The Past
So apparently I pissed of half of the known internet today. I looked it right in the eyes and told it yes, its ass did look fat in those jeans. In other words I gave my honest opinion without regard to feelings, sentiment, or repercussion.
In return, I got called a number of colorful names by people whose feelings I’d hurt. Some were semi-sarcastic, some were very spirited, and all were probably partially truthful. Many people agreed with me though.
Now the video in question was recorded back in May but was reposted to twitter this morning. A half hour later, it was the spark for a firestorm of discussion, commentary, argumentation, and the occasional brief moment of agreement.
This essay is Barrett at his smarty-pants best, but I do have an addendum, regarding the concept of web series being “derivative television.”
I feel like I’ve said this before, or someone else has already said it, but it’s worth repeating: Every new medium of entertainment that’s emerged over the last hundred years started off as being derivative of what came before. The first television: derivative of radio shows (to the point where most early TV shows were adaptations of previous radio serials). The first movies: derivative of theater — it took a few decades before people realized that you didn’t need a proscenium arch, and that you could move the camera. And so on.
It’s only as creators become more comfortable with their medium of choice that innovation happens, the kind of innovation that leads to, as Barrett urges, content that is truly made for the web.
Will that be videoblogging? Interactive narratives? Short form web series? Or some strange Voltron-esque combination? Well, that’s the fun part of watching this space — finding out.
![thedailywhat:
Limited Edition Print of the Day: Fernando Reza’s “Day Jobs” pays nerdy, Easter Egg-laden homage “to the hard working men and women who keep our beloved fictional companies going.”
Printed on Rolodex-ready business card stock. Extremely limited run of 20 S+N 11” x 17” prints are available here for $25/pop.
Bonus: A reblogger who successfully names the origin of each fictional company in their reblog by noon tomorrow will be chosen by Reza at random, and he/she will receive a free print.
Good luck!
[frodesignco.]
Oh, it is ON: Lost, Jurassic Park, Resident Evil, Batman, Iron Man, Office Space, Heroes, Wile E Coyote cartoons, Terminator, Superman, Fight Club, Simpsons, Fringe, Soylent Green, Arrested Development, Watchmen, Mad Men, Seinfeld, Star Wars, The Office, the films of Quentin Tarantino.](http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l815xaKuxs1qbzql7o1_500.jpg)
