Matteo Ruggiero / sxilence
Gameplay and avatar still from therapy sessions w/YouTube.

short film / 2024 / 8:22

therapy sessions w/YouTube

Rogers the bear records a racing game, fails to resist the notification, crashes, sings, wakes up, and receives the platform job offer.

This video enters a world where my virtual avatar is a bear named Rogers. The name comes from my old YouTube channel, where I filmed gameplay videos around 10 years ago. Rogers is addicted to short-form content.

He is recording gameplay of a new racing game, aiming not to crash. He fails to resist YouTube notifications pulling him into doomscrolling. He crashes. Rogers surrenders, playing the song Nepiju rano from Opravit se.

Eventually Rogers wakes up and realizes he has had an accident. YouTube calls him on FaceTime. A corporate anime girl answers and offers him a job. He is confused, he does not want to accept, but ultimately he cannot resist.

Rogers is addicted to short-form content.

He aims not to crash.

The notification wins.

Internet numbness becomes a job interview.

documentation / publication / avatar file

Selected media

Still from therapy sessions w/YouTube.
gameplay therapy still
Still from therapy sessions w/YouTube.
notification crash trace
Still from therapy sessions w/YouTube.
avatar state
Avatar Studies publication documentation.
Avatar Studies publication