Author Archives: brittany

Standard Operating Procedure

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Errol Morris – Standard Operating Procedure (2008, 11.2MB, 2:00)

We don’t hide our love for Errol Morris – see here
and here – but there’s no need for us to apologize.
The man is a genius. His latest feature, Standard
Operating Procedure, interviews Abu Ghraib prison
guards and tells the story behind the now-infamous
photographs of abuse from the prison, uncovered in
2003. Dubbed a “nonfiction horror film” by Morris,
this investigative film, much like A Thin Blue Line,
helped Morris once again dig deeper into a crime
file, this one just more contemporary.

When you see a picture, you don’t see outside the frame.

With the frightening pictures as a jumping off point,
Morris interviews those involved with the scandal to
get the whole story.
Can’t wait to see this one.

Anna Chiaretta Lavatelli

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Anna Chiaretta Lavatelli – SHE:contaminated (2005, 33.5MB, 13:58)

Brooklyn-based Anna Chiaretta Lavatelli works in
video and super 8 film.
An explanation of SHE:contaminated:

An examination of cellular abnormalities in video and
super 8mm film in which the three identities of the
character SHE confront the nature of their malformation,
and the affected woman they have collectively become.

I find this piece so moving, particularly the openly segment.
Her metaphors are completely brilliant and resonate with me,
perhaps mostly as a woman but also as an artist.
Also a huge fan of her supposedly poor compression –
love the idea, love the execution.

The Intimacy of Strangers – Eva Weber

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Eva Weber – The Intimacy of Strangers (2007, 7.4MB, 2:23)

Trailer for the innovative The Intimacy of Strangers,
“a story of life, love, loss and hope – told entirely
through overheard mobile phone conversations of
random strangers.”
Winner of several festival awards, including the President’s
Award at the 2007 Full Frame Film Festival, which is extra
exciting as Full Frame is one of the first festivals that has
started showing videoblog work within the last year. Be sure
to check out the excellent IoS website, a wonderful complement
to the actual film.

Me and You and Everyone We Know

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Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005, 27.3MB, 2:43)

Trailer for the brilliant 2005 film
Lovely and humorous teaser for an equally delightful movie
From female mastermind Miranda July

Keep On Smoking

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Michel de Broin – Keep On Smoking (2006, 8.2MB, 2:51)

Absolutely hilarious video for a fantastic piece of interactive art.
I thought I was going to end up with a statement about
smoking cigarettes with I came across Michel de Broin’s
Keep On Smoking.
But completely unrelated, de Broin says this:

As an alternative to petrol, this custom-made bicycle
transforms kinetic energy produced by the cyclist into smoke.
The will to power is a renewable energy resource that can be
recuperated by a power generator supplying enough electricity
to operate a smoke machine. The work is the result of two
coupled machines; the one human is productive and the other
machine, consumptive. This coupling of machines produces smoke,
a waste energy that is liberated freely in the atmosphere.

Two from Human Dog

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Garage Door (2006, 4.4MB, 0:47)

Human Dog was one of the first videoblogs and has
been closed down since early 2007. Luckily, all of
the media remains online (so far). One of the best
things about the entire series of videos (and the various
serials therein) was creator Chris Weagel’s ability
to tease out the absurdity of everyday life without
hitting the audience over the head with his message.
Video that was made specifically to live online, this
is some of the best work ever produced in videoblog
format.

Papa and Daddy

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Papa and Daddy – Jump Start (2008, 9.8MB, 0:53)

Papa and Daddy (Shawn Preston and Ross Ludwig)
made this terrific 2008 Superbowl commercial,
a fun coincidence since I found their charming ad
work via Food Chain Films, a nice page of several
directors based in Portland.

Marc Greenfield’s drought

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Marc Greenfield – Toothbrush (2004, 5.5MB, 0:31)

Emmy winner Marc Greenfield’s public service
announcement about Denver water
via Food Chain Films

My View

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Phil Hamilton – My View (2007, 12.6MB, 1:00)

Phil Hamilton doesn’t post video very often.
When he does, it’s just freaking cool.
Phil is now a freshman at the same school where
I’m currently finishing my graduate degree, but
I’ve never see him in real life.
This is a video of his dorm room view.
The music is also original, by him.
His work – all of it – always makes me wish
I was younger, and that is a real compliment.

Ready for the Floor

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Hot Chip – Ready for the Floor (2008, 26.6MB, 3:42)

Yeah yeah, more hipster music videos. But they’re so good!
Hot Chip’s second single from their newest album,
featuring their front man in various Joker references,
including the line, “You’re my number one guy,”
originally used repeatedly in 1989’s Batman.
See? You know you love it.
From Nima Nourizadeh.