[Reader-list] ONE SECOND VIDEO FESTIVAL

Tue May 6 14:23:10 IST 2008

I for one got quite intrigued by this video festival: Third ONE SECOND VIDEO
FESTIVAL (www.respeto-total.com/tosvf/)

Can a 1 sec clip be called a video at all?

What is 1 second in film time? 25 frames of its video.

But one can also have animations play at different frame rates: 50 fps or
say 100 fps

So how much can one cram in all these frames?

It became a fun exercise to explore. I made six one second films! Each a
little experiment. I posted two of them - the two that worked.

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5arONhAdf1w

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdXyW11dfMM

I had been analyzing the aesthetics of short internet clips for a while.
They started as animated gifs: short animations between 2-3 frames at the
most. Then flash animations became quite a rage. Since some of these were
programmed animations, they could employ the 'random feature' in the coding,
which meant that even short animations were not repetitive - the position or
colour or size of the animating object (set to random, or random withing a
range) could change in each cycle, hence animated loops didn't look loopy at
all, they seemed organic.

Then there was a fight of the online video formats: streaming format,
downloadable formats, for fast connections, for dial-ups, each format
requiring its own player and component softwares installed... You tube has
largely settled that fight for now...or has it!?

So what is the content and form of these short videos meant for online
viewing?
Some are 'actualities' like those early films made by the Lumière brothers.
Again the porn industry was the pioneer in the video revolution on the
internet. These actuality clips simply showed a scene as it unfolded with
little attempt at narrative construction (fixed camera and no edits): people
bonking, a stunt artist doing daring tricks, someone's pet in a funny
tangle...

But there are some very clever filmmakers (if they can be called that) who
actually made beautiful clips: shot precisely, edited crispy, deft use of
audio, all with a clear narrative purpose. These remarkable films have a
proper 3-act narrative structure (a beginning, a middle and an end.) within
10-20seconds. Although this is difficult, it is hardly inconceivable, we
view 30 sec ads on TV all the time. These short clips employ a vast range of
cinematic vocabulary that we are all familiar with. Some images (stills or
clips) can contain a vast amount of information, just like some hieroglyphs
which are more than alphabets or words but entire concepts in themselves.
Using these compact image units, one CAN tell a story in compressed time. As
our cinematic vocabulary is becoming increasingly rich, it is becoming
easier and easier to convey a lot in a short clip.

What is this cinematic vocabulary?
When we see a clip of lightning flashing against a dark sky, we know its not
an image of a weather report, rather a scene from a horror film or an
ominous moment in the narrative. Thus a universal cinematic vocabulary has
been forming (over 110 years of the invention of this medium) which builds
on all our past viewings. We know from experience what a scene means without
needing much elaboration. None of us remember being shocked by a simple
close up or a footage of a train pulling in - exactly the images that had
drastic reactions from audiences when they were first projected. Now you
need special effects!

Cinematic vocabulary also includes our vocabulary not just of images but
also of sound. We know the sound of an error message on our computer from
the sound of 'download complete'; we know gunshot sounds and the cry of a
dynasaur without having heard one in reality... Our mental sound bank is
constantly increasing.

Combining this rich and ever-growing vocabulary, dense and short films can
be made! But a 1 second duration really pushes limits and is worth
experimenting with.

Hegemony over universal cinematic language:
This 'universal cinematic vocabulary' has largely been determined by the
mass media and its conventions. It is replete with ugly stereotypes and
dominating ideas of representation. However with a large number of
individuals and independent groups contributing videos to the web, perhaps a
new vocabulary may evolve! As we can see, the medium is being reinvented on
the web, starting with actualities and simple edits, to sophisticated forms
of continuous organic animations. Together we are evolve a new language!
Your 1 sec video contribution is therefore important.

May I remind you:
I am not the paid representative of the third-one-second-video-festival, but
I am a participant. And you can bet on the winning entry and win! One day
left!!

Best,
Vishal

2008/4/30 Lele Lingeñere <culetti at gmail.com>:

> //////////Español abajo/////////Italiano sotto
>
> Third ONE SECOND VIDEO FESTIVAL (www.respeto-total.com/tosvf/) extended
> its
> deadline till 5/5/2008
>
> ////jury:
> The winner will be selected by a formula that combines the Gambling Online
> and the algorithm DEEP DREDD (www.respeto-total.com/osvf/deepdredd/).
>
> ////rewards:
>
> + In this edition you can bet for the prize-winning video and gain some
> good
> money to cash or to spend on our favourite website virtual casino: UNIBET
>
> + THE  VIDEO WINNER WILL INCREASE HIS/HER ECONOMY IN AT LEAST 500 EUROS.
>
> + watch the Bingo conference for the presentation of the festival
> (spanish)
> www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=65141081480C642C
>
> ////dates:
>
> 1 April - 5 May : UPLOAD videos
> 5 May  -  9 May : BETTING on videos
> 10 May           : online PRIZING
>
> ////requisites:
>
> _ fill up the application form
> _ upload the 1 second video (.mov .wmv .avi .mpg) _ upload a snapshot of
> the
> video
>
> //////////English above//////////Italiano sotto
>
> El 3rd ONE SECOND VIDEO FESTIVAL (www.respeto-total.com/tosvf/) extiende
> su
> fecha limite hasta el 5/5/2008
>
>
> ////jurado:
>
> El ganador será elegido por una formula que combinará las apuestas online
> y
> el algoritmo DEEP DREDD(www.respeto-total.com/osvf/deepdredd/).
>
> ////premios:
>
> + En esta edición podréis apostar por el video ganador y llevaros un buen
> dinero a cobrar o gastar en la web de nuestro casino virtual favorito:
> UNIBET (www.unibet.es).
>
> + EL VIDEO GANADOR AUMENTARÁ SU PATRIMONIO EN POR LO MENOS 500 EUROS.
>
> mira la bingo conferencia de presentación
> www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=65141081480C642C
>
> ////fechas:
>
> 1 Abril - 5 Mayo : UPLOAD peliculas
> 5 Mayo – 9 Mayo  : APUESTAS sobre peliculas
> 10 Mayo           : PREMIACIÓN online
>
> ////requisitos
>
> _rellenar la ficha de inscripción
> _subir el vídeo de 1 segundo (.mov .wmv .avi .mpg) _adjuntar un still de
> la
> película
>
> //////////English & Spanish above
>
> Il 3rd ONE SECOND VIDEO FESTIVAL (www.respeto-total.com/tosvf/) estende la
> scadenza per l'invio di video fino al 5/5/2008
>
> ////giuria:
>
> Il vincitore verrá selezionato da una formula che combina le scommesse
> online e l'algoritmo DEEP DREDD (www.respeto-total.com/osvf/deepdredd/).
>
> ////premio:
>
> + In questa edizione potrete scommettere sul video vincitore e
> + guadambiarvi
> un bel malloppo da incassare o spendere nella web del nostro casinó
> virtuale
> preferito: UNIBET <www.unibet.es>.
>
> + IL VIDEO VINCENTE VEDRÀ LA SUA SITUAZIONE ECONOMICA MIGLIORARE DI 500
> EURO.
>
> Guarda lo speciale sulla rete spagnola Cuatro
>
> http://www.cuatro.com/videos/index.html?xref=20060131ctoultnot_15.Ves&view=b
> aja
>
> ////date:
>
> 1 Aprile - 5 Maggio : UPLOAD video
> 5 Maggio – 9 Maggio : SCOMMESSE sui video
> 10 Maggio            : PREMIAZIONE online
>
> ////requisiti
>
> _riempire la scheda di iscrizione
> _uploadare il video i un secondo (.mov .wmv .avi .mpg)
> _allegare un'immagine del video
>
>
> _________________________________________
> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
> Critiques & Collaborations
> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with
> subscribe in the subject header.
> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> List archive: &lt;https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>