Archives for the 'Best Posts' Category
Green Green Water: Righteous Vlog
Ever wonder how vlogs will change the world? Answer: Vlogs like Green Green Water.
Green Green Water is a vlog that examines the complex problems associated with Manitoba Hydro’s development of large-scale dams that supply power to both the US and Canada. The Province of Manitoba is located just west of Ontario, Canada, and north of Minnesota. The development of these dams was an exciting prospect to environmentalists interested in utilizing renewable resources and to consumers promised clean, efficient, and affordable energy. When these dams were originally developed in the 1970s there was virtually nothing like it in a comparable geographic area; as a result, the affects of the dams were virtually unforseen and irreversable to the Native communities that inhabit this area.
Green Green Water was started by Dawn Mikkelson, a Manitoba resident and consumer of Manitoba Hydro’s energy system. Dawn was interested in understanding more about where she gets her energy and how it affects her community. She began documenting this complex problem by interviewing many people directly affected by and associated with these dams.
Ken Bradley, a representative of Minnesotans for an Energy Efficient Economy, talks here about the creation of the dams and why they had such a dramatic impact on the area’s residents. She interviews Glen Schneider, Director of Public Relations for Manitoba Hydro, and asks what he thinks about the U.S. activists against the project and the public accusation that local suicides have increased as a direct result of the dams. She talks with Carol, leader of the Justice Seekers of Nelson House, who discusses her experience publicly challenging Manitoba Hydro and what she believes was a result of that confrontation. She also interviews Dr. Peter Kulchyski, who talks about the psychological importance for Native communities of “standing their ground” to maintain their culture and integrity.
This site has many more fascinating interviews of residents affected by Manitoba Hydro, as well as information about Hydropower that may eventually affect us all. Please be sure to check out Green Green Water, now a featured podcast in itunes, and if you are in Minnesota, be sure to view the upcoming feature-length documentary of this project at the City Pages Get Real: Documentary Film Festival at the Laguna Uptown Cinema November 5 at 7:30. For a sneak preview of this documentary, please watch the Green Green Water trailer.
Published by Jennifer Rundle on October 25 .
2 Comments.
Vloggers Grow Up
Many people begin making vlogs for posterity’s sake. But who would have guessed that vlogs made for posterity would be relevant to non-family member viewers and would, in fact, be some of the most interesting vlogs to view?
Several young vloggers have recently grown up before our eyes thanks to posterity, and have made interesting content to boot. For example, Phil Hamilton, of Phil Hamilton Hits The Big Time, is a sixteen year-old high school student that has recently begun learning to drive. This post is not only hilarious (Phil and his mother CLEARLY have different priorities here) but also harkens a universal nostalgia to all who have previously endured driving lessons from a parent.
The young man behind I Am Dooser has recently started going to college. His video about this recent phenomenon is simple but cuts to the chase, and made me proud of him despite me never meeting him in person. He has recently done a follow-up to his announcement as a college freshman by asking vloggers for art to hang on his bare dorm walls. I, for one, need to get on this ASAP. Thank goodness I never lived in a dorm.
Finally, Ian Mills of The 05 Project has hit the vlogosphere with a double-whammy, creating a two-part post announcing the beginning of college AND the beginning of life as a working stiff, and is dealing with the reality that too much work plus not enough time equals very little sleep. His previous posts dealing with the hiring process are also hilarious, and bring to light all of the dreaded/anticipated moments of the hiring call-back.
Please go check out these posts if you haven’t done so already, and be sure to leave comments on their vlogs, as we all need a little encouragement from time to time.
Published by Jennifer Rundle on October 14 .
2 Comments.
Katrina Covered By and For the People
Right now there is a tremendous amount of news coverage on the Hurricane Katrina disaster, as well there should be; this disaster is inarguably the worst tragedy to strike American soil for at least the last hundred years and has also inarguably been tragically and fatally mishandled on virtually every level by the richest country in the world.
This being said, there is some incredible news coverage coming out, particularly in the vlogosphere, that truly represents the people hardest hit by this event. Missing Kitten TV has again shown to be a fantastic site that not only covers the news but represents the people involved. Please watch the incredibly powerful coverage of Jefferson Parish president Aaron Broussard. Also check out “‘Oops!’ is not an answer,” a letter written by an Army Reserves Engineer, and “Indifference is a weapon of mass distruction” by Dennis Kucinich, to get a sense of how the active participants in our government feel about what is really going on.
This is really only a snapshot of all of the great coverage going on, so please check out Missing Kitten’s complete site and stay tuned for another update of great news coverage.
It’s time to get video cameras in the hands of those inside the Astrodome along with some damn radios so the people can at least hear something about their own fate.
Published by Jennifer Rundle on September 9 .
1 Comment.
Big Easy Southern Comfort
Aaron Flores has created some incredible video-calidescopes over at The Voiz (how does he do that??!). The most recent one, Big Easy Southern Comfort , focuses on the Hurricane Katrina disaster. It is both sensitive and thought provoking and is a MUST to view.
Published by Jennifer Rundle on September 8 .
1 Comment.
Interview With Peter Van Dijck, Creator of Mefeedia
Published by Bre Pettis on August 4 .
2 Comments.
Interview with Bre on We Are The Media
The folks over at Heads Off recently interviewed Bre Pettis to find out more about We Are The Media. Check it out and then go visit Serra and Mike’s creations at Heads Off.
via [Heads Off]
Published by Jennifer Rundle on July 28 .
No Comments.
Vlogger Of The Week #2: Anders Clerwall
Anders is the second vlogger of the week. He is a musician doing very cool things with video in Sweden. Go forth and watch all of his vlogs over at The Random Show.
I love the way he adds in layers into this video with the guitar fretboard and the keys in this Vlog Anthem. Link
Published by Bre Pettis on July 22 .
5 Comments.
Rel = “Payment”
Jay, Josh, Peter and Kenyatta are trying to make it possible for video bloggers (and other online media creators) to add a digital tip jar along with their media. Just like a musician on the streets may have a hat to collect change. Aggregators such as Fireant and Mefeedia will transform a simple link like this:
<a href=”http://www.dropcash.com/campaign/roygvib/momentshowing/” rel=”payment”>Pay Me</a>
into a standard button that allows viewers donate money to the vlogger. The rel=”payment” tag lets the aggregator know that it is a donation link that is to be translated into a button. The button can redirect the viewer to any location of the video blogger’s choosing, be it a Cafe-Press store, paypal account, or a charity.
This is an interesting step in the world of independant online media, content-creators may be able to pay for bandwidth and hosting by simply adding a little tag into their posts. Some people are uneasy about the idea of the stigma that may be created by people “begging” for money in their RSS feeds, but many see it as a fantastic way to let viewers show their appreciation to the people making the media. Perhaps other aggregators such as iTunes 4.9 or iPodder will someday also support this form of donation and it will become an “industry” standard among online media creators.
Published by Josh Leo on July 19 .
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Adam Forslund: Cinematographer
Adam is a cinematographer with passion and he has a beautiful camera. He is the man I’d want on my team on “Survivor.” Link
Published by Bre Pettis on July 14 .
No Comments.
Scott Waters: Audio Dude
Scott Waters is a super audio guy. On the set of Minaret, he was a rock. He can hold a boom for a long time. He records the audio into two channels with different gain on them so that if something gets too loud, he can switch to the one that won’t have the level spikes.
In this video he explains his audio capture system. Behind him is Haystack Rock in Oregon.
Just being on set around Scott was a learning experience. If you need audio, then I would recommend him as an “The Audio Dude” on your film.
You can reach him at whattsplace@earthlink.net
Published by Bre Pettis on July 14 .
1 Comment.
