In 2009, the Center on the Developing Child launched a collaboration with the Interactive Media Division of the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California (USC) to develop and test new ways of communicating the science of early childhood development using interactive media. The “Brain Hero” video, depicting how actions by a range of people in the family and community impact child development, is the first product of this collaboration. This 3-minute video adapts the visual sensibility of interactive game models to a video format. Based loosely on such games as “Guitar Hero,” “SimCity,” and “The Game of Life,” the video portrays how actions taken by parents, teachers, policymakers, and others can affect life outcomes for both the child and the surrounding community.
This collaboration, now between the Harvard Center and USC’s newly launched Creative Media & Behavioral Health Center will continue joint work on the creation and dissemination of innovative storytelling products designed to inform the public discourse around policies and practices that support healthy brain development during childhood.
For more information, please visit: http://developingchild.harvard.edu
Major funding support for this collaboration has been provided by: Birth to Five Policy Alliance, Buffett Early Childhood Fund, Casey Family Programs, Harvard University, and the Norlien Foundation.