A couple of times now I've posted videos featuring animated characters talking about politics. Those posts are here and here. Another similar video popped up on The Huffington Post a couple of days ago and then Facebook today. This one talks about the Fed and quantitative easing:
I don't know enough about economic policy yet to verify all the information in this particular video (and I suspect it may be a little off), but I did start to wonder about who's making the movies.
Turns out it's lots of people. Anyone, actually. A website called xtranormal lets users who sign up convert text into animated films. The obvious upside is what we've seen so far. Cute characters saying stuff that resonates is a recipe for viral video success. But I wonder what happens when misinformation hits that same animation, and it spreads like wildfire. For instance, is the Fed video 100% accurate? And if not, how hard will it be to set the record straight once it's been watched by millions?
It looks like xtranormal has been around since at least early 2008. Clever concept. It will be interesting to see how an increased use of this medium unfolds - if it does - and what impact it has on political communication.
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