Alison Victor’s doc discussed on The Today Show

Alumna Alison Victor’s latest film was discussed on NBC’s Today Show this morning.

As Alison explains:

In April I made a film called “Ed’s Inner Space” about my friend Ed. Over the last 8 years, my friend Ed has slowly lost his sight, and is now completely blind. He and I were discussing how we could use technology to have him “see” again…trials, chips implanted in brains, what have you…when we tried working with software known as Skype.

Skype permits video phone calls via computer, and is free to use between Skype users.  So we got this idea to strap a web camera to his head, use a wireless internet connection through an “Air” card and a laptop and BOOM!  I can see through the webcam that Ed is wearing, so I literally become his eyes. For example, I’d be at home on my laptop, typing, and Ed would call me using Skype. I’d see what he would be seeing if he could see. 

I have been acting as Ed’s ‘remote guide’ in this way for quite a while now.  (As have others).  So my old pal Eric and I made a film about Ed shopping, sailing, skiing and – even riding a bicycle in Golden Gate Park, completely blind, using Skype to connect Ed to his remote guides. 

Skype LOVED the film, and sent it up to their PR folks in NYC.  That PR company contacted the NBC TODAY show, and they loved my piece.  So much so, they flew out here and interviewed Ed on camera and allowed me to be one of the camera folks on that shoot! (Basically re-creating what I did in the film.) … they’ve asked me to escort Ed to NYC to guide him LIVE around 30 Rock via Skype!

To see the Today Show footage, go to the “Explore” tab and select “Videos” after clicking here .