March 23, 2011

• MikeVideo Internet Movie: Cultural Blender 2

  

  XANGA BLOGATHON: Day 3: This is my third entry for John’s (john) Xanga Blogathon. The Cultural Blender website, part of the wonderful Allthingsmike Universe, went online in 2001..It has not been updated that often, and the last time was in 2007, when I created the first Cultural Blender internet movie. It took me three months to collect, arrange, assemble, and edit the 9 minute animated masterpiece. My intent with the movie was to present audio-video “mashups” saluting some of the “icons” which are collected in the blender image, the first thing I created for the website. I’ve just put the finishing touches on the latest internet movie for the blender, “Cultural Blender 2″ and am presenting it here on Day 3 of the Xanga Blogathon. I realize that “bloggers” never seem to have “time” for involved blog entries like mine. I hope that some of the Xangans who regularly salute quality blogposts like Joel (edlives) and Beth (seedsower) take a look at this post, (and my output this week). I’m quite proud of my latest “baby”. After almost a year of non creativity, I am coming back with a vengeance, and I think you will all be quite amazed at what I’m offering today.  The “Director’s Commentary” is below the movie. You can see this in 720p Hi Definition on my YouTube site HERE as well.

  The first Cultural Blender internet movie took me three months to create. This one “only” took me three days. I used Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 Production Suite (the latest release). The video is 9 minutes and 13 seconds long, but the comprehensive credit sequence at the end takes up nearly 2 minutes, so there’s only about 7 minutes worth of actual movie.

  Click PLAY below. If you have a faster computer and can handle the HD version (which looks much better)  CLICK HERE and watch on YouTube instead. The video is also on Vimeo HERE.  If you’re pressed for time, please watch the video. You don’t need to watch the last two minutes, which contain the credit sequence. You don’t really need to read the Director’s Commentary either. Okay?

  “Cultural Blender 2″ 9 minutes 13 sec. HD 720p

  The second edition of The Cultural Blender movie contains images, video, and music relating to the Ford Mustang, King Kong, Mad Magazine, McDonalds, and Muhammad Ali. There are less icons than in the first Cultural Blender video, but more time is given to each one. There are 322 separate video and audio elements in the completed video, and it only took a little over three days to create, where the original in 2007 took over three months!

  DIRECTOR’S COMMENTARY:  What better way to “break in” my new Sony Vegas editing suite than to create the second Cultural Blender internet movie, since the very first Cultural Blender movie was the first thing I created on the Vegas when I switched from Pinnacle Studio 9 in 2006. Yes, it’s taken me four years to make the sequel, but I think it’s worth it.

  The internet, computing, and software have all gotten better, faster, and easier to use now than in 2006. Instead of copy/pasting my image collection, I was able to “drag” and “drop” from the new Google image interface to the program itself. I like the Vegas software because the effects are editable, and the “desktop” is much cleaner, plus the program crashes a lot less. Pinnacle used to crash almost every ten minutes, but that was ancient history as far as computing is concerned. I used the download and convert function on the free version of Realplayer to acquire YouTube video and audio this time out. (Instead of setting my digital video camera on a tripod and shooting my monitor as I did for the first movie.) 

  The theme of Cultural Blender 2 was going to be “music”, with the Beatles representing the 60s, Madonna representing the 80s, and the “record player” and “jukebox” icons in the blender to round out music history. (I covered Elvis in Part 1.)  I wanted to use “N.W.A.” for my “hip hop” icon, but their music is too profanity laced. I think I’m going to change my hip hop icon to Tupac Shakur for the next video. 

  So music was out for this go round. There are 17 icons represented in the first movie, including Marilyn Monroe, Jesus Christ, two presidents and  three TV shows. Although mixed up on the timeline in the first movie, the Coca Cola and Marilyn segments where the last I edited, when I was getting better at manipulating the program, and were much more involved, using moving and still images, along with sound clips and music.   I didn’t use as many “icons” this time out, but each segment is fully packed with sound and images. Anyone who is a “fan” of any of these icons will be thrilled, I will think, at the amount of material presented.

  Icons represented are these. First, an automobile. The Ford Mustang. I’m a Chevy man myself, and could have chosen either the Corvette, or the Camaro. But ever since 2006, when the first “retro” version of the 68 Tang was introduced by Ford, I’ve wanted to own one for my “next car”. (When that will be is still up in the air, finaciallywise) So I’ve collected a website’s worth of sound clips and images to showcase the Mustang in my movie. Second, an iconic horror movie. Frankenstein perhaps? Dracula? No, I didn’t decide to use any of the old Universal monsters. I chose King Kong, who permeates much more into popular culture, I think, than any of the Universal monsters. The original Kong film, from 1933, is STILL one of the best movies containing special effects ever made Third, from magazine publishing, I chose Mad Magazine, still going strong with television shows and a website. I’m Alfred E. Neuman in my profile pic on Xanga and on Facebook this week in tribute. (In case anyone is wondering.) I’ve collected many magazines throughout my life, including Playboy, but Mad is the first and I’ve still got my collection. It is also the first magazine which offered a complete history including all copies of all issues on CD-ROM, back in 1999, and I own that set. Fourth, from advertising and fast food, I present McDonalds. I don’t eat there anymore, preferring healthier fare, but I’ve had my share of Big Macs, Quarter Pounders, and salty french fries over the years. My favorite McDonald’s meal is the McDLT, which isn’t offered anymore. I’ve tried to include most of the ad campaigns. I’m sure you’ll be lovin’ it. Lastly, from the world of sports, my icon is Muhammad Ali. I don’t think I need to qualify why I picked the former Cassius Clay. He embodies everything about sportsmanship, is a true “champion”, and will be remembered far longer in history than most of the football or baseball players we have looked up to over the years.

  As usual, I can’t really explain enough what creating and “birthing” one of my internet movies, especially one like Cultural Blender 2, means to me. I’ve had a “YouTube channel” since they created the website, and in 1999 I wrote on my own website “Someday we’ll all have our own television stations on the web.” Popular modern icons like Justin Bieber began their careers on YouTube! So far, nothing I’ve created has gone “viral” but those few who follow my little “internet movies”, which morphed from  videos I’ve been making on VHS and Beta tapes since 1986, usually let me know that as an amateur ”movie director” I’m pretty good.

  Hope you liked the show!

  Required Reading Viewing:

  MikeVideo on the internet.

  The MikeVideo YouTube channel. 

  Xanga Blogathon Logo stolen from edlives

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  EDIT 12noon. Off for lunch. Let’s check comments on my latest masterpiece…..and…..one comment and 2 recs. 13 views. Okay. A little underwhelming. Well, thank you Beth and Katrina! Oh well. Knew an ambitious undertaking like this wouldn’t go viral, but I really sort of expected a bit more exposure by now. (and more comments.) Maybe updating the timestamp will help. (I know. It’s the short entries which get dozens of recommends anyway, not 9 minute internet movies. 2 recs are fine. Maybe I’ll even get on Top Recs page by the time I get off work. I’ll make an extra effort to comment more today too. I’ll get around to comment right after I eat lunch…) MFN/ppf

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