How Many Fingers?

SciCast film goes here

If you're reading this text, try visiting http://scicast.org.uk/films/2006/07/how-many-fingers.html directly. If you're already there you probably need to update Flash

  • Currently 5/5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
(votes cast: 1)
none
License: Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike How Many Fingers? British Interactive Group
Views: 1090
28 Jul, 2006

Duration:
Team:
Region:

A simple physiology trick involving you, a friend, and… how many fingers?

Director's Notes:

This was filmed in a mad rush during coffee break at a conference, and most of the supposed ‘shooting’ time was spent trying to get the lift to go to the right floor for the opening shot. It’s always the simple things that take the most time…

Anyway, try the trick for yourself and see if you can work out what your brain’s up to.

SciCast Notes:

The British Interactive Group is an umbrella organisation for people working in museums, science centres, online — places where informal, interactive education is the name of the game. Their annual conference is a terrific mix of presentations, workshops, and general clowning around.

Case in point: this film. At 2006’s conference Ian and James here grabbed a camera from me one coffee break, gave it to somebody else (I never found out who), and filmed this.

All the weird shaky spooky effects are my fault, trying to make it a bit more surreal… and you know, I’m not at all sure I got that right. It’s fun to play around with all the filters and stuff, but usually the result takes forever, looks dreadful, or — as in this case — both. Ah well, we live and learn.

— Jonathan