react. Kinda quiet so far - around a dozen diggs. Will be interesting
to see what happens if it picks up.
http://digg.com/technology/The_Death_of_a_Video_Blogger_
Meanwhile, given the fact that you're very uncomfortable with the
constant violence on commercial tv, how do you react to Kevin's videos
that show such violence towards women? (The eye-gouging piece and the
Cronenbergesque surgeon episode come to mind.) Are these expressions
of violence inherently better because they're independent and
noncommercial, or somehow more authentic expressions of art?
andy
--- In videoblogging@yahoogroups.com, Jen Simmons <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Well for one I have to disagree that this is "worse" than the insidious
> creeping take-over of the vlogosphere imagination by corporate or
> corporate-copy-cat consumption-oriented / advertisy /
> product-placementy / slick-is-better /
> we-all-want-to-be-like-the-media-on-tv trends. I find that WAY more
> dangerous and problematic.
>
> I am wondering myself why I find this fascinating. I am surprised by my
> own reaction. Perhaps it's because I know Kevin and there's something
> not-typical about his approach to all the violent weird stupid
> perverted content that I am way way tired of after teaching student
> filmmaking in Philadelphia for the last three years. He is handling the
> same subjects, but somehow there is something else going on too --
> perhaps it's just that he's smart and it shows to me, while most of the
> other students make such work in such a mindless knee-jerk
> "stupid"/blind way.
>
> I think my reaction is mostly because of a workshop I've been in with
> Kevin taught by Ralph Lemon where we've been exploring danger and risk
> and fear all semester. Doing weird things like setting out to drop 40
> lb weights on our feet to see how we can't actually drop it on our
> feet, but will naturally jerk the body out of the way.... it's
> impossible, truly impossible to explain this by text, but it's been a
> great investigation of the fear we who are artists confront every time
> we try to make art. Artists live on the edge of real danger all the
> time. Somehow I can't separate this video Kevin made with that process
> of exploration, and in the context of that very specific investigation,
> this is hilarious.
>
> But... yeah... I think in any other context I too would be deeply
> disturbed and offended.
> I think it's interesting to me because I'm trying to figure out what
> the difference is in my self. And I am also asking in a deep deep way:
> what is happening here. What social rules are Kevin violating? How will
> the reaction unfold? Will there be a huge outcry? Or will this all blow
> over fairly quickly? Will people react? Or just take this in as one
> more thing...
>
> I see your point that it may be numbing us to real pain. I find the 27
> Law and Order and copycat shows completely irresponsible for exactly
> that reason. And find it completely ridiculous and amazing that NBC has
> gotten both super-christian in the last year and super-violent (come
> on -- an AMY GRANT reality tv show??? and more than one "miracle"
> reality tv show... and more murder "investigations" than I've ever
> seen.) I'll be just change channels zipping past NBC and get assaulted
> by a scene of a graphic rape and murder. It seems like an extremely
> perverted rape-by-proxy thing, what, letting the viewers fantasize
> about what it would be like to rape and murder someone?? It' very
> offensive to me. And I see no one talking about it. Why aren't the
> christians outraged about that?? Instead they are freaking out over a
> gay kiss or people talking about evolution... it's crazy crazy crazy.
>
> I also know that I am numb to the violence in my student's work because
> it's so horrible here at Temple. The most unbelievably violent films
> get made by the undergraduates here. And no one talks about it. After
> four years I think my perspective is totally warped. And having people
> on the outside say -- "uh, no, this is not acceptable" is a welcome
> breath of fresh air.
>
> So people, please everyone say what you think. I want to hear what
> people really think and get a sense of where different people are on
> these issues -- some how that is fascinating to me. What do people
> think is the line that we shouldn't cross when it comes to violence? Is
> Kevin's film too much because it is violent? Or because it is lying?
> Or...
>
> jen
>
>
>
> jenSimmons
> http://www.jensimmons.com
> On Apr 24, 2006, at 6:07 PM, Chuck Olsen wrote:
>
> >
> > You find it fascinating - why? I find it tiresome and irresponsible.
> > God, I must be getting old. I used to appreciate a good arty blog
> > prank.
> >
> > The problem is this: Rather than using vlogs to enrich the human
> > experience, and expand our exposure to the range of human
experiences,
> > pranks like this numb us to it. It numbs us to real death and real
> > pain, and cheapens it.
> >
> > This sort of prank is worse for the vlogosphere than any
> > advertisement.
> >
> > --- In videoblogging@yahoogroups.com, Jen Simmons <jen@> wrote:
> > >
> > > I'm wondering whether to chime in now, or wait and watch this
> > > discussion go for a while more. I find it fascinating.
>
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