Avatara: the movie

December 30, 2008 12:44 AM

Avatara is a 2003 ethnographic film (72 minutes) that takes place entirely in "Cyberia", specifically in the Digitalspace Traveler virtual world (previously), which dates back to 1996. Interview with the filmmaker. Review of the film. via

Also see: Archive.org's "Archiving Virtual Worlds" index.

posted by Rumple (4 comments total)

You're my new hero.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 1:21 AM on December 30, 2008

Thanks Rumple! Great find. As a long-time player in Second Life I wasn't that surprised to find the impressions, experiences and comments given by the participants of this film to be so similar to what I've heard and experienced myself in SL.

Admittedly, things have come a long way in terms of what one can do in a virtual world since the movie was made. Especially in Second Life (a world that many easily dismiss with comments like: Get a first life!).
posted by rmmcclay at 4:45 AM on December 30, 2008

This is really fascinating on a number of levels, not least psychologically and the beginnings of cyber anthropology. Cyberpology?
posted by nickyskye at 8:48 AM on December 30, 2008

Cyber Ethnography: Anthropology 498c at Concordia University of Montreal. (lots of links in that page)
posted by Rumple at 10:19 AM on December 30, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]