action Hero Mithila:What really surprised me was that even with huge language barrier, it was kinda nice to talk to her. And after a while we just fell into normal conversation. We had similar views on a lot of things and after the initial awkwardness it was easy to talk her. What i really liked was that I made a new friend:)

Action Hero Astha: The conversation picked up at absolutely random topics and because we had a language barrier I was surprised to see for how long it went on. We majorly spoke about love and how it affects life. What I learnt about the person was that he was really sweet in the beginning and even towards the end but his intention towards me changed. He seemed to be a very emotionally sensitive person, who has family responsibilities. He is a person who works according to his will and mood. He makes sure he does things he love to do, in order to be happy. What i learnt about myself was that I could actually ever speak my heart out in front of a stranger. I always knew that I could make conversation, but I let go this time. Even though we hardly understood what each other said, I think we spent a good time. His change in behaviour and his courage was the only thing that really surprised and dissapointed me.

Action Hero Arushi:

Strangers are sometimes not so strange

Action Hero Anjali:When I first thought about this task, I felt a bit apprehensive about doing it, as I am not very comfortable with talking and making conversation with absolute strangers. However, after watching my classmates interact with the people on the “safest lane” i was completely inspired, and after some time I was eagerly awaiting my turn!When It was my turn, I was actually able to engage completely in a fruitful conversation with my partner. I learnt that no one is ever an absolute stranger and there is always something to talk about. I also learnt that if I push myself out of my comfort zone like I did for this intervention, there are always pleasant surprises that you find! I learnt that my partner Prajwal wasn’t very different from me. He too enjoyed playing with his friends and reading, and he was a very soft spoken person.

Action Hero Mariyah:What I learnt about myself was I felt more approachable, it gave me more confidence about my communicating skills.What i learnt about him: He had a thirst for life, he wanted to become a lot of different things. he had big dreams, and he seemed ambitious.

Action Hero Shipra:I feel that the fact,that I would probably never see him after that conversation, put me at complete ease and chatting with him was a piece of cake.

Links:
The Atlantic by Sarah Goodyear