How Fortunes Get Into Fortune Cookies

How to Use Anthro | Tip #C4
Short video clips contain lots of data. Use them to document short processes, from ‘exotic’ greetings, to how employees perform tasks.

Let’s start with "what the Hell is visual anthropology?" Pretty much, the Society for Visual Anthropology describes it as "the use of images for the description, analysis, communication and interpretation of human behavior."

So, "what’s visual anthro useful for?" It has several uses, ranging from filmmaking and museum exhibition, to mapmaking and kinship diagraming, to a bunch of other stuff that’s over my head. One of my favorite uses, however, involves using short video clips to document simple processes. After all, clips can offer lots more data than still photos, while still only taking seconds to capture.

For example, with just a few short seconds of video, anthropologists could document how Hadzabe huntsmen string their bows. We could document a Morrocan greeting ritual. Or, if you’re a business anthropologist, you could document how employees perform tasks.

A case in point, consider this clip I captured during my little adventure in Chinatown. After stumbling across Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, I decided to video its workers stuffing the fortunes into the cookies, and loop that video into an SWF. (Note: SWFs are FLASH objects, which may not appear on some mobile browsers. Sorry.)

"Why should anybody care about this clip?" Well, for starters, it documents the process by which fortunes get stuffed into fortune cookies. That’s just neat to know! [Laughs Out Loud] More practically, however, this clip offers something useful to all businesses. Workplace efficiency data.

For example, after watching this clip loop a few times, two things jumped out at me:

• At a rate of 5 cookies every 20 seconds, the frontmost worker could stuff +7000 fortune cookies a day. Damn! I wouldn’t get that many fortune cookies even if I ordered Chinese food EVERY NIGHT FOR 19 YEARS.

• The workspace may need rearranging. Instead of drawing fortunes one-at-a-time from the bin on her left, the frontmost worker grabs a bunch of fortunes at once, piles the fortunes on a cooling rack meant to hold cookies, and draws from that pile.

What else can you see in this clip? For example, what are the workers in the background doing? How safe do those machines look? How sanitary is their food handling? Does that apron go with her shirt? [Joke.] Of course, any other comments are welcome, too! Even short, stupid, and repeated ones. Seriously, I put a lot of thought into these posts, and I love it when people discuss them. So be awesome, click here, and leave a comment! No email or registration required. Yay, free speech!

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Joachim Knuf says:

What she does is single-piece flow. Works better than batching cookies and is recommended. Also, the brevity of the clip, as well as the looping, makes this process look like true drudgery. It captures no social interaction, no change in position, in fact, only the manipulation of cookies, over and over. Easy to overinterpret.
Joachim

Ashkuff says:

Good insights on workflow. I agree that the clip’s data has its limits – e.g. not capturing social interaction. Of course, that’s why I recommend using such clips for documenting “short processes,” like manipulating cookies!

mohamed Ben Othman says:

Hi Ashkuff,
I like this fortune cookies clip and the mind behind it, and I wish to get in touch with you for a visual project I am working on. Please get in touch via my mail address at
Cheers,
Mohamed

Ashkuff says:

Thanks, Mohamed! Just sent out that email.

Delaney Daly says:

The first thing I noticed was how she’s putting those cookies in there. What kind of method is that?? A more serious inquiry is how big is this factory? It seems pretty small. I only see three people working, not including the guy sitting down. How long does she sit there before she does something else? Do they switch duties?

Ashkuff says:

AWESOME observations and questions, Delaney!

No idea what method she used. In retrospect, I wish I’d captured a closeup clip of just her hands at work.

Very small factory, indeed! That I could tell, this was the whole thing, but there may’ve been a back room I missed.

I think timing duty switching would make a great research goal!

Nelson Graburn says:

Nice video. But was this made with informed consent (obtained before hand)
explaining that this would be available for the world to see, with no anonymity?
It seems you should have written permission from the worker and the factory owner, but I didn’t see any credits?
Looking forward to your public reply.

Nelson Graburn

Ashkuff says:

Good ethical catch, Nelson!

Even though you can’t see it in this video, the factory provided written consent with a sign that invites the public to take pictures (for a small fee.) I can provide proof, if necessary.

Note to aspiring filmmakers and anthropologists: had there been no such sign, I would’ve made a more thorough attempt to get everybody’s permission, and maybe even blurred faces in the final cut.

Nelson Graburn says:

That’s wonderful!
I have seen so many ethnographic films where the film maker
never got any permissions because, they claimed, they were
film makers or artists, not anthropologists – even from/at
Harvard!

Nelson G

Ashkuff says:

Glad you approve, Nelson!

In general, I have mixed emotions about the ethics of consent, but’s probably just because I used to research street preachers; by their nature, they delivered public sermons, understood they might get filmed, and built their behavior around that. I also had to contend with passersby who’d thrust themselves into frame, do something illegal (like snatch the preachers’ Bible,) then notice me — only to try to steal my camera, or dash off before I could get informed consent.

When it comes to filming somebody in a private workplace, however? The ethical implications seem clearer to me. For example, you could get someone fired if you featured her txt-msging on the clock, even if all her coworkers do likewise.

jesse wilde says:

A picture may tell a 1000 words, but how ’bout that video? Ergonomically speaking, that’s a workman’s comp for carpal tunnel syndrome waiting to happen at 7000 twists a day! Or wait, maybe the video is an opportunity for an ounce of prevention. An ergonomic consultant, or an anthropologist, might be able to identify and recommend a cost-effective alternative? BTW, nice clip – looks like something I’d see on 20/20.

Ashkuff says:

[beams proudly] Why, thank you! I’m glad you like the clip!

Funny to note, one of my proofreaders mentioned ergonomics, too! Of course, a biological anthropologist might have some useful insights, too.

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