Video: Blogumentary in NYC

Join me now, on a magical journey back in time... August 30, 2006. A time when I had a movie screening in the big apple, thanks to Pioneer Theater programmer and Duluth native Ray Privett. You'll also see some behind-the-scenes footage of Rocketboom 2.0, still fairly fresh with new host Joanne Colan. What's not in the video is a bit of drama, those bits of drama that are best forgotten until a cybernetic Ken Burns comes around and interviews aging videobloggers in magic Surround-O-Vision. No, this is not that video – just a personal remembrance.

Becoming an Internet Phenomenon

That's the name of my panel discussion taking place May 1 at the Walker Art Center. Should be fun.

You can become an Internet phenomenon! Using MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, mnartists.org, blogs, social networking, viral marketing and more. Hear from artists and organizations that have had success getting their work seen and heard on the Internet. This panel discussion, moderated by Chris Roberts and Carolyn Petrie, will be useful to individual artists of all disciplines and arts organizations who want to utilize the web as part of their career or marketing strategy.

Moderators: Carolyn Petrie, freelance theatre critic and writer and Chris Roberts, host of “The Local Show” on Minnesota Public Radio

Panelists: Kathleen Kvern (mnartists.org), Hans Eisenbeis (The Current), David DeYoung (Howwastheshow.com), Emma Berg (mplsart.com), Nate Schroeder (Walker Art Center), Mike Fotis (Ferrari McSpeedy) and Chuck Olsen (filmmaker, mnstories and Blogumentary).

(Note, I've corrected my last name spelling and the broken link to MN Stories above.)

My artist's statement

Just what the heck am I doing here? It's hard to figure that out, but here's what I've come up with. This is one part of my longshot application for a McKnight Filmmaker fellowship, otherwise knowns as a cool $25,000. I'm also submitting DVDs of Blogumentary and Welcome to the Future. Wish me luck.

. . .

I've always been a geek. Imagine an isolated suburban 80's pre-teen, playing Dungeons & Dragons and afflicted with something called "Pac Man Fever" - that was me. One day we brought home a modem and plugged the phone line into the computer. Suddenly, I was not alone. Life hasn't been the same since.

My journey as a filmmaker is intertwined with my relationship to technology. I'm passionate about the ability of technology to change lives because it has changed my life for the better. It's led me to new relationships, political activism, and my current perch upon the fast-changing intersection of filmmaking and the internet. My mission is to dive headfirst into that crossroads of old media and new, come up for air and ask: How is technology affecting our lives?

Working for public television gave me a deep appreciation for documentary filmmaking and for the public interest. I became enthralled with the digital video revolution: Anyone can be a filmmaker. So I picked up a camera and became a filmmaker. The only problem with cameras as a democratic media tool is they can't talk to each other. The internet lets you talk to other people and tap into an unprecedented global conversation. My filmmaking world collided with the chaotic interconnected online world. I embarked on a journey exploring people's lives on the internet with the big screen in mind. I came to realize my work is native to the small screen.

I take a first-person approach to my work. Our world is full of large, top-down, impersonal institutions. Politics and the media are being transformed by individuals connecting and creating their own stories on the internet. Likewise, I must create my own story, rather than remove myself and pretend to be a neutral observer. I'm not just an observer; I’m a participant.

The audience is invited to participate in my work and my journey. The stories I tell often find me through connections I've made online. It's a social environment filled with raw ingredients, ripe for a story. I gather those ingredients and go offline, where I add my voice and craft a story. I return to the internet, where the audience is, with my finished (though often raw) video where it finds new life and can even multiply, spread and evolve. I can’t imagine filmmaking without this social interactivity. I would probably suffocate if I had to wait months or years to get feedback about my work. My process happens now, urgently and connectedly.

My vision is really about power. Technology gives us this incredible power to tell our own stories. I created a videoblog called Minnesota Stories that’s all about bringing untold stories to light – my own, and those of  any mediamaker with a Minnesota connection.

We got the power, now what are we going to do with it? I aim to find out.

Blogumentary: Required viewing

I've lost track of how many journalism and communication classes are forced to watch Blogumentary*.

This USC Annenberg class instructor says "tomorrow the second half of the class we'll watch blogumentary. and lest you think that means you have permission to leave during the break, I'll be taking attendance at the end of class."

I must admit, I get a little sadistic thrill knowing Blogumentary is mandatory viewing.

An important-seeming person, Bruno Giussani, thought the film was a little long but "one of the best explanation of what blogs are that I've seen so far." Thanks dude! Feel free to invite me to the next TED conference. Don't make me beg.

A Brazilian student named Fabiane has quite lovely things to say:

Today I've watched the Blogumentary, a film by Chuck Olsen and I just think it is the greatest thing a person made on the web (if you think on video) since... ahn... I really don't know. But it reminds me that video about web 2.0.

So, I've closed the Firefox tab and started to think: "WOW! Why all this people in this world don't see this POWER?!"

Amen sister!

* Or as the kids seem to insist on calling it, "the blogumentary."

Want to donate to Blogumentary?

Blogumentary has rewarded the effort I put into it many times over, and I'm grateful for everyone that contributed in myriad different ways. It's out in the world, free to roam the wild bits.

I took down the donation link a long time ago because it seemed like I'd reached a karmic equilibrium.
Oh, and nobody used it. :-) But with all the renewed interest, and the fact that I'm broke, what the heck? If you're so moved, here's a donation link.

NAMASTÉ

Why did I post Blogumentary online for free?

Because of letters like this one:

Hello,

My name is Vedran Vucic and I am working for the Linux Center in Belgrade, Serbia. However, we work with GNU/Linux and free software for more than 12 years and fight for freedom of speech and freedom of information infrastructure which is not the case in full sense yet.

I found your Blogumentary thanking to one our blogger who participated in our project on blogging in which we trained 40 people from various indpendent magazines, free lance journalists, students of journalism, members of NGOs to create and maintain their blogs. (aggregator is on http://planeta.moj-blog.org). I am sorry, but the posts are on Serbian which is probably not useful to you very much. :-)

We offer free of charge burning on CD your video so people with weaker Internet connection may see it and learn about importance of blogging. I hope that is OK for you. We plan to use your video on our seminars that are free of charge for those who would like to establish their blogs and give voice to teh public.

We will continue with our seminars and efforts to create much wider blogging community that will report on their perception of society, life, politics, culture, science, education etc.
Please continue your work with courage as you have had so far.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any requirements or questions.

WIth the highest respects,

Vedran Vucic
President of the Board

Blogumentary Goes Viral

Check it out! Blogumentary is featured on the Season Two premiere of Veoh's show VIRAL. I have to give props to the editor for making my interview snippet and clips from the film look awfully exciting. Also in this episode, snowmen hunters and beauty tips... not my cup of tea, but I'd never heard of these shows so props to host/producer Sunny Gault for finding video from all corners of the internets. I'm looking forward to their shows from NYC.

In other news...Dan McVicar's Late Nite Mash goes to Roma. Hopefully he's not there for "family business."

So long, and thanks for all the links

Blogumentary has been mentioned on blogs 174 times in the last week. It's been very exciting to see people post it and react. I'm especially happy to see it propogating on citizen journalism sites and on academic blogs, where I hope it finds an audience.

The IFC Blog blurbed it - probably as close as I'll get to the traditional film world! Maybe...

Anyway, this is me thanking the universe. No, I'm not high.

Boing'd

You know, nothing makes my day like seeing something I've done on Boing Boing.
It's like, the ultimate thing. Link (Thanks, Cory!)

If you're coming here from Boing Boing, feel free to digg Blogumentary.

UPDATE: Jackson West posted about the Big B on NewTeeVee too. All my dreams are coming true today! If I get my poop together I should have a little interview snippet on Veoh's Viral too.

I thought the NYC theatrical premiere would be Blogumentary's last hurrah, but it's sure exciting to turn it loose on the great wide internets, where it can finally roam free. Cue Free Willy theme music.

Blogumentary: Digg it!

Blogumentary, the sometimes-controversial documentary feature, now on Google Video. It documents the rise of political and personal blogs, from the early days up through the Iraq War and Dan Rather's downfall - not to mention sweet blog love. Features Jason Kottke, Jeff Jarvis, John Hinderaker, Joe Trippi, Rebecca Blood, David Weinberger, more.

digg story

Blogumentary: Now on Google Video

I just posted this to the Yahoo videoblogging group:

This week I put my entire documentary feature film online.
It's called Blogumentary and it documents the rise of political
and personal blogs, from the early days up through the
Iraq War and Dan Rather's downfall - not to mention a
bloggy love story or two. Think of it as a collection of
vlog videos woven together into a 65-minute film.

WATCH OR DOWNLOAD IT HERE.

People have often asked me if they could watch the film online.
Up until now, no. There's a fair amount of copyrighted
material in the film, particularly music. This is what's prevented
me from putting it online, trying to sell DVDs, or even promoting
it all that much.

Now, in the YouTube era, I'm not as worried. So I'm taking a chance
and putting the whole thing online, with the disclaimer that it's
intended for non-profit educational use only. I'm sincere about that;
I do hope this will make it easy for educators to show new media
and journalism students. That's probably the most likely audience.

If you're linking it on your blogs, feel free to link to blogumentary.org
which is the official site and has a bit more info. I've always intended
to make that site into a videoblog from the huge archive of interviews
I have, but there's no demand for that so I spend my time on my other
projects + client work. Someday, someday.

Iowa: Land of Meat, Liquor and Vlog

Super giant thanks to dynamic vlog-duo Jennifer Proctor and Aaron Valdez of Iowa City Microcinema for hosting a sweet vlog weekend in America's heartland. My co-conspiratoree was played by none other than Chris Weagel, he of Human Dog.

I arrived just in time to screen Blogumentary and have a couple pitchers of Shiner afterward. I met some cool philosophy grad students who drank lots of delicious single malt Irish whiskey, which they followed up with Eraserhead and Nintendo. Those are my kinda people. Weagel acquired some excellent meat-and-doll-themed antique postcards for The Pan. I followed suit with some creepy postcards for the Koven.

Also, apparently one of the kitties be-gifted us with a dead chipmunk. I slept near it on the couch, unaware yet feeling protected and loved.

CHUCK'S NEXT STOPS:
University of North Carolina - Wilmington
Chicago (King Tut, Robert Pollard show, etc.)
San Francisco (The Vloggies!)

WATCHY WATCH:
Vlogging AllStars - Jennifer's vlog class in action
This Week in Mind Control - supplementary evidence of Valdezatronic genius
YONO, pt.3 - Jon Yono is many things. American is not one of them.

Forbes on "Vloggers Unite!"

Forbes.com has, appropriately enough, filed a video report about the Pioneer Theater's "Vloggers Unite!" series: Internet Video's Big Debut One New York theater takes web movies from the computer screen to the silver screen.

Thank you friends

The Blogumentary screening was a raging success last night. As I said at the screening, I was happy to see each and every one of you, faces familiar and new. Thanks also to Ray Privett at the Pioneer Theater for putting this whole series together, and to Andrew for letting me crash at his place and promoting the screening on Rocketboom. Ray said the links from RB and Amanda probably helped get a bunch of last-minute tickets sold. Yay! Tickets = people.

Oh, how I love my New York City, and how I love my friends. And I still love my scrappy little ragtag film. So strange to see it getting renewed attention and interest, from old and new media.

Posts that contain Blogumentary per day for the last 30 days.

Welcome Rocketboomers

The screening is tonight! Get the lowdown at blogumentary.org.

I made the list!

What list, you ask? This one: 10,000 Reasons Civilization is Doomed

Reason #1746: The movie Blogumentary
By Tredanse on August 24, 2006

Generation Vlog article

From the Star-Ledger in New Jersey, Generation Vlog: A new breed of filmmaker has emerged from the computer monitor (and even the iPod) onto the big screen as part of a breakthrough digital film series

I wish I could see the newspaper version which probably has pretty pictures. They talk about the Vloggers Unite! series @ The Pionner Theater, especially LOL and Charlene Rule's Scratchvideo.tv. Here's my blurb:

The value of blogs comes into question on Wednesday with "Blogumentary," a doc that takes a hard look at the ways in which blogs affect our politics (think Joe Lieberman), our media (Huffington Post) and our relationships (MySpace and Friendster).

San Diego next?

Buzzed

Thanks for the post, Jeff!

Kottke-ized

Thanks for the link, my honorary Minneapolitan blog brother.
(Trivia: He used to work at B-swing back in the day.)

Gothamized

In the "All press is good press" department, The Gothamist:

The last part of said trailer just seems a bit too much like something you'd see in a 6th grade class. A voiceover explains to, apparently an audience who has never heard of "weblogs" before, that: "Blogs offer a more personal citizen media perspective. When you start a blog: you are the media!" This is followed by incredibley cheesy synth music. Written by this person, who'd probably prefers writing about Kanya West and The Strokes.

Fair enough... see you at the Pioneer!

Effort of Madness

I'm up all night, almost every night. These days, I'm (a) Trying to keep Minnesota Stories chugging along, (b) working on web and video projects for multiple clients, and (c) trying to fill NYC's Pioneer Theater with people eager to see my little indie documentary on August 30.

Promoting Blogumentary from afar is not an easy task. It takes a lot of time and guerilla convincing techniques. Naturally I'm trying to create buzz in the blogosphere. My timing wasn't so hot with a couple of my hopeful A-listers... see here and here. Blog wars, everywhere I turn! And/or... no response. But they're busy guys. Heck, I end up not responding to some emails, especially people asking me for something.

Nevertheless. I urge all A-list bloggers to drop what you're doing. How dare you blog about what you are interested in. I mean, talk about ego. You really should blog about me, and my film, and my needs. Me, me, me! I summon all fish and cephalopods to rise up out of the sea... and blog about me! Terrorists, drop your shampoo bottles... and blog about me!

This outburst has been brought to you by Blogumentary: Now, more than ever.

New, improved Blogumentary.org

I've long been embarassed to send anyone to the official web site for Blogumentary, but with this NYC screening I've cleaned the place up. The old site had lots of interesting "work-in-progress" stuff on it, but now it's clean and simple. No fluff, no muff. (?) Finally, I can send people there again.

blogumentary.org - now, more than ever.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to rally the blogerati to post about the screening and fill the theater with sweet, sweet geeks.

Blogumentary NYC Premiere, August 30

I'm so excited! One night only...

	Watch the trailer
	Buy tickets here - buying in advance highly recommended
	Visit the film site: blogumentary.org

If you're in New York, or have friends there, come out to the Two Boots Pioneer Theater on August 30 for the theatrical premiere of Blogumentary. I will totally be there, live in person. Please tell your friends! Buying tickets in advance is highly recommended. BUY TICKETS HERE.

BLOGUMENTARY playfully explores the many ways blogs are influencing our media, our politics, and our relationships. Personal political writing is the foundation of our democracy, but mass media has reduced us to passive consumers instead of active citizens. Blogs return us to our roots and reengage us in democracy.

Shot in candid first-person style by director Chuck Olsen, himself an avid blogger, the film features interviews with influential bloggers including Joe Trippi, Jeff Jarvis, Dan Gillmor, John Hinderaker, Jason Kottke and Meg Hourihan. From the rise of Howard Dean to the fall of Dan Rather, from love at first blog to a friend's suicidal blog post, "Blogumentary" is a fresh and compelling journey into our hyperconnected existence.

Also showing: episodes from "Minnesota Stories," the vlog edited by Olsen, featuring stories of the normal, the abnormal, and the paranormal in the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes.

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE VLOGGERS UNITE SERIES, ESPECIALLY Scratchvideo.TV AND PANtasia.

CORY CAN'T TALK

Cory Can't Talk [Quicktime, 2 MB]

In anticipation of sci-fi author Bruce Sterling's visit to the Walker Art Center this Thursday, the man himself has been blogging over at the Walker's Off Center blog. Before that, BoingBoing's Xeni Jardin was "pre-blogging" about Sterling. Or something.

In the spirit of all that zaniness, I offer you this utterly ephemeral (read: banal) video clip taken at one of Sterling's SXSW parties a couple years back. BoingBoing's Cory Doctorow had lost his voice after talking non-stop to legions of devoteés. Here he is, using his voice to tell me he doesn't have one. Nice way to avoid my drunken camera.

I'll be interviewing Bruce for Minnesota Stories and Rocketboom. I'm trying to study up on his world, which is far beyond my capacity to comprehend. I'm pretty much assuming my brain will explode after 5 minutes and that's how we'll know the interview is over.

BLOG BOY RETURNS TO CARLETON

My man Prof. John Schott, aka "The New Media Oracle," has invited me back for some events hosted by Carleton College's Cinema & Media Studies department. These guys are way ahead of the curve, and I fear they'll laugh at my sorry production values. They're full-on vlogging and podcasting. Very cool.

Tuesday, February 7 | 7 PM Scoville 102
Join Chuck for a screening of Blogumentary with discussion following.

Tuesday, February 14 | 3:10 PM Scoville 102
Come to the introduction to videoblogging and discussion.

MY PLAYBOY INTERVIEW

A small sampling of my arsenal of gestures.

The Blogumentary screening went pretty well in spite of a low turnout. A couple of comforting factors: (1) Bryant-Lake Bowl has apparently had a really hard time getting anyone to show up for film events other than Cinema Lounge. (2) I probably had twice as many people as the Phillip Glass documentary at Sound Unseen.

Fortunately, the crowd was enthusiastic and had lots of great questions. I finally got to meet Matt Thompson (Snarkmarket, Epic 2015). Also, I got a free drink. The value of free drinks cannot possibly be underestimated.

Meanwhile, I'm about to deliver Minnesota Stories press screener DVDs to Rob Nelson for the City Pages Get Real filmfest. From vlog to the big screen - weird!

BLOGUMENTARY @ BLB

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
BLOGUMENTARY SCREENING
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18 @ 7PM
BRYANT-LAKE BOWL CABARET THEATER
$4-$10 (sliding scale)

C'mon, I know there are some of you out there who haven't seen it yet. Now is your chance to see the legendary blog-doc in the comfy confines of BLB, with a full bar and some intimate conversation with yours truly. This screening is part of BLB's Get Smart documentary series. Please come and bring a friend - I really want this documentary series to continue and thrive @ BLB.

BLOGUMENTARY IN THE NETHERLANDS

How cool is this? Blogumentary is playing the Shoot Me Festival in The Hague, the heart of The Netherlands government. And check out this amazing double-header... it's being screened with Salam Pax's own Baghdad Blogger: Video Reports from Iraq. Wow! Wish I could be there.

I've also been asked to screen Blogumentary in Bangalore, India at an event called "World Information City."

Exciting times.

CRAPUMENTARY T-SHIRTS!

That's right folks! I'm making my own Blogumentary parody shirt, before some punkass blogger does. The Crapumentary Ringer T is $14.99, and hello ladies - the shapely Crapumentary Womens Cap Sleeve T is $15.99. These are Hane's combed cotton, mmm so soft and so snarky.

While supplies last! (i.e. - forever.)

CHUCK ON THE RADIO

I'm was on KFAI's MovieTalk tonight to talk about videoblogging and film with Allison Herrera. Next Tuesday I'll be on Minnesota Public Radio's Midmorning to talk vlog with none other than Jay Dedman and Ryan Hodson.

I encourage everyone to play a drinking game around how often I mention Minnesota Stories - preferably with Bud Ice.

FAREWELL, OLD FRIEND

I'm both happy and sad to say the Blogumentary VX2000 camera has found a new home. Happy because I needed the money and it really did find a good new home filming personal stories. Also because it won out against a same-priced Canon GL2. Sad, obviously, because it's been my creative tool since 2001. From countless Komedy adventures to my documentary and now videoblogging, it has served me better than perhaps anything I've ever purchased. But fret not, video fans. When I get some green rolling in (any day now...) I'm saving up for a new toy, probably in the HDV realm. That's high definition that you can record on miniDV tapes, for all you normal people. Until then, if anybody has a cheapy miniDV camcorder for sale, drop me a line.

INDEPENDENTFILM.COM INTERVIEW

While Steve makes a salient point, Chuck anticipates his next bite.

Corey Boutilier of independentfilm.com interviewed Steve Garfield and me and at the Woods Hole Film Festival. I really wanted to spend our precious few free moments by the water narbing some lunch/dinner, so we found a good spot where Corey could interview us while we stuffed our faces. Corey is swell guy who has created his own dream job: "We provide the Internet's most personal look at the creation and distribution of Independent Film."

THANKYS ALL AROUND

In case you didn't notice, my last several days have been spent with the one-and-only Steve Garfield. Thanks to him (and the newly-engaged Eli Chapman) I was able to fly out to Boston, breakfast with some cool vloggers, present videoblogging to the filmmakers at Woods Hole Film Festival in lovely Cape Cod, and screen Blogumentary at Harvard.

What a crazy trip. Thanks Steve for connecting the dots and hosting my stay. You're the best.

The Harvard screening went swimmingly. I finally met Rebecca Mckinnon, Lisa Williams, and Dan Bricklin among other fine folks. Dan Bricklin, by the way, co-invented the VisiCalc spreadsheet program, which transformed the Apple ][ into a serious business machine, and may well be partly responsible for all those lovely Macs and iThings we have today. He actually asked me to autograph his Blogumentary DVD. If only I had our old VisiCalc for him to sign.

The best part, other than everyone bursting out laughing when I call Dave Weinberger "my own personal Yoda," was the
Q&A session superbly led by Lisa Williams. Obviously, this is a smart and scintillating group of folks, and it was really satisfying to chat about all things blog, vlog, and film. They were curious about how much time and $$$ I spent making the documentary... I really don't know, but $20k might cover it. Time? I don't even want to know that number. But it's really paid off on a deeper level, thanks to screenings like this one.

HARVARD TONIGHT!

It's the final countdown. Cape Cod was wonderful. We spread the vlog fever. We got interviewed by Corey from independentfilm.com and one of our panels will be streamed and podcast by WGBH Forum Network.

Carol and Steve (mostly Carol) are grillin' up some swordfish now.

And tonight: Blogumentary screens at Harvard.

Life is crazy, life is good.

HERE'S HOW I FEEL THIS WEEK

It's hard to believe I've already been doing Minnesota Stories for 3 weeks. No wonder I'm exhausted! This week has been completely grueling. I'm a one-man internet startup living on Mountain Dew. With the help of my crew (Starfire, Duane Kuss, Media Mike, Green Green Water's Dawn and Jamie, your name here.)

I spent mid-week at the International Symposium on Local E-Democracy [video here]. I filmed it of course, and presented as much videoblog gospel as I could on my panel. I shared the panel with Mayor RT Rybak and Brian from Audio Activism. Brian and I had lots to talk about, and Rybak seemed super into MN Stories, so it was a great time.

I was totally on Rocketboom this week!

There's so much more, but it's all a blur. Right now I'm getting ready for my Eastward field trip... I keep alternating between being shy and gloating about my Harvard Blogumentary screening next week. Sounds like Andrew Baron is going to hookup with me and Steve Garfield in Cape Cod. Did I just say that? Is this my life?

One last note, a very happy one. Every 6 hours, including the wee hours, we've been force-feeding our little kitty Sabby and giving her fluids twice a day. Well, it's paid off. Today the vet said her blood test showed she was basically back to normal, healthy kitty levels. Hooray! Lorika was worried that she'd potentially have to deal with something bad happening to Sabby while I was gone, which would be unbearably hard, but the planets have aligned in our favor.

MY TOUR SCHEDULE

Chuck is M.I.A. for the near-future. A lot of my time is spent talking about and working on Minnesota Stories. We've also got major family action, and our little grandma kitty Sabby has been in intensive care for kidney failure. That will be a future vlog post... Meanwhile, here's me:

INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON LOCAL E-DEMOCRACY
Next week around Minnesota
Presenting videoblogging on a panel with Mayor R.T. Rybak, among others

WOODS HOLE FILM FESTIVAL, Xwhaves
July 31 - August 1. Cape Cod!
It's the Steve and Chuck show. Steve Garfield and I are doing a 2-hour vlog presentation, and then we'll be on a panel about new distribution methods with the legendary Dave Winer, "one of the fathers of the blogosphere and the coder responsible for RSS and web-based citizen journalist movement that it spawned."

BLOGUMENTARY SCREENING
August 2. The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School
!!!

I wrote the videoblog revolution and why I'm part of it for NextNext Big Thing, a "youth pulse newsletter." How strange that marketers will read about videoblogging in the context of a "youth trend" that thrives without... marketers.

(Ongoing) Helping organize a Vlogathon fundraiser. This is one of those "Capital G Good" projects to make the world a better place. More info when we get the idea fleshed out.

Peace out. Send me your Minnesota stories... story@mnstories.com

MERCURY NEWS COPYRIGHT ARTICLE

Hello friends! I'm quoted in today's San Jose Mercury News article about uploading copyrighted material on the web. It's written by Michael Bazeley, who also wrote about Plain Layne last summer. Here's my bit toward the end:

Artists are generally allowed to reuse portions of copyrighted material under the concept of fair use. But the definition of fair use is vague, at best. Minneapolis documentary filmmaker Chuck Olsen has created a documentary, titled ``Blogumentary,'' about blogs and their effect on politics and media. It is precisely the type of independently produced content that the Ourmedia founders would love to see on their site. But Olsen opted not to upload his film to Ourmedia because it contains some commercial pop music and clips from network news shows. ``To me, it's pretty much clear-cut fair use,'' Olsen said. ``But fair use hasn't really been tested, especially in films. I'm just playing it safe.''

That's me, Chuck "Playin' It Safe" Olsen! I should clarify. When I said it's pretty much clear-cut fair use, I was referring to my usage of Dan Rather news footage — not the pop song. I do waffle on the issue. You legal-types: If I release my film online for free, and it contains about 30 seconds of a Whitney Houston song (the most egregious of my copyright conundrums) - what's the worst that can happen? Cease-and-desist? Gitmo? Watch for further misadventures of Chuck in the media in Wired News and Forbes.com.

Slowing the flow of illicit uploads WEB SITES MAKE COPYRIGHT DATA MORE VULNERABLE By Michael Bazeley Mercury News The recent emergence of Web sites that encourage the public to upload copies of their own video and audio content is highlighting the difficulties of controlling the illicit spread of copyrighted material. The new sites are coming online at a time when technology is making it increasingly easy for ordinary people to copy, record, edit and upload video and audio content to the Web. The latest publicized copyright-related incident came about a week ago, when Google acknowledged that it was forced to take down illegal copies of the Hollywood feature film ``The Matrix Revolutions'' and episodes of ``The Simpsons,'' which had been uploaded to a new Google video search site. At least a dozen other copyrighted files have also been discovered on the site at http://video.google.com/. Google is not alone in facing the issue. Several other new sites -- including Ourmedia.org and the Open Media Network (omn.org) -- encourage users to submit digital media files, unintentionally opening the door to the illicit sharing of copyrighted material. To date, the number of illicit files appearing on the sites has been relatively small, particularly compared with the peer-to-peer file-sharing networks that have incurred the wrath of Hollywood. Ourmedia, a non-profit ``grass-roots media'' Web site, was launched in March, soliciting independently made video, audio and text files. Since the service opened, administrators have seen about four dozen instances in which users uploaded copyrighted material, a fraction of the 14,000 files currently hosted on the site, said Pleasanton's J.D. Lasica, co-founder of Ourmedia. Ourmedia does not screen content before it is uploaded to the site, Lasica said. But volunteer site administrators perform spot-checks ``after the fact.'' The site made it clear from the outset that it would not tolerate uploads of copyrighted material. ``We decided early on, even though we're not technically liable, that we don't want to open the floodgates,'' Lasica said. ``We said, let's focus on `our media,' not `their media.' '' The Digital Millennium Copyright Act puts the onus on Internet users to act responsibly when it comes to copyrighted material -- and for Web sites and Internet service providers to step in when they don't. So Web sites such as Google or Ourmedia are not required to screen content when it is uploaded to their servers. But they must respond quickly when they find out that copyrighted material may have been inappropriately placed on their systems. ``The theory is that there's so much content moving around, it would be unfair to put that burden on an ISP,'' said Catherine Kirkman, a media law expert at the Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati law firm in Palo Alto. ``In general, the legal requirements respect that ISPs can't possibly police everything.'' Google's video search site, launched this year, is a two-headed animal. The site indexes televised content, including programming from the Discovery Channel, CNN and Bay Area news shows. Searchers can access excerpts from transcripts and still images from those shows -- but not video footage, yet. More recently, though, Google began to allow members of the public to upload their own video footage to make it accessible to Internet users. Google says it uses ``both a manual and automated process'' to screen video uploads for ``adult content or obvious copyright violations.'' But the company says its screening process is not bulletproof, and it encourages users to report suspected copyright violations. ``We proactively screen for copyright, which goes beyond the DCMA,'' spokesman Steve Langdon said. That stance so far appears to be enough to appease Hollywood studios, who have made piracy and copyright infringement a top priority in recent years. ``When they find it, they take it right down,'' said a Hollywood movie studio spokesman, who declined to be quoted by name. ``That's all you can ask for.'' Realizing when something violates copyright law is not always clear, however. Some video and audio files combine content such as audio clips or video snippets from a wide variety of sources, some original, some commercial. Artists are generally allowed to reuse portions of copyrighted material under the concept of fair use. But the definition of fair use is vague, at best. Minneapolis documentary filmmaker Chuck Olsen has created a documentary, titled ``Blogumentary,'' about blogs and their effect on politics and media. It is precisely the type of independently produced content that the Ourmedia founders would love to see on their site. But Olsen opted not to upload his film to Ourmedia because it contains some commercial pop music and clips from network news shows. ``To me, it's pretty much clear-cut fair use,'' Olsen said. ``But fair use hasn't really been tested, especially in films. I'm just playing it safe.'' Although Google has apparently become more vigilant about removing obviously copyrighted material, such as full-length films or whole television episodes, its site still hosted short clips from shows such as ``The Simpsons'' as of last week. ``Where things get quite interesting is in these gray areas,'' said John Palfrey, executive director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School, ``instances where the rights are not always that clear cut.'' Contact Michael Bazeley at mbazeley@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5642, and read his blog at www.siliconbeat.com.

THANKS MADDOX!

Maddox, aka "The Best Page in the Universe," aka the massively popular proto-blogging pissy curmudgeon, has some kind words in his latest screed:

If these words were people, I would embrace their genocide.

Blogumentary: There was recently a bit of a feud regarding this word among two bloggers. Apparently some guy decided that they had exclusive right to use the word, not realizing that similar words (docudrama, dramedy, rockumentary, etc) have been free to use for all people since you can't just copyright an entire genre, and more importantly, that it's stupid. Who cares? Blogumentary? Really? Eat shit you morons.

Aww he's just got sour grapes because he was gonna be in the (vapor)mentary. Obviously he has no idea what actually happened or what he's talking about - that's enough to get anybody's undies in a bunch. Anyway - do read the whole list, it's what you might call a Laff Riot!

[Thanks, Ian! You should watch Ian spin.]

MADBLOG2020 PODCAST INTERVIEW

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Jeff Dixon (aka Jethro) from MadBlog2020. We talked a lot about blogs and politics, and veered into citizen journalism and videoblogs. You can listen here. Jeff says Best times to listen: 9:30 am, 12:30 pm, 3:30 pm, 6:30 pm .....etc. (you can probably see the pattern by now).

Also: Check out this really cool animated work-in-progress by Nina Paley: The Sitayana (aka Sita Sings the Blues)

SCHOLARLY FOOTNOTES

Yes, the BloguDrama is all over and I shouldn't really post about it anymore, but here are a few loose ends for those of you who are scholars of the whole affair.

59bloggers.com has now reverted to a generic parked GoDaddy page. Other domains parked by the same fellow: worldmooncontest.com, blognewsnet.com, newsandnudes.com

Portland CraigsList, 5/26/05: Interviewer Wanted for Blogumentary.

An historic blogumentary is about to be produced this summer as Oregon Digital Video travels the U.S. interviewing preselected bloggers. We need a brilliant, savvy on-camera interviewer. Must be intelligent, well-read, quick-witted, and know a great deal about blogs. A quiz will be given in the selection process, such as "Who is Xeni Jardin?" You will be interviewing some very dry, intelligent people, and some very funny, smart people.

You will travel coast-to-coast in our 24-foot motorhome with the producer/director and his assistant, and gear. No pets. Leave June 11, return sometime around July 20. You will be required to sleep in the motorhome, eat in the motorhome (share cooking, although our assistant is a chef!), and do your own makeup and wardrobe. You must be in excellent health, and easy going. All your expenses are paid in addition to compensation.

This blogumentary will be shown on worldwide television. Your face and talent will be exposed to millions of viewers. For more information about the project, visit 59Bloggers.com.

Here's the final bit of information I wasn't going to post, since it didn't seem necessary after the resolution. But... the cameraman for 59Bloggers actually contacted me and said that he'd pulled out of the project. Partially because the guy was unprepared and also because of the way he was handling the Blogu situation. At first he didn't want me to post anything about it for fear of legal trouble and more mudslinging, but as things got worse he said I could go public. I never did since things came to a resolution on their own. Now he has posted a comment himself:

Greg comments:

I was actually the cameraman John Hart was going to use. Now I hate to talk bad about the guy because he is extremely intelligent, yet I pulled out with the fear that this guy is a bit neurotic. He thinks that everyone is out to get him. It’s almost as if he is having paranoid dilusions. I also think he never really had any backing in the first place. I just know that when I told him I would not be filming for him, he finally gave up. This was a really strange experience for me. I feel like I was in someone’s dilusional fantasy of making a movie. He had NO synopsis, No treatment, nothing. It was all in his head, he claimed.

Anyway, I’m glad it’s over.

Greg

Vlogger Shannon Noble recently said he was uncomfortable with the "smart lynch mob" that formed out of this situation. (Not that he had anything nice to say about the object of that mob.) I responded that I was, too - and every new development made a pit in my stomach that wasn't there before. That's not entirely true, because I did feel grateful for every person that tried to standup for me, even if a few reactions were harsh/overzealous. I don't want anyone out there, particularly videobloggers, thinking I'm ungrateful or - how high school is this? - that I don't like them anymore.

Nevertheless, Shannon's comment shows that there is still some residual discomfort floating around about what happened. Knowing as much as I do about the whole situation - particularly in light of the information above - I'm more comfortable than ever saying the "justice mob" (more accurate than lynch mob) is not responsible for the demise of 59bloggers. I guess you could say the mob lit the match, but the house was doused in gasoline and handing out matches.

There's no question a smart mob did form, however you want to characterize it. I don't think it's useful to point fingers and say "YOU had a match! And YOU, I saw you lighting matches!" But it is useful to step back and say - what happened? What motivated our reactions? What kind of power do we yield as a community? How can we control that power, and channel it into a proactive force for good?

June 20, 2005 at 07:23 AM in Blogumentary | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

INTERVIEW WITH JOHN HART

Whoa. Will the surprises never cease? Kit Jarrell of euphoricreality.net has an exclusive interview with John Hart, and apparently there's an apology in there. I'm off to read it now - I really hope we're nearing the end of this harrowing tale.
. . . .
Well I am very happy. Please, nobody nitpick over this interview - this is the compromise I've been waiting for. Reach out and touch the olive branch. Particularly:

KJ: Do you feel that you crossed the line at anytime, or do you stand by your actions? JH: Crossed what line? Civility? Yes. I am guilty of being uncivil in my reply to Chuck. It’s a shame, actually. I try to practice what I preach, but you must admit, Chuck’s original email to me was absurd and without merit. Had I the chance to do it over, I would say, “just exactly what is your request? How can I help you alleviate your concerns?” But, hindsight can only help my gatekeeper to learn better civility. Meanwhile, I apologize to Chuck for my initial response. I have rent the garmet of civility I wear, but it can be repaired.

KJ: Currently at 59bloggers.com, your “hellish” demon story is still up. Any plans to take that down?
JH: Yes. It’s time to move on. Let’s make this movie. I’m going to post a request for backing. If it comes, we’ll make the movie. It if doesn’t, hey I can go to my grave knowing I tried. Not trying is worse than failure. And failure is just another stepping stone to success.

And my response:

Wonderful!
I accept your apology, John, and I offer you mine: I’m sorry for posting part of your email online. And I’m sorry, in general, for this whole episode. I’m glad you’re taking the current 59bloggers page down and continuing with the project in some fashion. I’ll remove your email from my post. Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like me to do, via email or comment, or via Kit.

Peace,
Chuck

June 9, 2005 at 04:29 PM in Blogumentary | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBack

LAFFYTIME CHUCKIE AWARDS

Welcome Chuckies!

The reward for Most Entertaining Visual Aid for BlogumentaryGate goes to...
Jeremy of Artistic Delusions. Way to go.

The reward for Bestest Novelizationized Parody Treatment goes to... (cough) heh heh, can't get the envelope open... ahh! Jonathan of Society Dome. I like the part about the "mouthy young girl who gets her comeuppance" best.est.

[Other awards have been sent back to the factory to be reconfigured and re-misinterpreted.]

Thank you, and a Merry Evening! Somebody take my wife home, please.
I do mean your home. [laughter, applause]

And now, back to Very Serious Businessy Program.

June 9, 2005 at 05:38 AM in Blogumentary, Funny Crap | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

MY LATEST THOUGHTS

This situation with 59bloggers is getting still more attention today. I'm frankly a little befuddled by a few of the responses, dismissing it as a "pissing match."

I'm not sure what more I can say... I'm exhausted with this whole ordeal. One factual note though - I actually started work on Blogumentary in 2002, and only recently finished it. I'm trying to get it out into the world, into film festivals, wherever it can find a home.

I'd also like to say this. If you had spent 3 years of your life pouring your heart and soul (and time and money) into a project, you would do everything I did - and probably more. I was completely justified asking John Hart to simply discuss his heavy use of "Blogumentary." My film is open source - believe me, I get what's wrong with Big Brother Copyright and all that jazz. That doesn't mean creators simply lie down and give up any control over their work and identity. All I was doing is trying to ask Hart to refer to his film by it's name in part of his web site. At every turn I have been polite and respectful with my very legitimate concern. And at every turn, Hart has either lobbed insults, been completely unresponsive, tried to strongarm me with legal threats, or now this incredibly dramatic narrative filled with lies and veiled threats.

People say I shouldn't have named my film the same as a genre. When I thought of the name in 2002, it sure wasn't a genre - it was just a film idea in my head, and then the name of my blog as I developed the film idea. Sure, now it's a genre, and in retrospect maybe it was a bad choice. But who would have imagined blogs would become so pervasive as to require multiple documentaries, and indeed it's own genre of documentary? If you imagined that, good for you, but I sure didn't.

Do I take some responsibility for the blogosphere's response? Sure. But I certainly did not anticipate or ask for people to attack Hart or his project. I'm not in charge of the blogosphere. I asked for help because I was getting nothing but insults - followed by silence - from Hart. Yes, the response was overzealous. I don't think anyone should have emailed the 59 bloggers. I would like to see this project happen. Ultimately, John Hart is responsible for John Hart's project.

I made my project without any investors. My own money. Furthermore, I don't believe Hart has any investors. He's been asked for proof by people trying to mediate or report on this situation, and he doesn't respond. I believe in transparency, I believe in treating people with respect.

I stand by my work and I stand by the way I treat people in the blogosphere.

Sincerely,
Chuck Olsen

PS - To the bloggers that were excited to be in 59bloggers, or those that didn't "make the cut" - why not start a videoblog and interview yourself? Or each other? Look, you don't need to wait for a filmmaker to get your stories out there. "We are the media" isn't just an empty mantra. You could even edit those clips together into... a documentary film.

Also: What kind of passion to you think he has for this film and for the blogosphere if he pulls the plug at the first sign of trouble? Most every documentary film I know of has little or no funding. The documentary filmmakers I know do it because the HAVE TO, because it's in their blood. They use their own money, they get in-kind services, they do it any way they can. That's what you want in a documentary filmmaker. Not somebody looking to cash in on a hot topic with some corporate sponsorship, who disappears when the (imaginary) suits disappear.

FINAL UPDATE! We've made peace. Group hug everybody!

Jeff Jarvis | Stuart Hughes | BC Beat | David Weinberger | Google Blogoscoped | Euphoric Reality | BlamBlog

Eric Rice podcast: The 59 Bloggers PR Crisis (starts about 6:14 - great stuff!!)

Kent Bye: Citizen Journalism Implications of Blog Doc Controversy

Will the real Hulkumentary please stand up? (heh)

Lighten up Chuck! Yes, we are all flame warriors. I'm in there somewhere...

June 8, 2005 at 03:29 PM in Blogumentary | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack

59BLOGGERS SAYS I'M THE DEVIL!

Oh. My. God. I'm still reading this and picking my jaw up off the floor. Please standby. My response is in the original post. God save the Queen.

June 7, 2005 at 04:45 PM in Blogumentary | Permalink | Comments (32) | TrackBack

SWEET VLOG COVERAGE

Rocketboom: "News of Michael Jackson's verdict has been upstaged by today's incredible top story. Crackpot attacks beloved Rocketboom correspondent Chuck Olsen, and Amanda is pissed!"

Jay Dedman: "I, Jay Dedman, certify that Blogumentary is, in fact real."

Thanks, guys.

June 6, 2005 at 08:13 PM in Blogumentary, Videoblogging | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack