These are all motifs and metaphor videos (the one for theo was not made for class but there was an experiential motif...i used objects that represented some experience along side pictures and made a video around the cool things we have done together). The other vids were made specifically for the course. The don't throw me away piece is something that I will probably revisit when the class is finished and i will smooth it out. Additionally at the end I would like to show trash that has been re-purposed to make upscale goods and show that juxtoposed against people (particularally black men) who have gone to prison, was given a second chance and now they are upstanding citizens....like for example Judge Joe Brown.
I particularally was in love with working on the don't throw me away piece as I experimented with remix culture and appropriation. I was inspired to create this piece after the reading on metaphors. I watched all of the videos relating to metaphors. I also saw this quote "The greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor. It is the one thing that cannot be learned from others; it is also a sign of genius, since a good metaphor implies an eye for resemblance.
Aristotle, Poetics" This inspired me because I do think that I think in metaphor as a poet. When I see an object I look past the object and start to make connections to other things. So in the don't throw me away piece I used 2 motifs that I created and smashed them together with alternating images to create a metaphor.
Additionally, I really appreciated the writing style of Twala Tharp. It was refreshing to have something that i enjoyed reading at this level.
There is a lot of debate about whether or not I would be considered the author of such a piece. I would say I am. I am the one after all controlling the over all ending message and presentation no different from a Found Object art piece or a collage. At the same time, there are other authors embeded in the work. They however didn't intend to have their work say the things I am saying. I took great care in editing these videos running them in reverse (in the case of the trash that was an anti-litter video where the trash crawled into the bin), slowing things down, speeding them up. Ultimately, i wanted to say that we as a culture tend to throw things away without any thought of repurpsing. This is as much about sustainability and green movement work as it is about social justice and race. Instead of throwing things again, they can be given new chances and thus decrease the problems that we currently face. In the case of trash, our landfills are over filled and the things that get thrown in pollute our atmosphere. Similarly, black men get thrown into prison and if and when they are released they are not educated, given jobs etc and start to errode social fabric. The ones that are not released are masses of human potential that would never be realized.
Here are the materials that inspired my video. These sources deal with copyright, 'authorship', appropriation, participatory culture and ultimately democracy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q25-S7jzgs
http://www.hulu.com/watch/88782/rip-a-remix-manifesto
If you want to see a full song/video by girl talk here is an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JBAxkZun3s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJn_jC4FNDohttp://digitallearning.macfound.org/atf/cf/%7B7E45C7E0-A3E0-4B89-AC9C-E807E1B0AE4E%7D/JENKINS_WHITE_PAPER.PDF
The class I teach is Media Literacy Ms166 so we deal with this topic. I am also working with Dr. Denzin to think through some of this as it relates to performance studies.
Also I like the idea of mockumentaries and thought i would share this one I found:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLgh9h2ePYw
Don’t Throw me away rough draft 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XhzYIGcDX8
Don’t Throw me away rough draft 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBry1p23NCo
Red wine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HlXNADvtTc
Is everybody going crazy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udxFcvks8Ak
Theo Valentines Day video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yT2cGLXVVbU
(Due to copyright issues the sound is missing. I have the file on my computer.)
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