Comments on Aspect Videos

I think “new media” should do something that you can’t do in traditional media, and say something to the audience that’s fresh and visually interesting. Out of the many videos that were shown, the three pieces that were the most successful were:  “Type Rain” , “Soap Opera Blenders”, and the "Yes" men.

Type Rain took an interesting idea and pushed it into a new realm of art. It engaged the viewer visually, and somehow it began to grab me emotionally , too. I wanted to be in the piece playing with the letters, seeing if I could create something interesting with this “new” way to manipulate type. It was like watching a dance performance, where art and body movements collide peacefully and calmly in three-dimensional space. I could see this type of idea used in the classroom, as a teaching tool for kids of all ages and abilities. It might even be used ( if it was altered slightly ) for kids with disabilities, in wheelchairs, teaching them how to spell, read, and learn in a new way. I wonder if the artist ever thought about allowing this piece to be used as a teaching tool. I’d like to make that happen.

The second piece I liked was the Soap Opera Blenders. It is true for most men, me included, that not all, but a lot of what we hear from women sounds like the same old complaint or nonsense. I’ve been married for 17 years, and after a while it all sounds the same. What I liked about this piece is the low-tech solution to this idea of women speaking in “noise”. The sex scene was the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time, and it reminded me of pranks with my old roommates. I think this was a perfect solution to a boring and useless form of TV, the soaps.

The third video I liked was the "Yes" men. This is a smart group of people doing good for society. I wish more people would have the guts to think of things like this and to prepare and produce them as professionally as these guys do. I wish I had the #*@@ to do that!