Jørgen Leth – 66 Scenes from America (1981, 9.9MB, 4:16)
Pretty self-explanatory: Andy eats a burger.
Scene from controversial Danish filmmaker
Jørgen Leth’s 1981 composite film, 66 Scenes from America.
Author Archives: brittany
Margarida Paiva
Margarida Paiva – Untitled Stories (2007, 15.6MB, 2:49)
Excerpt from Margarida Paiva’s 11 minute Untitled Stories,
a video from 2007 about everyday stories, told through a broken
female monologue about memories.
Expertly layered and totally gorgeous.
3 from Brian Beletic
Basement Jaxx – Red Alert (1999, 10.5MB, 3:42)
Fatboy Slim – Don’t Let The Man Get You Down (2003, 9MB, 3:08)
Lady Sovereign – Love Me or Hate Me (2006, 12.2MB, 2:43)
Three videos from Brian Beletic.
His work spans the last decade,
these posted in chronological order.
Basement Jaxx’s video is conceptual: what if
music was illegal? Love the idea and execution.
The track itself takes me back to my younger,
raving days.
Fatboy Slim and Lady Sovereign also should be
proud of their Beletic vids. Both garner at least
a few chuckles and some definite appreciation for
the editing.
Exercise by Lucia Nimcova
Lucia Nimcova – Exercise (2007, 40.5MB, 6:03)
Outrageously funny video from 2007 by Slovakian artist
Lucia Nimcova.
I’m pretty sure not being able to understand
the language makes this that much more
endearing and amusing.
Richard Jochum’s group self portraits
Richard Jochum, Selfportrait as a Group #5 (2006, 14.5MB, 3:33)
Captured by Richard Jochum, proof that a photograph is much
more than we ever see: a collection, a collective process,
the self interconnected.
Semiotics of a Kitchen
Martha Rosler – Semiotics of a Kitchen (1975, 18.3MB, 6:29)
An A-Z look at the tools of a kitchen, of domesticity,
of the self in the midst of frustrated ennui.
Historically significant feminist performance art that reminds us,
“When the woman speaks, she names her own oppression.”
Rosler is one of my favorites.
Abbie Hoffman and gefilte fish
Abbie Making Gefilte Fish (1973, 140MB, 21:04)
Footage of Abbie Hoffman making gefilte fish with Laura Cavestani
(who made the video) in his kitchen, 1973.
Like Abbie, I think art is in the everyday, and it sure is a fun
(and rather informative) twenty minutes if you’ve got it to spare.
Art for Abbie was education, constant revolution, evolution, and living for free.
Art and freedom were one in the same, inextricable from each other.
We miss you man.
Impactist – Nebraska
Impactist – Nebraska – in single frames (2004, 16.9MB, 3:29)
The simplicity of this piece resonates with me.
A 2004 piece from the enormously talented Impactist duo,
Kelly Meador & Daniel Elwing.
White Glove Tracking
White Glove Tracking (2007, 45.5MB, 7:34)
At a televised special in March 1983, Michael Jackson
debuted what would later become known as his
signature Moonwalk. He wore a shiny jacket,
cuffed pants, and a sparkling little white glove
while gyrating around the stage. It’s nearly
impossible to deny the brilliance of Billy Jean,
and there it was – in some kind of larger than
life, glittery manifestation of the zeitgeist.
All very exciting, no?
But tracking Jacko’s glove – this collection of videos
known under the umbrella White Glove Tracking –
is an unparalleled feat, as are the resulting
remixes. 10,060 frames were tracked, the
data was collectively gathered, and all of the
source code was made available online.
Coding ensued. Here are the highlights so far.
Transfers by Caitlin Berrigan
Caitlin Berrigan – Transfers (Clip) (2009, 8.7MB, 3:21)
Beautifully choreographed piece by Caitlin Berrigan.
The Story of Stuff
The Story of Stuff (2008, 54.1MB, 21:20)
The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard is a twenty
minute video about waste, recycling, corporations,
and sustainability. Even a radical like me finds it
occasionally heavy-handed, but then, this is serious
stuff. Nicely done, worth the twenty minutes you’d
otherwise spend watching crap TV, no?
Pieces of OiZ
Christoph Brunner – schwarzenbergplatz (2005, 9.8MB, 0:46)
Christoph Brunner – schwarzenbergplatz 2 (2005, 13.5MB, 1:03)
Orte in Zeiten is a filmmaking process conceived
by Christoph Brunner that continuously re-exposes film
to make surreal loops of space and time.
These two clips were taken during the development
of OiZ, which roughly translates to “places in time”.
LOMEG_ROM – Now Is Not 2009
LOMEG_ROM – Now Is Not 2009 (2009, 91.2MB, 26:28)
Absolutely stunning docu-voodle from 2010 by “b.k.” of Oslo’s
LOMEG_ROM (sadly, note the retrospectively rather
plaintive ‘we’ll soon be posting again’, dated 2010).
Just when you think fireworks are
overrated or that you’ve seen it all… I am endlessly
impressed with this duo’s ability to tease out the
nuances of space and time.
Locusts
Emergence – Locusts (2008, 233.8MB, 11:19)
From celebrated MC Invincible, a docu-music-video
about the history of gentrification and capitalism’s
destruction of communities in Detroit.
Video features several local activists, including
Grace Lee Boggs and (full disclosure) my good friend
Ron Scott.
This intense collaboration gives me chills every
time I watch it.
I’ll let the rest speak for itself.
The Good Consumer – Neil Boorman
The Good Consumer (2008, 18.2MB, 5:27)
In honor of , a satirical video about
being a good consumer. BND falls on Nov. 28 in North
America, but everyone else “celebrates” on Nov. 29.
So this whether this video is right on time for you or
a day early, we’re still pretty sure you will appreciate
the message.
Made by Neil Boorman from Bonfire of the Brands.
Matt McCormick and The Shins
Matt McCormick – The Past and Pending (2003, 34MB, 5:17)
Matt McCormick – Australia (2007, 29MB, 3:57)
Matt McCormick is one of those heroes I never knew I had.
He makes insanely tight music videos and local commercials
around the Portland area, in addition to being a friend to hipster
bands and a musician himself.
These are two award-winning videos for the band The Shins,
who I’ve posted from before, though I have no affiliation or
particular love for them.
They just end up extra special on film, especially through
McCormick’s visions of A-Team remakes and leisurely photo drives.
Gareth Long – Platoon / Manual for Draft-Age Immigrants to Canada
Gareth Long – Platoon / Manual for Draft-Age Immigrants to Canada (2007, 60.6MB, 14:20)
Lovely 2007 piece from Gareth Long,
– an intervention into the English subtitles of Oliver Stone
Constant Dullaart – Garbage
5 Lumières
Me and Pop (2004, 3.88MB, 1:00min)
Sleeping (2007, 2.34MB, 57 secs)
Maker’s site
Gallo (2007, 5.17MB, 55 secs)
Maker’s site
Dance of Death (2007, 5.53MB, 1:00 min)
Maker’s site
A Week’s Worth (2007, 4.93MB, 1:00 min)
The rules for Lumière videos are as follows:
* 60 seconds max.
* Fixed camera
* No audio
* No zoom
* No edit
* No effects
In the spirit of the Lumière brothers and comparable in some ways to Dogme 95,
the Lumière video project emerged from a documentary perspective,
as Auguste and Louis Lumière blazed the trail in this genre.
In the tradition of the the cinematographe, the first movie camera,
which was arguably used and possibly built by the brothers, all
21st C Lumiere videos should be made only using features available in
camera (ie, no external editing, including bumpers and titles, should
be included).
Lumière videos hope to expand upon the ways that online video allows for
the advancement of personal narratives by capturing the everyday, and sometimes
unexpected, within a specific framework of constraints, less conflicted by sometimes
unnecessary editing.
See all Lumière videos.
Alfonso Cuarón and Naomi Klein – Shock Doctrine
The Shock Doctrine (2007, 19.1MB, 6:47 min.)
Internet video version of Naomi Klein’s 2007 book, much more than an advertisement.
Heavy.
Hard to watch, as it should be.
‘America’s free market’ policies have come to dominate the world– through the exploitation of disaster-shocked people and countries. {source}
Produced by Klein and Alfonso Cuarón, directed by Jonas Cuarón.
Two futurespots
futurespots – Splinters (2006, 10.1MB, 1:44)
futurespots – Flash (2006, 3.7MB, 1:10)
From the futurespots archives, two older works
from what is now a defunct videoblog.
These days, Christopher Black’s experimental
and interactive media can be found on his personal site.
Eddo Stern – Best…flame war…Ever
Eddo Stern – Best…flame war…Ever (2007, 32MB, 12:08)
Even the non-gamers (that includes me – and I think everyone
else here at DVblog) will appreciate this one from Eddo Stern.
A Map Comes to Life
Andersen M Studio – A Map Comes to Life (2006, 11.4MB, 2:20)
Incredible stop-motion animation from London’s
Andersen M Studio. Much of their video work is
in the same style, but why switch it up when
they’re so talented in this specialized way?
Inspiring and fun.
Three from Aaron Valdez
Adam Mufti – Garden Cities of the Future
Adam Mufti – Garden Cities of the Future (2008, 53MB, 7:19)
Remarkable, hypnotic work from the incredibly talented Adam Mufti.
Part meditation on modern life, part perhaps futuristic foreboding,
this piece sort of leaves me speechless, though I fear a lack of
editorializing might portray lukewarm feelings.
It’s really just that I’d rather a viewer experience this on his/her own.
I thought I’d watched a 3 minute piece – only when posting this did
I discover the actual runtime is more than double what it seems.
In this case, that’s exceptional.
The video also features the voice of London actress Juliet Rylance.
The whole thing, the composition, the editing, all of it: truly stunning,
took my breath away. Find a quiet spot and enjoy.
Video Haiku: Four Frame Dance Project
Video Haiku – Four Frame Dance Project: Megan Mayer (2008, 22.4MB, 3:38)
Second in a series of four frame dance videos from
Video Haiku in 2008.
Lovely, inspiring, and fun.
Next week, some more recent work by Kevin Obsatz, the person behind this.
PSST! Pass it on…
DRIFT SLICYCLE POPPED! (2007, 11MB, 1:59)
LOQUACIOUS EYESICLE WILD-BITES (2007, 14.9MB, 2:34)
PSST gets designers, animators, and directors together for
collaborative film projects every year. Their main concern
is process, which they explain comes from a fusion of the
Dadaist game Exquisite Corpse and the sometimes childhood
game, Telephone.
Whatever their theory, their annual collections are stellar.
June Pak
June Pak – double (2002, 892 KB, 0:30)
June Pak’s work is innovative and breathtaking.
In double, one character disrupts the other’s stability
by changing the television channel but is nevertheless
oblivious to this effect. Pak says, “This exchange
between the two suggests the disjunction within
oneself caused by technology and boredom.”
Vera Brunner-Sung
Vera Brunner-Sung – untitled (2006, 2.5MB, 1:10)
Vera Brunner-Sung – Longshore (2004, 9.9MB, 4:34)
Two short films from Vera Brunner-Sung, made respectively
on 16mm and super 8, both exploring boundaries of privacy
and community, the understanding of memory and place.
Amy Carpenter – Why Not?
Amy Carpenter – Why Not? (2006, 8.4MB, 2:56)
In thinking back on the people that inspired me when
video online first began to really take hold of everyone,
I remembered Amy Carpenter’s Welcome to Amyville.
This little piece from a few years ago always stuck with me.
It felt so innovative at the time and still really outshines
many similar works to have come after it.
More from Duncan Speakman
The Delicate Museum – What Everyone Else Was Talking About (2006, 13MB, 1:21)
The Delicate Museum – A Suggestive Manifesto (2006, 9.7MB, 1:32)
Two more breaths of fresh air from 2006 and The Delicate Museum,
also known as Duncan, formerly of 29fragiledays.
Said before, I’ll say it again: such beauty in the small things.
Unattended Body
Arzu Ozkal Telhan – Unattended Body (2005, 56MB, 5:00)
Arzu Ozkal Telhan’s “Unattended Body” is a
spectacular meditation on public space,
observational video at perhaps its finest.
The artists also says:
“Unattended body mainly discusses how an
existence at it’s most banal (Heidegger) can
be simply perceived as a disturbance or a
potential threat if it does not act in its expected
way for the society.”
Normally three long segments, they’ve
been edited together here as a five minute
clip, all shown at once, which I actually prefer.
What is so painfully boring to others is ever
so exciting for the rest of us.
Ant Farm – Media Burn
Media Burn by Ant Farm (1975, 202MB, 25:46)
Infamous July 4, 1975 “pseudo-event” featuring a
speech by “JFK Jr.” and a 1959 Cadillac turned wacky
crash test car through a wall of burning television sets,
produced by video artists and activist collective Ant Farm.
The first four and a half minutes of this particular video
feature actual news coverage about the event.
The rest is the full speech and crash. Inspiration.
Video via the Media Burn archive.
One Step Ahead
One Step Ahead – Stefan Nadelman (2004, 9MB, 4:07)
Stefan Nadelman is Tourist Pictures, and since I like
his older stuff just as much (or more than) the new,
I’m posting this Nike-commissioned piece from a few years ago.
David Phillips and Paul Rowley
Phillips & Rowley – latent heat (2004, 7.7MB, 3:25)
Phillips & Rowley – personal effort (2004, 2.1MB, 1:41)
Lovely, engaging work from this talented duo, originally
from Dublin and Memphis respectively. These two pieces
showcase some earlier work, but their later work is equally
enchanting. I’m particularly fond of their installation work,
but we’ll save that for another day.
Harrell Fletcher – Blot Out The Sun
Harrell Fletcher – Blot Out The Sun (2002, 46.7MB, 5:32)
Harrell Fletcher’s 2002 unconventional remake of Ulysses.
A garage in central Portland, Oregon is the setting for this
conceptual re-working of James Joyce’s Ulysses. The garage
owner, Jay, mechanics and neighborhood denizens serve as
narrators, reading lines from the novel that focus on death,
love, social inequality and the relationship between individuals
and the universe.
A five minute clip from the 22-minute piece featured in the
2004 Whitney Biennial
Jeremy D. Slater
Jeremy D. Slater – Manic Chinatown Bicycle (2007, 15.6MB, 2:01)
Jeremy D. Slater – Kanjiscroll (2007, 11.1MB, 0:41)
Two travel videos – albeit different sorts of it –
from Jeremy Slater, who primarily works in sound.
But I like his video work – minimal, often observational
in one way or another – so here are two samples.
Amelia Winger-Bearskin – State of Things
Amelia Winger-Bearskin – State of Things (2007, 19.9MB, 8:58)
Amelia Winger-Bearskin makes fun, funky performance pieces
and has a couple on her website worth viewing.
This is my favorite piece from her Chroma Key series.
Try swearing for nine minutes straight and see
how successful you are.
Two from Blip Boutique
Blip Boutique – Not In Love (2007, 30.2MB, 1:28)
Blip Boutique – 24 in 60: hollywood (2007, 18.8MB, 1:14)
Two shorts from 2007, from Blip Boutique,
makers of fine viral, art, and music videos
Two from David Fincher
The Motels – Shame (1985, 18.7MB, 3:59)
Rick Springfield – Celebrate Youth (1985, 25.6MB, 3:58)
Before directing features like Se7en, Zodiac, and Fight Club,
badass David Fincher made some awesomely 80s music videos.
He continues to make solid music videos for more
contemporary acts, favoring the short form to the
Hollywood machine. These lyrically poor videos
serve as proof that you too can film talking billboards,
windy alleys full of teens, use the color-pass effect,
and still go on to direct such hits as Alien 3.
Duncan Speakman – Is Life Boring?
Duncan Speakman – Is Life Boring? (2005, 5.3MB, 1:17 min.)
From Duncan Speakman (yes, his real name) and the now abandoned 29fragiledays.
Duncan moved onto the less populated Delicate Museum, but I enjoy his older work much more (maybe because there is simply more of it?).
No contrived voice-overs (at least not at first), I’m also given enough time to meditate on the video.
Sometimes short is too short.
This is one of the best pieces from his previous incarnation.
Glimpse of the Garden
Marie Menken – Glimpse of the Garden (1957, 40MB, 5:04)
Marie Menken, avant-garde filmmaker of the 1940s, 50s,
and 60s – in addition to being the inspiration for
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and a Warhol
superstar – made inspirational work from a time we seem
to overlook too much today. The garden here belongs
to one of her husband’s former male lovers, and while
Menken was often criticized for being quaint in her displays,
her style is an obviously feminine one that hides much
deeper meaning in ordinary but stunning visuals.
Eric Lerner – Mr. Deja Vu
Eric Lerner – Mr. Deja Vu (2006, 27.2MB, 3:48)
From Eric Lerner‘s collection of Mr.CityMen.
Patrick Power – lights and darkness
Steamlight (2006, 16.2MB, 2:51)
Watauga (2007, 203.1MB, 26:23)
Two extraordinary pieces from Patrick Power.
Its as if the Qatsi trilogy found a way to use a videoblog as a testing ground.
This is much more than a test, though.
Some of the most important work I have seen in a while.
Beautifully touching randomized archives.
Pushing the limits of contemplative observation.
Taking time to visually visit other places.
There is so much beauty in reflections and the synchronicities of our minds.
Sample these two, then go visit the rest of his collection. Patrick makes the world watchable.
Edit: Sadly, Patrick Power passed away in 2007. This post was created to honor this man’s work, and now sadly, we must honor that work as his legacy.
Two from Jade Enterprises
jade – takethebus (2002, 3.6MB, 1:37)
jade – jet (2003, 2.4MB, 0:17)
Older experimental clips from Austria’s Michaela
Schwentner, also known as jade enterprises.
What makes for a grievable life?
What makes for a grievable life? – Ashley Watson (2009, 19.2MB, 5:39)
From Ashley Watson, a truly poignant piece about
how we choose to value certain lives and not others.
H/t to my friend Deb
Sophie TV
Hans Lo – How TV Works (2009, 9.7MB, 2:15)
Series of educational videos made by Hans Lo
for his young niece Sophie.
Private Screening
Charlene Rule – Private Screening (2009, 10.9MB, 1:38)
Lovely view from Scratch TV.
Two from RBG6
RBG6 – Yasuragi (2008, 5MB, 0:20)
RBG6 – Colour (Sony) (2008, 38.6MB, 2:34)
Two short ad pieces from Swedish studio RBG6
Stayin’ Alive
Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive (1977, 11.4MB, 3:51)
I’m pretty sure I have a nonsexual crush on Barry Gibb.
Doesn’t he have amazing hair?
Meanwhile, is anyone else bothered that this video
was made on a soundstage? It looks so real. And it
was over thirty years ago. Did they really have to get
so advanced so early on? You’re too good to walk on
some legit, actual piers, guys? Tragic, but still fabulous.
Sorry I’m Late
Tomas Mankovsky – Sorry I’m Late (2009, 24.9MB, 3:11)
Lovely short film Sorry I’m Late.
Fun and engaging and very well done.
My only criticism: I know it’s important to
include proper credits, but must they be as
long as the piece itself?
What Makes Me White?
What Makes Me White? (2009, 9.4MB, 3:21)
New short film by award-winning director A.M. Sands
about race, privilege, memory, and experience.
What Makes Me White? official site.
The Clock Clock
Humans Since 1982 – The Clock Clock (2009, 3.3MB, 1:03)
By Humans Since 1982
Via the YouTube
New Friends – David Shrigley
David Shrigley – New Friends (2009, 4.5MB, 1:00)
From David Shrigley
Because who doesn’t like new friends?
White Piano – Timothy McConville
Timothy McConville – White Piano (2009, 26.7MB, 2:21)
Video by Timothy McConville for his own band
Duchess’ song “White Piano”
Jared Eberhardt for CSS
CSS – Alcohol (2007, 17MB, 3:00)
Video for CSS by Jared Eberhardt
Ramon and Pedro – Brazil
Ramon and Pedro – Brazil (200?, 31.8MB, 2:50)
From “two directors behind one camera is better
than two cameras into one director’s behind” duo
Ramon and Pedro.
Via Partizan.
Everyone Everywhere
The Landjugend – Everyone Everywhere (2007, 64.5MB, 3:56)
Made from the music of fifteen artists, for/in collaboration
with bizarro record label Cock Rock Disco, by
The Landjugend, which is Markus Feder & Martin Sulzer.
Stepback
Stepback by Lisa Lindley-Jones – WIZ (2007, 24.4MB, 3:27)
Music video for “Stepback” by Lisa Lindley-Jones.
By WIZ via Factory Films
RJD2 – Work It Out
RJD2 – Work It Out (2007, 28MB, 3:24)
Made by Joey Garfield at Ghost Robot