Submitted For Your Approval #3: Oil Can Press
Posted on March 31, 2008
At one point in this man’s life, I could swear he had twelve fish tanks. Granted I am known for my grandiose descriptions, but I swear he had fish tanks on top of fish tanks beside the fish tank.
He is also a man of type writers, a former beekeeper, and dare I say he could skin a yeti right the first time. The man I speak of is Aaron Howard. He is a New York poet, a publisher, a collagist, and president of Oil Can Press.
He has tortured the spirit of Edgar Allen Poe, and written more letters to Thomas Pynchon than anyone I have ever met. Now that’s on the level.
I’ve written my fair share to Santa, but that doesn’t even begin to describe this level of mystery and disappointment, let alone the sheer weight of his greatest works. Believe it or not, but a Pynchon novel weighs more than a healthy Albatross.
I submit to you the following.
Oilcan Press Oilcan Noise Oilcan Parade
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The Power of Sound Design: Example #1
Posted on March 31, 2008
Thus begins my diverse examples of excellence in sound design. First up is the maestro Santeri.
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Filed Under film, sound, The Power of Sound Design, sound design | Leave a Comment
Someone Beat Edison to the Punch? HE WAS FRENCH???
Posted on March 30, 2008
It turns out some of my American pride is misplaced (who would have thunkit?). As the freedom frie left our menu, now the honor of the first recorded human voice has taken wing all across the Atlantic. What’s next? Baghdad has the battery, Afghanistan has chess, next thing you know Poland will claim it invented the garden gnome. Either way, the history of sound recording is so short that it’s nice to cheat it up a few more years.
Damn, I had enough trouble dealing with an archaic lease restricting the use of my phonograph, now theres “phonautographs”? I don’t even know if I’m punctuating the question right!
But seriously folks, before I go, I wanted to personally apologize to all of my French fans out there. I realize you have more to offer than prose poetry and creative potato recipes, and from this side of the Atlantic, it looks like you do a far better job keeping Jazz musicians out of the rain. Thank you, I mean that.
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Submitted for Your Approval #2: Bedlam Review
Posted on March 30, 2008
Yet again I have suggested reading for your approval. This time it’s the handywork of David Schneider, accomplished writer and slayer of Myth. He used to have a bloody griffin head mounted on his dorm wall. He would drink thick pints of Guinness from a cold empty heart and toss darts at the monster’s souless eyes while he studied James Joyce furiously.
“In the present age, a statement of intent to launch a PUBLICATION of ARTS AND IDEAS may aptly be called a leap of faith. In an age wherein the New York Times “Arts and Ideas” section enjoyed but a brief tenure, and n+1 publicly questions its raison d’etre, in an age in which newspapers, magazines and the televised media alike reduce their writing and cultural staffs as they wrestle for advertising and dishonor themselves in their own advertisement, in an age in which writings are so numerous, and so impoverished in quality of thought: and readers, as evidenced by revenue, are so few or so distracted (the terms are equal) — it might strike some as the height of financial folly to initiate any further quixotic enterprise in language.”
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Submitted For Your Approval #1
Posted on March 29, 2008
I wanted to take a minute and lead you to a blog that may be of particular interest: The Middle Room. Author Erin Snyder insists the cool kids sit elsewhere, and that his quantum theories in film review have clothed a lot of starving children… somewhere.
“And still every movie critic in America grades a movie’s bouquet in terms of stars. But what kind of star, I ask you.
And there can be no answer, because, although they pretend to juggle them in their hands, dispensing them justly, your average movie critic can’t tell the difference between a red giant and a white dwarf. ”
- Erin Snyder
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Filed Under film, submittedforyourapproval | 2 Comments
Public Transit should Take Notice
Posted on March 29, 2008
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Experienced Amateurs versus Young Professionals
Posted on March 29, 2008
The digital age has changed the financial dynamics of filmmaking in such drastic ways, that the whole industry of film is still shaking. Hollywood might not be the capital of the California archipelago just yet, but a lot of us are placing our bets.
Heinz Ketchup thought it was surfing the break when it announced a contest for a new user provided commercial in the spring of 2007. Louise Story featured the disaster in the New York Times in an article called “The High Price of Creating Free Ads.” Turns out it’s expensive to market such a contest, and the results often turn out lack luster. Could be the exception to the rule, but it does shout out a stark warning.
Where does User Provided material stop, and professional derived media begin?
I live in New York city, and keep tabs on a couple dozen filmmakers. They range from archivists, to tape traders, all the way to big set work. The one thing thats clear on a sunny day, is that there are many of us, and a few quick looks on Craig’s List tells us that there are plenty of people working for close to and including nothing. So why isn’t everybody out of work? It’s pretty simple. Experience.
Even though digital filmmaking has made it affordable to gain a large amount of film experience, it still costs a pretty penny to get your hands on lights, jibs, and other toys that take time to learn to handle. On top of that, no one is forcing you to be an editors assistant labeling film scraps you find on the floor. Skills like organization are extremely difficult to teach yourself. There is something to be said about mentorships in terms of covering your bases. The rules on set, the pecking order and everything that goes along with it, isn’t just an evil union plot, it’s actually a tested way of getting things done. A good filmmaker doesn’t need to follow all the rules, but they should be aware when they aren’t.
An amateur can still capture an incredible moment, but a filmmaker makes these moments fit together into something greater. A lot of marketing executives are forgetting all about that, and even encouraging professionals to adopt a ‘low-fi’ look. That approach will not last because there are too many tantilizing uncharted possibilities left for us to explore. This isn’t a time to use our conveniences to move backward, rather it should be an era of creative excellence.
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Filed Under editing, film, amateur, essay | Leave a Comment
Selling Progress: the Evolution of the Mac Brand
Posted on March 27, 2008
For three decades Apple computers has been drawing destinctions among its competitors in order to successfully brand it’s products. We all know about the Mac versus PC continuity, but I was suprised to see that same angle played throughout the 80’s and 90’s.
Jan. 1984
1991
Superbowl 1999
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Another Great Car Commercial
Posted on March 24, 2008
Here is an example of fine advertising. You can see the walls break down on this one, and I have to tip my hat. Not only does this play off the game hit Spy Hunter, but it mocks itself along with all these other live action car commercials that suggest you will be mudding your way to the ledge of a mountain.
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Filed Under mashup, viral marketing, commercial, satire, carcommercial | Leave a Comment
God Rest the Mambo
Posted on March 23, 2008
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Andy Garcia, who made a documentary about the bassist in 1993, has this to say about his music.“I always saw the music as a protagonist, ” Garcia said. “For the physical protagonist in the movie, the music is the one thing he finds solace in in exile. It is the one thing that never betrays him. It’s true for me, too. When I close my eyes and I hear a piece of music from the past, I go back and live an era I didn’t even know. I never saw Beny Moré live. But in my imagination I have.”
And for those of you who have never listened, and expecially for those who have, here is the Man himself.
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Last I checked Parody was Fair Use
Posted on March 20, 2008
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How Many Blogs Does it Take to Sell a Lightbulb?
Posted on March 20, 2008
With twenty thousand some odd blogs popping up everyday, there are an estimated 100 million world wide. These numbers are disputed by different census takers, but no one has a single number when asked “How many of these are worth reading?”
I’ll conveniently go one step further. How does a blog become worth reading?
Some of you are probably familiar with the popular site Boing Boing which recently launched its TV division . The evolution of Boing Boing captures a romantic element from my generation. The Apple IIe didn’t hit my living room until I was 5 years old, and ever since I have been lucky to keep one foot in the analog world. So has Boing Boing.
Started as a zine in 1988, Boing Boing focussed it’s eyes on science fiction and science fact culture. Any new development, or even spectacular speculation was fed to the growing cyber generation. In 1995 it hit the html then n 2000 it became a blog. It’s the perfect model for the evolution of modern media, and its subject matter reflects its own prosperity. It covers the new and exciting, offering a constant appeal to each forthcoming generation of viewer.
Now let’s look at the popular liberally biased political blog the Daily Kos, founded by former US army soldier Markos Moulitsas Zuniga who has been dubbed the first blogger officially accredited at a political convention. The broad-reaching powers of his website can be seen in the eyes of heavy waits like senator Chris Dodd, but how it reached this level is difficult to discern. Strongly associated with the dean campaign, they played the smart hand in 2003 and a lot of folks haven’t forgotten. How many is that? There are a half million that frequent the site every day.
Now that is a big audience, but does it really translate to tangible political weight?
When George Bush dismissed the first 7 attorneys on Dec 7, 2006, the last thing he expected was a binary power play. Talking Points Memo strung the stories together, covered every movement of the scandal and pushed the issue back into the spotlight every single day. The story was handed to the major networks and papers on a silver platter, and that lead to the eventual ousting of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
Power.
So how much are these blogs actually raking in?
“Blogs are likely to be better for readers than for capitalists. While I love the medium, I’ve always been skeptical about the value of blogs as businesses,”
- Nick Denton, founder of Gawker Media.
Sounds funny from a fellow who has accumulated a fortune worth over 200 million dollars from his various exploits of the world wide web. In the February 20, 2006 issue of New York Magazine, Jossip founder David Hauslaib claims Gawker.com’s annual advertising revenue to be between one and two million dollars a year. With the limited costs of hosting and staff, that leaves a wad-full in the pocket.
But even 2 million is a drop in the bucket when you look at what Moveon.org has accomplished. Founded by Joan Blades and Wes Boyd, the left leaning political site has an impressive 3.2 million memberships, and raised over 11 million dollars for progressive candidates in 2004. This year they are set to raise even more.
There might might be a pile of helicopters on the summit, but there is definitely gold in them thar hills.
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