Man of the Year: Draxtor Despress

 
There's been plenty of news this year in Second Life, and plenty of men and women behind it. In real life, the Coronavirus Pandemic cast a dark shadow over the world, and more people than before found themselves looking for things to do online. To bring them to Second Life, there had to be something to advertise the virtual world, and show them what was going on.

Someone helping out with both was Draxtor Despress, (Bernhard Drax in real life). Not just this year, but for the past several. Originally known for his "Flufee" videos made with Pooky Amsterdam, in 2013 he started a new series of informative videos about Second Life, "The Drax Files." This was followed in 2013 with "The Drax Files Radio Hour." In 2018, he produced a documentary film, "Our Digital Selves: My Avatar Is Me," which was about 13 Second Life residents whom overcame their various disabilities and made a home for themselves here. His work continued with the Second Life Destination videos in 2019, and this year he began hosting the Second Life Book Club.

For his work this year and in years past, Draxtor Despress is judged to be the Newser's Man of the Year.

Bixyl Shuftan
Editor, SL Newser

Man of the Year Runner-Up: Draxtor Despress

Much like the Newser's Persons of the Year, the Second Life Birthday Group Volunteers, the runner-up is known for his accomplishments in previous years as well as this one. Draxtor Despress (Bernhard Drax in real life) Originally known for his "Flufee" videos made with Pooky Amsterdam, in 2013 he started a new series of informative videos about Second Life, "The Drax Files." This was followed in 2013 with "The Drax Files Radio Hour." Last year, he did some Sansar preview videos to help promote Linden Lab's next generation world.



This year, Draxtor produced a documentary film, "Our Digital Selves: My Avatar Is Me." The movie, "tells the story of 13 global citizens and their avatars as they transcend their various disabilities through artistic expression and making a home for themselves in the VR Metaverse." The video has been viewed almost 50,000 times, and no doubt has changed some minds on what Second Life, and other virtual worlds, are all about.

So for his work past and present, Draxtor Despress make's the Newser's Runner-Up for Man of the Year of 2018.

Other noteable people included Luskwood for still being a noted community after fifteen years, the former residents of the closed InWorldz Grid, the Relay for Life volunteers, and of course the Lindens for keeping Second Life up and running for fifteen years.

Bixyl Shuftan
Editor, SL Newser

Announcement: Burners Without Borders Movie Night: "Our Digital Selves"

Burners Without Borders  SL 1st  RFL event (this year) woot!

Showing new, full-feature documentary about Second Life by filmaker, Draxtor Despres.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 22 7pm SLT and again on 29th at 5pm SLT

WHERE: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Escapades/92/17/23

We are excited to see this film together with you in SL!!

One day we will celebrate the Cure, until then we Relay! United, Together!!

SL and Sansar Video: "Our Digital Selves Official Teaser #4 (Drax Files Special coming 2018)"

(Click here if the video fails to play)

From Draxtor Despress on April 17, "Guided by principal investigators Tom Boellstorff and Donna ZImmerman Davis, the Ethnographia group is examining how avatar embodiment and place-making in virtual worlds like Second Life influences people with visible and invisible disabilities. More about this 3-year National Science Foundation funded study, conducted by University of California, Irvine and University of Oregon can be found at http://www.ourdigitalselves.com/ If you like to join this community in SL please meet up at Ethnographia Island here: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ethnographia/18/29/22