Taipei Tech’s Scientific Video on Blackouts After Drinking Wins Gold Open Call Award
Why do some people lose their memory or behave irrationally after drinking alcohol? A team from Taipei Tech’s Department of Interaction Design tackled this question and triumphed at the National Science and Technology Council’s second “Open Call Award.” Their short film, The Mysterious Behavior Behind Drunkenness, beat out 460 submissions nationwide to win the gold award in the university division for scientific videos.
The 12-minute film focuses on the drinking culture among young adults. It depicts four real-life scenarios after drinking: someone who keeps vomiting, someone who suddenly becomes a language master, someone who blacks out, and a pair whose emotional outbursts go unchecked. Each example examines alcohol’s physical and psychological impact, blending scientific principles with dynamic storytelling to encourage responsible drinking.
The team, named Drunkenly Busy, consists of two master’s students, Chen Yu-chen and Huang Yu-chiao, under the guidance of Professor Huang Yi-ting. Huang Yu-chiao, who was responsible for planning and post-production, observed that people often act strangely after drinking, and she thinks the scientific explanations behind these behaviors are worth exploring.
Chen Yu-chen, who created the stop motion animations, experimented with time-lapse drawing for the first time in this project. She explained, “In an era dominated by social media shorts, it’s challenging to keep viewers engaged with longer films. We wanted to make it fun and engaging so people would watch, interact, and share.” The hand-drawn animations not only made the visuals more appealing but also allowed for greater freedom in exaggerating drunken behaviors. The video is structured in sections, each featuring a real anecdote paired with a scientific explanation, making it easy for viewers to relate to each scenario.
Professor Huang Yi-ting noted that the students had only two weeks from deciding to enter the competition to submit their final video. To ensure scientific accuracy, they carefully researched reliable sources and focused on presenting the information clearly and convincingly. Their user-centered design approach shaped both the concept and production of the film—earning them a well-deserved gold award.
The 12-minute film focuses on the drinking culture among young adults. It depicts four real-life scenarios after drinking: someone who keeps vomiting, someone who suddenly becomes a language master, someone who blacks out, and a pair whose emotional outbursts go unchecked. Each example examines alcohol’s physical and psychological impact, blending scientific principles with dynamic storytelling to encourage responsible drinking.
The team, named Drunkenly Busy, consists of two master’s students, Chen Yu-chen and Huang Yu-chiao, under the guidance of Professor Huang Yi-ting. Huang Yu-chiao, who was responsible for planning and post-production, observed that people often act strangely after drinking, and she thinks the scientific explanations behind these behaviors are worth exploring.
Chen Yu-chen, who created the stop motion animations, experimented with time-lapse drawing for the first time in this project. She explained, “In an era dominated by social media shorts, it’s challenging to keep viewers engaged with longer films. We wanted to make it fun and engaging so people would watch, interact, and share.” The hand-drawn animations not only made the visuals more appealing but also allowed for greater freedom in exaggerating drunken behaviors. The video is structured in sections, each featuring a real anecdote paired with a scientific explanation, making it easy for viewers to relate to each scenario.
Professor Huang Yi-ting noted that the students had only two weeks from deciding to enter the competition to submit their final video. To ensure scientific accuracy, they carefully researched reliable sources and focused on presenting the information clearly and convincingly. Their user-centered design approach shaped both the concept and production of the film—earning them a well-deserved gold award.
