Not just Star Wars, but Star Wars: Revelations. This is a 40 minute movie that one of the creators describes as, "Revelations was created to give artisans and craftsmen the chance to showcase their work, allow all those involved a chance to live the dream, and maybe - just maybe - open the eyes in the industry as to what can be done with a small budget, dedicated people, and undiscovered talent."
This movie is just one example of how people are using mostly moxie and raw energy to create often brilliant and beautiful pieces of entertainment.
I stumbled upon such a gem myself fairly recently:
Sail Music Video Remake
The music video for the song "Sail", by AWOLNATION, was redone by a group of two young women going by the moniker 'Nanalew'. I found this video accidentally, as I was intending to find only the original, and saw this one and opened it out of curiosity. I found it to be absolutely brilliant. I watched the making of and discovered that this young duo did it all themselves too, which is very impressive.
The cinematography and everything are absolutely top notch. And the 'script', the story they tell, comedically in this mock-music video, is absolutely hilarious.
I love the independent genre. I don't often enjoy mainstream films simply because the message is so force-fed, contrived and just plain wrong that it's not worth stomaching and losing the time. I've found many independent films however, that are very refreshing. Great acting, great plot, and real and believable characters, as well as the key things like plain old good filming and special effects.
I say, grab your camera phone and shoot something if you feel the urge. With the multitude of free editing software and effects programs, you could easily make home movies, which is what Jenkins and so many others are trying to say. It's not just for the Fat Cats anymore, if we can show them we've got the goods.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Blair Witch
I admit I wasn't entirely surprised to find as I continued my reading of Convergence Culture by Henry Jenkins, that the Blair Witch phenomenon was eventually mentioned.
I am old enough to remember this first hand, and I remember too the massive tourism that sprung forth all because of small indie film. Blair Witch indeed, was not just a movie, but a prime example of Convergence Culture. They were able to make a second film, based largely over the masses reaction to the first one!
The Matrix was also, as Jenkins points out, exceedingly original, and how the Wachowski brothers dealt with their fans, and critics helped to ensure their success. The Matrix Reloaded had entire gaps of plot development missing in the movie, that were picked up on or completed in the coordinating video game. Their movie posters had cheat codes in the streaming numbers. They made a unique media event, not a movie.
They almost made the movie a game in fact, in the way they had symbolism and fans guessing for more and more hidden meanings, and their cryptic answers only incited the fans to dig deeper. Similar to The Blair Witch, this was truly a fan experience, participated in by masses, communicating to masses, all trying to solve the puzzle that is The Matrix.
I am old enough to remember this first hand, and I remember too the massive tourism that sprung forth all because of small indie film. Blair Witch indeed, was not just a movie, but a prime example of Convergence Culture. They were able to make a second film, based largely over the masses reaction to the first one!
The Matrix was also, as Jenkins points out, exceedingly original, and how the Wachowski brothers dealt with their fans, and critics helped to ensure their success. The Matrix Reloaded had entire gaps of plot development missing in the movie, that were picked up on or completed in the coordinating video game. Their movie posters had cheat codes in the streaming numbers. They made a unique media event, not a movie.
They almost made the movie a game in fact, in the way they had symbolism and fans guessing for more and more hidden meanings, and their cryptic answers only incited the fans to dig deeper. Similar to The Blair Witch, this was truly a fan experience, participated in by masses, communicating to masses, all trying to solve the puzzle that is The Matrix.
Dinosaur No Mo'
I have rebelled against a lot about social media, but I have been able to appreciate the positive attributes. One of those is this blog. As an writer aspiring to get published, and someone who loves to make people laugh, I am always seeking an audience. I work two jobs, go to school and raise two children alone however, so I don't always have time to do this socially. By socially I mean the original definition, of WITH PEOPLE, in their physical presence.
During this class, I have been blogging, and I realize that this is actually a viable outlet for me. Facebook isn't, and I also tried Twitter over this semester as well, as an alternative connection between people to Facebook. Twitter I find not nearly as disappointing as Facebook, and I enjoy posting funny anecdotes, and I appreciate the format (160 characters or less). Overall, there is more control on their site as well, on the content you are exposed to.
I think however, I shall simply be a blogger. I may eventually turn the facebook back on, but while I rarely used it before, I shall use it even less now. I can see why it's useful for creating an event, and inviting everyone at once, easily, especially for a more public event that you don't have phone numbers for everyone you'd like to invite. So far that's the only thing I miss about Facebook.
It simply comes to finding an outlet that's appropriate for us, in a method that we deem acceptable for our own standards.
During this class, I have been blogging, and I realize that this is actually a viable outlet for me. Facebook isn't, and I also tried Twitter over this semester as well, as an alternative connection between people to Facebook. Twitter I find not nearly as disappointing as Facebook, and I enjoy posting funny anecdotes, and I appreciate the format (160 characters or less). Overall, there is more control on their site as well, on the content you are exposed to.
I think however, I shall simply be a blogger. I may eventually turn the facebook back on, but while I rarely used it before, I shall use it even less now. I can see why it's useful for creating an event, and inviting everyone at once, easily, especially for a more public event that you don't have phone numbers for everyone you'd like to invite. So far that's the only thing I miss about Facebook.
It simply comes to finding an outlet that's appropriate for us, in a method that we deem acceptable for our own standards.
Web 2.0
The way we communicate today versus even ten years ago, has changed vastly. Cell phones now in almost everyone's hand, they not only allow us to call anyone, anywhere, the texting and media are what these devices are mostly used for. And this is key to the growing trend of how the mass at large communicates with one another, to the masses.
Web 2.0 is a term coined around 1999, and the definition varies slightly depending on who you're talking to, but the image above is an image of Web 2.0 at work, more importantly the way I am delivering it to you. I, as a blogger in my class, am participating in this (relatively new) phenomenon of convergence culture. As a blogger, I am one person, communicating with many, through mass communication. This is not my preference, and I am just starting to really delve into what Web 2.0 has to offer.
Interpersonal communication is what I prefer. Before texting, when a cell phone even, was just a phone, I used it rarely. This is true today; I loathe phone conversations. This is simply because I do not believe the phone should be used for conversations. I prefer face-to-face interaction, but that's me. As a test to myself, I recently deactivated my facebook account. I've had it for about two years, because before that, facebook infuriated me so much that I shut it off and went without for almost two years.
I see the benefits of facebook, I do. Mainly, the ability to reconnect with people you might not otherwise. But after over a week without facebook, I can say I feel only relief. I am planning a few events at my second job, and I can see why having facebook right now would be useful, as I could easily advertise/promote the event. It's not however, enough of a lure to draw me back.
Many to many communication is another part of Web 2.0. I found another blogger that talks about this here: http://www.nojitter.com/post/225702034/manytomany-communication-and-social-media-in-the-enterprise
He explains also how the new mass-to-mass communication is difficult for corporations to deal with, mostly because of the instant communication social media can produce, and this is not conducive to corporate structure/function.
He describes this here:
"1) Control--Organizations like to control all information out of their environment. Marketing controls information around the brand, Legal controls information to protect the organization from lawsuits and to guard intellectual property, and Customer Service addresses issues on a case by case basis.
2) Role--Everyone in an organization has a specific job and role, so while it may be one person's job to follow and respond to a social media site on behalf of a company, not everyone in the company is allowed to.
3) Process--Organizations have specific processes for generating and approving information and how it is communicated. Posting information real-time, on the "fly", is usually not possible."
Overall, Web 2.0 is a good thing. Of course there are the 'bad eggs', but this is the same as with any new concept.
Interpersonal communication is what I prefer. Before texting, when a cell phone even, was just a phone, I used it rarely. This is true today; I loathe phone conversations. This is simply because I do not believe the phone should be used for conversations. I prefer face-to-face interaction, but that's me. As a test to myself, I recently deactivated my facebook account. I've had it for about two years, because before that, facebook infuriated me so much that I shut it off and went without for almost two years.
I see the benefits of facebook, I do. Mainly, the ability to reconnect with people you might not otherwise. But after over a week without facebook, I can say I feel only relief. I am planning a few events at my second job, and I can see why having facebook right now would be useful, as I could easily advertise/promote the event. It's not however, enough of a lure to draw me back.
Many to many communication is another part of Web 2.0. I found another blogger that talks about this here: http://www.nojitter.com/post/225702034/manytomany-communication-and-social-media-in-the-enterprise
He explains also how the new mass-to-mass communication is difficult for corporations to deal with, mostly because of the instant communication social media can produce, and this is not conducive to corporate structure/function.
He describes this here:
"1) Control--Organizations like to control all information out of their environment. Marketing controls information around the brand, Legal controls information to protect the organization from lawsuits and to guard intellectual property, and Customer Service addresses issues on a case by case basis.
2) Role--Everyone in an organization has a specific job and role, so while it may be one person's job to follow and respond to a social media site on behalf of a company, not everyone in the company is allowed to.
3) Process--Organizations have specific processes for generating and approving information and how it is communicated. Posting information real-time, on the "fly", is usually not possible."
Overall, Web 2.0 is a good thing. Of course there are the 'bad eggs', but this is the same as with any new concept.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)