PLAYD8s

PLAYD8s
a show about how we play

photo description: me-me laughing into a banana phone

come over!

insta-twit face
interview, interview, interview, review
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

PLAYD8s w/ u + me-me is a bilingual video interview series. The eight-episode season is hosted by Me-Me (played by EJ Kneifel) who interviews artists, thinkers, and her Grand-maman about how they have played, play, and how they would like to play. Sitting on a bed full of pillows, they colour with crayons and explore play in a particular theme: sound, language, aesthetics, solitude, religion, science, imagination, and family.

The title sequence was released on February 29, 2020. One episode was released each Wednesday, from March 4 until April 22, 2020.

Credits
EJ Kneifel …. Director, Writer, Host, Co-creator
Nadia Davoli …… Video, Sound, Lighting, Editor, Co-creator

Guests in order of appearance:
Bára Hladik ………………………… March 4 | Episode 1: Sound
Vi-an Dang ………………………… March 11 | Episode 2: Science
Lourdenie Jean ……………………. March 18 | Episode 3: Language
EJ Kneifel as Me-Me ………….. March 25 | Episode 4: Solitude
Grand-Maman ………………….. April 1 | Episode 5: Family
Sanna Wani …………….…………... April 8 | Episode 6: Religion
Prudence Gendron ……………… April 15 | Episode 7: Aesthetics
Ashley Obscura …………………….. April 22 | Episode 8: Imagination
Title Song: Melody by Natasha Jacobs of Thelma, Lyrics by EJ Kneifel

More Show Details
Each episode begins with a silly introduction (e.g. “my friend Prudence, who once danced with the moon at a ball”). After the credits run, there is a special feature called a “Ding!” where Me-Me talks briefly about a word she likes. The show’s aesthetic is inspired by Kneifel’s childhood, children's pedagogical shows, drag, clowns, and Tierra Whack. The show is filmed in Kneifel’s real-life bedroom, turned pink and cloudy. A few episodes tinker with the show’s general formula: Lourdenie’s episode is trilingual (French, English, some Haitian Creole) and conducted over video chat, Kneifel’s grandmother’s episode is conducted entirely in Canadian French, and Ashley’s episode is a conversation with an “imaginary friend.” In the fourth episode, Me-Me decides she would prefer to play alone and invites the audience to do the same.