Director Scott T. Chan, founder of L.A.-based creative agency Whirled, recaps the emotional touch points of 2011 in a web film titled Google Zeitgeist 2011. The film is a powerful snapshot of the year’s highlights captured and shared via Google online tools such as Search, Google+, Maps and more. Zeitgeist, or “the spirit of the times,” is revealed through Google’s aggregation of billions of search queries received on the site this year. Whirled was also responsible for “Google Zeitgeist 2010,” which racked up nearly 3 million views on YouTube. The boutique agency was tapped once again to take the reigns for this year’s video.
Chan related, “Ultimately, I wanted this year’s video to feel much more intimate and personal. This year, more than ever before, we saw a fundamental shift in the way we actually experienced these events–now we’re living these moments in real time through social media and online video.” While stepping back and taking a look at the year as a whole, Chan saw that 2011 was a year where the world endured numerous hardships: devastating natural disasters, the loss of many dynamic and inspirational people and the downturn of the global economy. He chose to not simply highlight these moments, but also shine a glimmer of hope around them. He added, “The theme and story of the video and year, to me, is really about progress.”
The video opens with a Google search window completed with the text, “2011 was a year of–” The images shift as the search query is completed with words encapsulating the essence of the year, “adversity; crossroads; revolution; remembrance; possibility; inspiration.” The pace livens to reveal snapshots via Google searches of the devastating Japan earthquake and tsunami, the treacherous floods in Brazil. Moving on to crossroads we experience major milestones such as the capturing and killing of Osama bin Laden as announced by President Barack Obama, the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the final launch of NASA’s space shuttle Atlantis and the end of the wars in the Middle East told through US soldiers coming home to their loved ones. The year’s spirit of revolution blazes through the fierce dedication of protestors in Sudan, Tunisia, Egypt, Greece and the United States’ “occupy” movement.
Next, we revisit those who have left us in 2011 including Elizabeth Taylor, Saudi Arabia’s Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz, funny man Ryan Dunn, American football pioneer Al Davis, former First Lady Betty Ford, Indian guru Sathya Sai Baba, American radio and television writer Andy Rooney, Olympic boxing champ Joe Frazier and the legendary Steve Jobs.
Ordinary people soared to online viral celebrity status as seen through the “Homeless Man with a Golden Voice,” Rebecca Black, Chinese artist-activist Ali Weiwei and 29-year-old Sloan Churman hearing herself for the first time after a lifetime of deafness. Recently-launched Google+ provides a backdrop for the sharing of some of this year’s inspirational moments including the Royal Wedding, 2011 Women’s World Cup, Novak Djokovic’s incredible winning streak and the poignant live video feed of a 21-year-old soldier revealing to his dad for the first time that he is gay after the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.
A selection of this year’s most touching and memorable snapshots, ends on a Google search window, simply reading, “We made it.”
Disney Pledges $15 million In L.A. Fire Aid As More Celebs Learn They’ve Lost Their Homes
The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-be's newly installed crib.
CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. "Your heart just breaks."
He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.
"There's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real. This is happening.' What good is it to continue watching?' And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like 'What good is it to continue watching?'"
Firefighters sought to make gains Friday during a respite in the heavy winds that fanned the flames as numerous groups pledged aid to help victims and rebuild, including a $15 million donation pledge from the Walt Disney Co.
More stars learn their homes are gone
While seeing the remains of his home, Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his "This Is Us" character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. "It's not lost on me life imitating art."
Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglia's wife on "This Is Us," nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.
Mel Gibson's home is "completely gone," his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogan's... Read More