Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Case Study No. 1458: Gothickwhispers (Wannabe Librarian)

ASMR Whisper Library Role Play
8:01
Check some books out of our relaxing library today :)
Tags: Gothickwhispers ASMR Whisper ASMR role play library librarian soothing voice tingles whisper roleplay
Added: 2 year ago
From: Gothickwhispers
Views: 8,865

[scene opens with a closeup of a woman's hand poised over the keyboard of a Toshiba laptop]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] Hi there, welcome to City Library. How may I help you today?
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] You'd like to take some books out? Well, that's great. May I ask what your name is?
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] Angelica Ewing? Oh, I think we already have you in our system. Let me just check, okay?
[she starts typing, then the camera focuses on a Microsoft Word document open which reads "City Library, Angelica Ewing"]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] Yep, there you are. Angelica Ewing.
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] So, um, why don't you show me the books that you wanna check out, and I'll just put them in our system. And then you can be on your way, okay?
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] Great! Okay, let's have a look.
[she reaches over and places a paperback in front of the camera]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] So the first book you wanna take is "Girl With a Pearl Earring?" I have to say, this is a wonderful wonderful choice.
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] It's a very nice book, and I've read it a couple of times. Actually, I think I've read it three times now.
[she turns the book over]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] It really is amazing. And, um, it got some amazing reviews and ...
[she points at one of the blurbs on the back cover]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] Look, even Time Magazine has given it a wonderful review, right here on the back of the cover.
[she turns the book back around]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] So yes, I really think you're going to enjoy this book, and um ... y'know, there was actually a film made as well out of the book, and if you enjoy the book, I would recommend you go see the movie. But, I mean, that you rent the movie, but I think, if I were you, I would read the book first, because I think it's always kind of important to read the book before you see the movie.
[she moves the book aside]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] So let me just put this into our system.
[she types in "girl pearl earring"]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] I just used, um, an abbreviation to keep it nice and short, so I just wrote "girl pearl earring." Okay, so what else do you wanna take out today?
[she reaches for another book]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] This book is really brilliant. It's, um, as you can tell it's a biography about the director Roman Polanski.
[she opens the book and starts flipping through the pages]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] And, um, it talks about his life and a lot of his movies, and it is really an amazing book. If you're a fan of Roman Polanski movies, then you're just going to love this book because there's just so many wonderful pictures and so much information about the star himself.
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] It even covers a lot of Mister Polanski's early life stuff. I would really suggest you, um, you check this book out if you are a big fan.
[she closes the book]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] I actually don't think anybody has checked this book out before, so you can be the very first person to read this book.
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] So let me just put this into our system, okay?
[she types in "roman plamski"]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] So I just put that under, um, as "Roman Polanski" in our sytem.
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] So, so far you are going to check out "Girl with a Pearl Earring" and the Roman Polanski biography book.
[she moves the book aside]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] Okay, what else do you wanna take today?
[she reaches for another book]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] I love this book! Have you read the books in the rest of the series? Y'know, like "Silence of the Lambs" or "Red Dragon?"
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] You have? Well, that's good, because this book is, it's really really awesome and it's a hardback and I just love hardback books.
[she runs her hand over the dragon illustration on the front of the dustjacket of the book]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] This is really cool.
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] Even the, uh, the cover design is just so awesome. Look at this.
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] How cool is that?
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] I actually noticed I just made a spelling mistake on the computer, so I'm just gonna correct that, okay?
[the camera focuses back on the computer screen, as she changes "plamski" to "polanski"]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] And while I'm here I'm going to put in, um, "Hannibal" as well.
[she types in "Hannibal"]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] So that's that book. Is there any other books today that you'd like to take with you?
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] One more? Okay, that's fine.
[she moves the book aside, then reaches for another book]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] This is a very big book! It's actually all three "Lord of the Rings" books together.
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] Look at this, it's amazing. It's a really good edition.
[she turns the book over]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] It's so big! It's gonna take you awhile to read this, but um ... oh my god, it's amazing. It really is amazing. So I'm just gonna put this in the computer as "L-O-T-R", okay?
[she types in "LOTR", then goes to the next line and types "27/02/12"]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] All I've done there was I just added, um, today's date. So I know, y'know, I'll know when your books are due back, and ... and, y'know, just to keep track on everything else.
[she moves the book aside]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] I have to say, you made some really good selections today.
[she reaches for the Polanski biography]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] Um, again, particularly this book. The Polanski biography, it's ... I love the way it deals, and it's just an amazing book. You really are going to enjoy it, especially if you're a really big fan.
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] So I think that's everything. I have the rest of your details on the computer.
[she moves the book aside, then reaches for "Girl With a Pearl Earring"]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] I have your name, I have your address. I have everything else, so ... I guess all you have to do now is take your books home and enjoy the reading.
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] And, um, remember, if you have any questions at all, or if you want me to order in any books that you want but that you didn't see here today ...
[she opens the book and starts flipping through the pages]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] Well, that's no problem at all, y'know? Just tell me what you need and I can do it for you. Any kinda book at all.
[she pauses]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] Okay, that's great. Thank you, Misses Ewing.
[she closes the book and flips it over]
GOTHICKWHISPERS: [whispers] I hope to see you again. Bye bye.

---

From wikipedia.org:

Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a neologism for a recently described perceptual phenomenon characterized as a distinct, pleasurable tingling sensation in the head, scalp, back, or peripheral regions of the body in response to visual, auditory, olfactory, and/or cognitive stimuli. The nature and classification of the ASMR phenomenon is controversial. Tom Stafford, a professor at the University of Sheffield, says, "It might well be a real thing, but it's inherently difficult to research."

Whispering and role-playing
A commonly reported stimulus for ASMR is the sound of whispering. As evident on YouTube, a variety of videos and audio recordings involve the creator whispering or communicating with a soft-spoken intonation into a camera or sound recording device. Others appear to perceive the whispering as intrusive and even revolting, so several videos are created specifically without whispering and are advertised as such in the title.

Many role-playing videos and audio recordings also aim to stimulate ASMR. Examples include pretend haircuts, visits to a doctor's office, and ear-cleaning. While these make-believe situations are acted out by the creator, viewers and listeners report an ASMR effect that relieves insomnia, anxiety or panic attacks.

---

From metro.co.uk:

ASMR: The YouTube craze sending tingles worldwide via whispered role play
Thursday 20 Jun 2013 6:00 am

'I get requests for fetish role plays, to walk in high heels,' says Ilse, a Dutch 25-year-old who is establishing her own online video empire, 'but that is not the purpose of my YouTube channel.'

Indeed not. Ilse's YouTube channel, TheWaterwhispers, is one of hundreds of ASMR video channels available. ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response and the video makers, who call themselves ASMRtists, aim to relax their viewers using a variety of methods – chief of which is to whisper into the camera about a range of subjects, often while performing a simple task with their hands.

While some of us may experience a sense of Zen-like calm while watching something similar – middle-aged women trying to sell us rubbish on shopping channels, cookery shows or Gardener's World – ASMR enthusiasts say watching someone talking quietly while describing their coin or jewellery collection gives them 'head tingles'.

'It's a tingly feeling which starts at the top of the head and spreads out throughout your nervous system,' says Ilse. 'It's like goosebumps under the skin.'

Research is under way in the US to find out if there's any evidence to back up this sensation, which has become a phenomenon on YouTube.

Searching the site yields a wide range of results, from Ilse's own 'show and tell' videos, where she talks about her jewellery or makes decorations – she also has a channel of noises, such as plastic bags being crinkled – to the wide range of role play videos, which have proved controversial when ASMR has been covered in the media.

The uninitiated may find some of these videos somewhat sexualised. Most ASMR video makers are women, although there are lots of male whisperers, and many of the role-play videos involve the ASMRtist whispering into the camera close up, with the focus on the lips.

Many of the videos aim to create a sense of intimacy. 'If it triggers a sexual response, I guess it's possible but people don't make the videos for that purpose,' says Ilse. 'It's for relaxation, not sexual arousal.'

While the more mundane videos of people whispering while crafting or doing a cookery demonstration may come across as boring, hypnotic or relaxing, the role-play videos can be perplexing. Take the comments on VeniVidiVulpes's 'Men's haircut and shave' video, in which she gives the camera a haircut while whispering for 43 minutes. 'You look blazed,' says one commenter. 'You have beautiful nostrils and gums,' says another. 'Where did you get your shower curtain?' asks another, perhaps missing the point.

Some ideas snowball: when one ASMRtist hits upon a popular idea, everyone else does their own version – so haircut or spa role plays are common, as are eye tests and 'cranial nerve exams' where the whisperer shines a light into the camera and talks into both sides of the speakers. Many makers have invested in binaural microphones to make this convincing.

There are also wackier offerings, which suggest as long as it's being whispered then almost anything can be part of the ASMR world. How about a relaxing 'escape from an asylum' video for example? Or an interrogation film? Some genres are so common they've spawned parodies.

There's even a Star Wars-themed video, in which a hooded ASMRtist tells the camera: 'I've heard you've been having problems with the Force,' before getting her lightsaber out.

Meanwhile ASMRrequest's Space Travel Agent video (involving softly spoken questioning and an eye-test light being shone into the camera) seems to be The Avatar of ASMR roleplay – an impressive feat for the woman who made this sci-fi epic in her living room with a green screen and computer special effects. It's notched up more than 540,000 views in three months.

Popular ASMRtists can even earn a living from it. Ilse went full-time last year and makes a new video each week. 'The ASMR community is anything but competitive,' she says. 'Everyone is happy for each other when they get more subscribers.'

Ilse advises people who aren't yet convinced to look at the videos and see if anything triggers an ASMR response. You may never listen to a plastic bag being crinkled in the same way again...

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