Artist, author and filmmaker Miranda July can now add a new job title to her CV: app engineer. July has taken another step into the digital era after teaching everyone what ))<>(( means in "Me And You And Everyone We Know." She has created an app called "Somebody," and an accompanying ten minute film of the same name which makes its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival this week. And if you can’t make it to Venice, you can just watch it below.
In essence a Tinder for feelings, Somebody adds an extra layer of communication: instead of going directly to the recipient, the message goes the closest third party available, who then delivers the message to the intended recipient. Or, as the press release for the app states: Texting is tacky. Calling is awkward. Email is old. Next time try Somebody…When you send your friend a message through Somebody, it goes — not to your friend — but to the Somebody user nearest your friend. This person (likely a stranger) delivers the message verbally, acting as your stand-in.
“The app makes people do things they normally wouldn’t do,” July told W magazine. “It can get outrageous. I do like the fact that it creates these ephemeral experiences, but I also hope that some people will document their message deliveries, just so I can see them.”
So yes, the app is real and available from Apple’s App Store. And the short film is also a pretty hilarious look at how it works. Check it out below.