One of my favourite writers, William Gibson has poked his head back into cyberspace after an extended sabbatical from his blog with an article in Wired magazine that compares beat writer William Burroughs' "cut up method" of writing with Lee "Scratch" Perry and the origins of music sampling. It really does not get much better than this.
Labels: Literature, Tuned to a Dead Channel
The Viral Marketing of "It's All Gone Pete Tong"
There was little coverage to be found in the mainstream media upon the release of the independent mockumentary "It's All Gone Pete Tong". Not that it deserves to be overlooked. The movie, about an Ibiza deejay, Frankie Wilde, who has to deal with going deaf, is not your average party flick. Picking up awards at a number of festivals, it is beautifully filmed and touches on a far deeper level than just spinning records and snorting lines. There is redemption in this movie. And everyone likes a little of that in their lives once in a while.
It would appear that the makers of "All Gone" chose to ignore the usual means of getting the word out in favour of perpetuating the Myth of Frankie Wilde across the internet. A google search of his name immediately incites questions as to whether this movie is based on a true story or if it is entirely fictional. There are amateur fan websites, mp3's and postings on various dance culture forums purporting to have heard of this deaf legend of the dj world. Ultimately, all of these points of reference lead to the official movie site.
The illusion is short lived for anyone who is wise to such strategies; But it is well executed and has stirred up confusion and debate among critics and fans alike. In the end, it has reached the audience that it needed to reach, ignoring the wider berth and bankroll of the mainstream, in favour of a focused few.
There was little coverage to be found in the mainstream media upon the release of the independent mockumentary "It's All Gone Pete Tong". Not that it deserves to be overlooked. The movie, about an Ibiza deejay, Frankie Wilde, who has to deal with going deaf, is not your average party flick. Picking up awards at a number of festivals, it is beautifully filmed and touches on a far deeper level than just spinning records and snorting lines. There is redemption in this movie. And everyone likes a little of that in their lives once in a while.
It would appear that the makers of "All Gone" chose to ignore the usual means of getting the word out in favour of perpetuating the Myth of Frankie Wilde across the internet. A google search of his name immediately incites questions as to whether this movie is based on a true story or if it is entirely fictional. There are amateur fan websites, mp3's and postings on various dance culture forums purporting to have heard of this deaf legend of the dj world. Ultimately, all of these points of reference lead to the official movie site.
The illusion is short lived for anyone who is wise to such strategies; But it is well executed and has stirred up confusion and debate among critics and fans alike. In the end, it has reached the audience that it needed to reach, ignoring the wider berth and bankroll of the mainstream, in favour of a focused few.
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Crucial Viewing: The Yes Men
I finally saw The Yes Men over the weekend and I found it to be a thought provoking and important — not to mention hilarious — film. It is even more encouraging to see that the Yes Men are still very much alive and well and taking on the world's harsher injustices.
It is often said that the reason we miss a person's name upon introduction is because we are too focused on how to best project our own persona. Perhaps to a greater scale, this is the defense that can be entered for the financial leaders and decision makers who sit idly by while the Yes Men stand before them purporting completely ludicrous solutions to the world's financial problems.
Not surprisingly, it is only an audience of university students (bless their naive and innocent souls) who - after being told that world starvation can be solved by feeding developing countries McDonald's burgers made out of recycled human fecal matter - actually stand up and call foul.
In their own words, "The Yes Men have impersonated some of the world's most powerful criminals at conferences, on the web, and on television, in order to correct their identities. They currently have hundreds of thousands of job openings".
I recommend this as crucial viewing to activists and corporate buzzards alike.
I finally saw The Yes Men over the weekend and I found it to be a thought provoking and important — not to mention hilarious — film. It is even more encouraging to see that the Yes Men are still very much alive and well and taking on the world's harsher injustices.
It is often said that the reason we miss a person's name upon introduction is because we are too focused on how to best project our own persona. Perhaps to a greater scale, this is the defense that can be entered for the financial leaders and decision makers who sit idly by while the Yes Men stand before them purporting completely ludicrous solutions to the world's financial problems.
Not surprisingly, it is only an audience of university students (bless their naive and innocent souls) who - after being told that world starvation can be solved by feeding developing countries McDonald's burgers made out of recycled human fecal matter - actually stand up and call foul.
In their own words, "The Yes Men have impersonated some of the world's most powerful criminals at conferences, on the web, and on television, in order to correct their identities. They currently have hundreds of thousands of job openings".
I recommend this as crucial viewing to activists and corporate buzzards alike.
Labels: Crucial Viewing, Film
