Kimberly De Vries on Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:29:59 +0100 (CET)


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Re: <nettime> An Infinite Seance


On 1/30/07, Tilman Baumg=E4rtel <mail@tilmanbaumgaertel.net> wrote:

> At 03:03 28.01.2007, you wrote:
>
> Apart from that, I don=B4t understand what is wrong
> with YouTube as a medium for the distribution of
> short films (apart from the legal restrictions
> they harass their users with and the unclear
> situation regarding copyright).  Wasn=B4t the good
> thing about the Internet, that everybody can put
> their stuff there? It certainly helped film
> makers such as Martyn See, whose documentary
> "Singapore Rebel" was banned in Singapore, but
> found an audience on YouTube. So, obviously
> YouTube is not every film makers greatest fear.

This is my observation as well; the volume of material on YouTube
might make getting noticed a little harder, but the site iis easily
searched and careful tagging would make most viedoes locatable by
their intended audience.

Of course artists are trading control over viewing conditions for
wider audiences, but as Olia pointed out initially, they have never
had much control anyway.  How much of a loss is it?  In fact this
kiind of easy distribution puts video/film artists in the same boat as
those working in text have "enjoyed" since the printing press was
invented.  (or arguably writing).

Perhaps we should consider how much any art should depend on the
circumstances of it's presentation, apart from those designed as
temporary, site specific installations or performances.
>
> If a film goes unnoticed there, maybe it was
> probably not very good in the first place. If I
> had the choice of reaching a handful of people at
> a video festival in a curated selection, or
> potentially reaching billions of people on an
> Internet video site on the Internet, I would know where to put my stuff.
>
> (Ok, ok, that is populist rhetoric, but since
> when are these festivals the only place where you
> can show your work in dignity?)

And what's wrong wiith populist rhetoric, anyway?

Kim


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