Mission 6

[Riley]

Any ideas for mission 6? I think we should start a random musical in a mall or do that "Gun fight" shown in the banned X-box commercial. What do you think???

[glenneroo]

what about Silly Walks? we did this in vienna and it was a riot!
here's what i'm talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqhlQfXUk7w

[Marie]

Here's an idea...we just had the opening of the Americana in Glendale not too long ago...theres always a huge crowd of people, especially on weekends...what if we all dress up in the same outfits (such as harry potter wizard robes and stuff...as if we seriously just got outta hogwarts) and all ended up at the americana at the same time...and then go into different stores in huge groups as if we were were on some sorta fieldtrip.

[William]

I'd go for random musical. I'm a professional dancer, I can help choreograph the dancing part and I can even recruit bunch of dancers.

[kaycee]

I want to be a part of this too!!! pick me! pick me! ;)

[Jim MacQ.]

email me at [e-mail] and I will bring you up to speed on the musical project. It will probably take place sometime between October and January, depending on a number of factors. I'm organizing the thing, but I have no musical or dance abilities, so I need a competent production team. Rehearsals will be in Pasadena.

[Stacy Park]

I really like the idea of the musical and would love to be a part of it. Another thing is along the same lines of the original freeze at grand central station, but what if it started with two or three people and after every time incriment it started to add more people until suddenly people would see it catching and getting really paranoid and wonder if they will be next. Anyway something to think about. Could have been done already. Keep up the good work!

[Jim MacQ.]

The freeze that GuerilLA did at 3rd Street Promenade was a gradual one like what you describe.

[joekho]

How about a huge game of hop scotch
we can use a long stretch of sidewalk and chalk it up
we can make it go in circles or across the street, through a store, i dunno
Hwood looks like a good place... we can work with the stars

[Agent Tuttle]

You know a store that will let us chalk it up?

Sigh,... Leap Frog,... hop scotch,...

Please don't take this the wrong way, but where is the twist? Where is the awe and wonder? Why am I at a child's birthday party?

Can we see the difference between duck duck goose and the cleaver missions that have been accomplished? (Luckily, duck duck goose has only been suggested by other regions, but the OC is one of them and that's too close for comfort.)

This is a very diplomatic message board and none of us should take anything written personally. We also should always remind ourselves not to assume the "tone of voice." I also think that the guidelines still stand strong. Here's how leap frog, etc score on the list:

When thinking of a mission ask yourself:
Is it original? (not really)
Will it cause the public to panic? (NO)
Will it cause awe and wonder? (no)
Will it make you feel like you are at a fund raiser for Jerry's kids? (kind of)
Will stoopid people think we are terrorists? (NO)
When the mission is over, is there any tangible evidence? (NO, unless we use chalk)
Will it be fun? (maybe, maybe not)
Will it be too strenuous? (could be for some people)
Will we be arrested? (NO)
Did you do it at a birthday party when you were 8? (yes)
Will it present an alternate reality? (no)
Is it social commentary? (no)
Is it SIMPLE, yet CLEAVER? (no)

This is not a list of rules or anything like that. I am no authority, just a voice of reason. This checklist of guidelines is a good way to refine ideas into gold. All past missions can be run through it and you get pretty much all the right answers.

[Agent Deckard]

This is completely on target as to what should be done for missions and cheers to Agent Tuttle for pointing out the difference between flashmob/prank stuff and what should constitute a good mission. It's a real challenge to come up with something that is clever but not too intricate, plays with people's heads without freaking them out (ie, causing a panic that will involve the police) and most of all is fun.

Simplicity is best, an idea that can be easily described. The Moebius Strip is actually a good example, simple but very effective.

[Agent Tuttle]

Thanks man. That's why I started Brainstorm 2.0 where these guidelines are key.

[Agent Foxy]

I 100% agree - my favorite part of doing IE missions in NYC was the element that the mission playfully engaged with the environment. It was sensitive to context - it made you notice place in a fresh, hitting a mental funny bone type of way...

One piece of an idea I had for a mission was to go downtown early in the morning, everyone equipped with an ipod, a 'fist full of quarters' and a yoga mat. Every person would 'rent' out a parking space for an hour, sync. their ipods and do a full yoga class. A full street lined with parking space yoga! My only fear was that it would piss off (more than inspire) early morning commuters looking for parking...