Evolution of Communication from Adobe Systems

evolution_of_communication
Evolution of Communication (2006, 15MB, 6:50 min.)

“Adobe Systems commissioned eMotion studios to create a film depicting the ‘Evolution of Communication’.
Various luminaries such as Doug Englebart (inventor of the mouse) and Martin Cooper
(inventor of the cell phone) helped tell the story of how communication has changed
and transformed over the past two decades. The film supported Adobe’s CEO Bruce Chizen
in a recent keynote address.
The production follows the arc of human communication from the moment when we are able
to discern shapes and sounds to the point of complex interactions as adults. The story
leads to a hint of where we are heading in the future, and to Adobe’s commitment to
facilitate personal and human communication and connection.”

From eMotion studios

What Would Jesus Buy?

Trailer for ,
a documentary about Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping,
produced by Morgan Spurlock.
I’m not convinced that Spurlock is the man to spread a good message,
but I sure would go to any church where Rev. Billy showed up.
DRIVE THE DEMONS OUT OF THOSE CASH REGISTERS!!

DualDual by Doron Golan and Brian Gibson

DualDual
DualDual (2007, 90MB, 10:08 min.)

“Last week Doron and I walked around SoHo with identical cameras
looking for potential subjects. We began with a subway vent fuming
with smoke and found our way down West Broadway. The idea was
to pick a location and focus on the same subject from different perspectives.”

A slow burn of a piece from Doron & Brian.
I love the way it moves from an almost journalistic detachment to
the most ravishing & ravished joy in pure form & colour.
What’s also interesting is how seamlessly, actually, their
styles are melded here, especially given that both
have very distinct filmic identities.

Interesting. Interesting & luminous!

Deaf Culture

Deaf
Deaf (2006, 5.7MB, 56 sec.)

Volcano
Volcano (2006, 7.6MB, 54 sec.)

Two beautiful & expressive poems in sign language.

The first is in British sign language
& comes from the deaf arts forum in Edinburgh,
Scotland. There are subtitles for the hearing.

The second is in American Sign Language & is written &
performed by Ellie, a sixth grader at the Metro deaf school in St Paul.

No translation for this one, so non signers should bear
the title in mind & enjoy the volcanic performance.

The assassination of John F. Kennedy

kennedy assassination
Kennedy Assassination (1963, 300k, 28 sec.)

“The assassination of John F. Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the
United States, took place on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas,
at 12:30 p.m. CST (18:30 UTC).
John F. Kennedy was fatally wounded by gunshots while riding with his wife
Jacqueline in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza.
The assassination is still the subject of widespread speculation and has spawned
numerous conspiracy theories.”
– from wikipedia.

Close-up, extract from the Zapruder Film.

Peace Not War – Glass Bead Collective

Peace Not War
Peace not War(2007, 33.8MB, 1:06 min.)

Will this action/piece by the Glass Bead Collective hasten the
end of any war? Dunno – nice to think so, but I’m sceptical.
What it certainly does, though, is to add considerably to the
store of human wonder.
When we stop our lords & masters spending money on invasions,
& we’ve fed & housed everyone, then we should definitely
spend some of what’s left on high-powered projectors.

Estate Life

estate life
Estate Life (2007, 48.4MB, 5:16 min.)

Made earlier this year as part of Epping Forest Arts’ Homelife project,
this video features parkour work by a group of young people
from the Limes Farm Estate in Chigwell, UK.
In particular check out the sudden backflip off the garden
wall about half way through – scary!
Shot using conventional DV camera, stills camera, a cheap mpeg4 machine &
an inverted sugar bowl.
Video made by Michael Szpakowski with additional camera work
by Vicky Tebbs & Charlotte Harris.

Saturday Night Live with Al Gore

al_gore
Saturday Night with Al Gore (2002, 7MB, 4:02 min.)

President Al Gore delivers a special message from the Oval Office
in the opening skit on Saturday Night Live.
from del.icio.us

The Movie Movie – Errol Morris

 moviemovie
The Movie Movie (2002, 17MB, 4:16 min.)

A four-minute film produced by documentary filmmaker Errol Morris featuring
quick-cut interviews with celebrities and regular folks alike was screened
during the opening segment of the Academy Awards in 2002. The film, which
was introduced by Tom Cruise, featured such luminaries as First Lady Laura Bush,
former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, writer Susan Sontag, Phillip Glass,
Iggy Pop of the Stooges, Lou Reed, Donald Trump, Walter Cronkite and the Rev.
Al Sharpton. Morris interviewed close to 120 subjects in New York, Los Angeles and Boston.

Flightline ODC Slackers – Shannon Noble

Flightline ODC Slackers
Flightline ODC Slackers (2007, 23.5MB, 2:35 min)

An excellent piece from Shannon Noble.
Shannon is a maker of remarkably finely judged
videos which often amaze but never sit up and beg.
Here he tackles, with both grace & restraint, something
that I suppose could loosely be described as a genre
film: the sports documentary.
OK, the poetic sports documentary.