Here are some of the freshest ideas I’ve had. Just need somewhere to put them for now, so why not here:

Connect a computer up to a digital projector, and place it in parallel with a standard movie projector in a theater. The computer displays only a little sliver of something, set just above or below the movie projector’s image on the screen. What would it display?

- “pop-up video”-style trivia.
- synchronized subtitled director’s commentary
- real-time text messages sent in by the audience
- current sports scores, during sports season
- breaking news, as needed (“WE GOT HIM”?)

OK, all my ideas for the content are kind of whacky, but I think this has potential if one were to mull on it further. What I like about it is that every viewing of the movie could be different. No two audiences will have the same experience. I also like the idea of some form of audience participation, turning a movie into a performance.

A photo of storefronts without signs (photoshopped out), preferably a strip mall
juxtapozed with photo of beautiful old retail architecture (see harvard design school book)

Japanese Vacation Photos of America— coffee-table type book. Japanese people are renowed for the quantity of vacation photographs they take. Aren’t you interested in their perspective? I’d go to Japan for research, visit families who have travelled to America. Most pictures would probably be of American landmarks, some with other Japanese people around, the Japanese tour bus, etc.

Celebrity Water Heaters— and other domestic photos. Touring the basements of the stars.

Architecture by Non-Architects— a review of functionally excellent buildings designed by non-architects. I only know of a couple examples off-hand (Tor House, Boston Athanaeum’s facade (?), etc), but this would be a lot of fun to research.

Now that the ski season is going, I see a growing need for WiFi access points out there in the wilderness, or at least at the base lodge. I was yearning for this last year when I broke my wrist and sat in the lodge all day with my laptop. I’d love a little timed-use internet access with my hot cocoa in the lodge. This is especialy true for places like Smuggs, who already have a huge hotel at the bottom of the mountain.

Victoria’s Secret meets Virgin Megastore as a sex shop— tall ceilings, open plan, escalators, plasma TVs, big wall-sized color posters, nice light, high end adult products, nice packaging, friendly service. Right on Newbury St. / 5 Av / Michigan Ave / Rodeo Dr.