DIGITAL IMMIGRANTS

1984 – The home computer arrives in our living rooms and overruns a whole generation. Only those who master the new technology have a future. The computer splits society into “Digital Natives” and “Digital Immigrants”.

2016 – A group of senior citizens is trying to adapt to the speed of computerization in order to find their place in the digital age. Their problem is ours: How long can we keep up with the rapid development?

DENNIS STAUFFER

 

Born in 1990 in Solothurn, Switzerland. Apprenticeship as electronics engineer. 2012-16 Studies Film at ZHdK (Zürcher Hochschule der Künste). 2016 BA in Film from ZHdK. Works as freelance photographer and cinematographer.

 

 

NORBERT KOTTMANN

 

Born in 1979 in Sursee, Switzerland. 2006 MA in Computer Sciences from University of Bern. Works as software engineer. 2012 Cofounds Kinema GmbH production company. 2015 BA in Film, focus in editing from ZHdK (Zürcher Hochschule der Künste). Since 2015 part-time teaching assistant at ZHdK and independent film editor.

• Festival del film Locarno 2016 
• DOK Leipzig 2016 
• Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 2016 
• Vilnius International Shortfilm Festival 2017 
• Big Sky Documentary Film Festival 2017 
• MECAL Pro Spain 2017 
• DOK.fest München 2017 
• DOXA Documentary Film Festival Vancouver 2017

Both of us are educated in the area of computer sciences and electronics. With great interest we followed the progress happening in the world of technology, we built our own computers and did our own programming during our free time.

The knowledge we acquired is a huge advantage and often lets us solve any problems we may encounter when working with the computer. Friends seek us out whenever they are confronted with a problem on one of their devices and we are constantly reminded of how complicated today’s technology has become.

Now, we have chosen a new path and are pursuing a career as filmmakers. We are still interested in the trends of the digital world, but are not trying to keep up with the newest models and technologies as we did in previous years. It can be quite stressful to keep up with the rapid development concerning digitalisation and so we asked ourselves: How does a person cope with having to learn about computers, tablets and smartphones from scratch? How do Digital Immigrants deal with the new technology?

With our film, we want to take the audience on a journey through time. Beginning with the boom of the home computer in the 80’s and ending on the viewer’s question: What has the digitalisation brought us and where will it take us?

Let IT dok! 2017