Friday, April 16, 2010

Our Art At Risk

Hey all,

First off, please excuse the delay in my article. I've been at a relatively arduous film shoot all this morning/afternoon.

As for what I'm writing about today, I'm sure some of you may have guessed.

Recently, I attended the 2nd Annual Streamy Awards. Now, those of you in attendence or those having watched online would know what I am talking about when I say that it was nothing short of a trainwreck. Sans gruesome details, it didn't go off well.

But I'm not here to complain or whine about an off-color evening. I'm here, instead, to discuss what it means for our community -- and it's not what you may think.

Some people considered that night to mean a major step back for New Media, a display to those in the more traditional industries that we, as a community, were immature and undeserving of attention and respect. To some degree that is true, but it goes beyond that.

This small hiccup in the history of Web TV is not some mark of decline or great decay, but, in my opinion, a catalyst for greater expansion and recognition.

Why?

Because it gave us the chance to take an honestly objective view of what we were seen as for that one night. It showed us how some consider our medium and our community. This new vantage point also, fortunately, imparted a certain necessity. A necessity to unite, without any bickering, insulting or disagreements, for the sole purpose of taking our medium to a plane it has not seen, and that some believe it cannot reach. This is a very tight-knit group, Web TV, and the only way we will succeed is to act as a single, aligned force, and that is what we are truely becoming. Because that is what we are. We all want the same things, we all share many common goals and no one of us can do it alone. It started with the Streamys Winners Celebration last night, put on by the marvelous Kim Evey and Jenni Powell, and the signs of change are becoming more prominent.

Some reading this may think my points are blown out of proportion, my ideas unrealistic or exaggerated. I respect such a viewpoint, but have but one thing to offer up as proof of the validity in my urgency:

http://www.savetheinternet.com/

Efforts to hand the internet over to major corporations have reached the highest levels of government, and if we want to keep our internet free and for all, we need to fight. This is an example of the unity I discussed. We need to band together to secure the future of our medium and our art.

I urge you to take action, I urge you to contribute in any way possible. Sign the petition, call your local congressperson or representative (it takes two minutes), donate if you can, help us hold on to what brought us together in the first place, and what, we hope, will keep us together for years to come.


I'll be back next week with more on this, and an interesting story from my past that I think you will enjoy.


All the best,

Vince Caso

4 comments:

  1. For those of us who missed it, can we get a "short version" of what happened...?

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  2. What the Buck gave an explanation here http://www.facebook.com/Buckhollywood?ref=ts&v=wall#!/notes/michael-buckley-what-the-buck/final-thoughts-on-the-streamy-awards/416302761349

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  3. Thanks for giving us a very positive piece, Vince. This year's Awards show should not be an excuse to slink back into a cave and lick wounds, but a call to roar back into action. Thanks again.

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