FRANKE JAMES

Freeze Flash Mob Protests Inaction on Climate Change

by Franke James

Stage a Freeze Flash Mob: What’s that? A dramatic, fun way to grab media attention for climate change.

Freeze 350 illustration by Franke James; Text: Politicians are moving at a glacial pace on climate change while CO2 emissions keep rising. What can you do? Stage a FREEZE Flash Mob to protest their inaction! Here's how... 1. Text your friends to meet in a safe public place 2. Have everyone freeze in mid-motion for 350 seconds 3. Don't forget to record it all on video (strangers milling about may wonder what's up -- which is good because afterwards you can tell them about 350 ) 4. Upload your FREEZE video to YouTube. More info: franke@frankejames.com

Watch this video to see how the “freeze” action has been done as a stunt:

Frozen Grand Central is an improvisational acting “stunt” that took place at one of the busiest stations in the world, Grand Central Station in New York City. It is a brilliant example of live street theater. Over two hundred people suddenly stopped — frozen — caught in the middle of various ordinary activities (picking up papers, eating a banana, looking at a map, kissing) as if in suspended animation. The on-lookers didn’t know what to make of it. Why were the people not moving? What was wrong? You can watch the YouTube video below to see their stunned reactions. After 5 minutes, all 200 actors snapped out of it, as though nothing had happened.

Use this improvisational acting technique to draw attention to climate change…

On October 24th, Stage a Freeze Flash Mob to 350.org:
Gather a team of 350 people (or as many as you can get). Have all of them wear t-shirts, buttons, or hand-made labels, with the 350 message. Gather in a busy (and safe) public area. Take video as your team freezes for 350 seconds (about 5 minutes). Watch the stunned reactions of passersby… When they snap out of it explain the meaning of it: To protest the glacial pace of action on climate change. Of course, don’t forget to upload the video to YouTube and send it to the news media, with a press release. (And don’t forget to let me know: franke@frankejames.com )

Excerpt from Part 3 of Franke James keynote to Bates College, 09.05.09

credit: 350.org logo with Franke's call to action;

stop CO2 illustration by Franke James;

Freeze Flash Mob © 2009 Franke James, MFA
See the full Bates College keynote: Who are you going to be?
Frozen Grand Central video by ImprovEverywhere.com

17 Responses: 5 Comments and 12 Tweets

  • Kevin Buckland, 350.org says:
    September 27, 2009 at 4:52 pm

    Blogged on 350.org

    350 Storyteller: Franke James

    No doubt about it, we’ve got our work cut out for us with Climate Change. We’ve got a problem on our hands the size of our planet. Luckily, that planet is full of smart and dedicated people using their unique skills to make a difference. One of those people is artist and storyteller Franke James. To deal with such unprecidented problems, Franke has set about developing a new way of communication using her online Visual Stories. These wonderful tales read like the great illuminated manuscripts of the past, filling the meaning of their words with powerful images. Franke uses her skills as illustrator, writer, photographer and communicator to turn her personal experiences into a platform to address global issues….

  • LaDonna Coy says:
    September 29, 2009 at 9:57 am

    Blogged: Social Media Technology in Prevention by LaDonna Coy

    Freeze Flash Mobs:

    I stand inspired at the creative new ways of social action! I visited Franke James’ blog on climate change today and she has this fabulous post on Freeze 350. The idea is to do a freeze flash mob to draw attention to the glacial pace in which politicians are dealing with climate change issues. The idea got me thinking…

    http://technologyinprevention.blogspot.com/2009/09/freeze-flash-mobs.html

  • flashmob.tv Team says:
    October 14, 2009 at 6:48 am

    The global flash mob community meets up on http://www.flashmob.tv . Flashmobbers from all over the world get the opportunity to register their events, search for events, post videos, find videos from other flash mob events and much more.The website flashmob.tv is multilingual. The database is international/ global.

  • Beautyist says:
    October 24, 2009 at 5:02 pm

    VIA Twitter:

    @Beautyist @frankejames I love the Freeze Flash mob idea and art you posted.

  • Franke James » Blog Archive » 350.org Storyteller: Franke James says:
    May 19, 2011 at 10:42 am

    […] we all can make a difference. Still wondering what your doing on October 24th? Join Franke’s Freeze to Protest Climate Inaction campaign, and organize a freeze […]

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