So, we embrace this opportunity to honor hippie
heroes and true creative visionaries: Timothy Leary, Hunter S.
Thompson, Ken Kesey, and Jerry Garcia with Kesey, all as today's
internet can only make possible.
Indeed, there is such a wealth of content that what
follows is a mere taste. Humble thanks to Web2.0 for providing us with
such wealth.
In a recent Flaming Arrow, we mentioned our
encounters personally with Leary, as he was an early, passionate,
digital media evangelist: "Turn on, tune in, boot up ..." as
he said.
The recipients wanted more: You got
it! We spent a weekend with Hunter S. Thompson; we interviewed Kesey;
and we had a most memorable conversation with Garcia. That was a while
ago.
Yet, time only illuminates more brightly just how
swashbuckling these creative visionaries were and, as inspirational
figures, important to our current mission: to commit heart and soul to
advance the Human Adventure unfolding in digital media.
It is therefore a personal pleasure to bring you the
following homage:
Timothy Leary: Psychedelics as sacraments;
coat and tie era for Tim; black and white television clip; 42 seconds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HclVTYUQV-M
. Then, Tim circa 1980 and ambushed by television interviewer. Behold
Tim's commitment to gentleness and remaining open and non-defensive.
10 minutes 18 seconds and worth it. And he tells the interviewer to go
"back to Iran"! Close to a hundred K views on this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT31oB2vspw&feature=related
Nearing death in 1995, Tim provides advice for all of us:
""You have to go out of your mind to use your head."
Part of a series of length, captivating interviews by Paul Krassner.
E.g., http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-KAmpXsdUE
Ken Kesey [and the Merry Pranksters]: Seeking
to visit Leary (they were all connected with each other ... just not
on this day, but see Garcia and Kesey below). Look for the
"Further" sign on the front of Kesey's bus. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcstOdT1Pe0
Jerry Garcia with Ken Kesey: Interviewed by
the strangest of all, the late Tom Snyder ... captured herein (Live,
NBC Studios, New York City, May 7th, 1981) is a trace of the
infectious joy and silliness that fueled the era: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4ilnADvT2s
Please know and remember that the visitor controls the velocity at
which one moves as well as the angular direction: Fast and straight is
spectacular and even more so is slow with angular exploration.
Standing still is also fascinating: what a tribute to an
interactive digital artwork.
This is a work, a Journey, of glorious kinetic, visual richness,
and it is recursive in that the visitor-guided Journey moves through
phases which repeat. Yes, the refrain from a song or, more accurately,
the variations on a melodic theme in a symphonic movement repeat;
however beautiful such musical repetitions or recursions may be, the
listener remains passive. In Zune Journey, the visitor fully shapes
navigationally all variations of each thematic return, and all occur
seamlessly.
Zune Journey’s music, specifically, is a series of linear songs
which are diverse yet supportive of the visual, self-propelled
adventure, both in brisk forward mode and in thematic visual
variations.
In design, there is an early ancestor of Zune Journey by Cyan
called The Manhole.
I had the privilege to represent Cyan during its most celebrated
years circa 1993-1997, the period of Myst and Riven, the hauntingly
beautiful, completely innovative, and exquisitely shaped works of
interactive fiction for the personal computer. During its era, Myst
was the best-selling computer game in history.
The Manhole was a very early work, and yet its innovative
creativity alerted the player to the Cyan brilliant imagination which
bloomed fully in Myst and Riven.
It is, therefore, both a personal and editorial pleasure to
recommend Zune Journey, this native online work (hence available free
and worldwide, though unobtrusively in service of a commercial
product), which is uniquely beautiful.
ISSUE 13 - THROUGH DECEMBER 2007 WE INNOVATE
AND ANNOUNCE
To innovate is to move ...
To the sweet spot on the Big Fast Wave of digital surf ...
For quality online video.
We redesign and expand to do this, always.
We happily and proudly announce our alliance with Exterminating
Angel Press, www.exterminatingangel.com,
a publication of active values and editorial quality. To ally is to
move to the sweet spot on the Wave.
So, new Burning Shorts will appear as a regular feature on
Exterminating Angel Press. Our mission to discover, present, advance
highest quality online video fits flawlessly within the larger
editorial mission of Exterminating Angel Press and adds to its present
and future organic growth. Providence.
Yes, we will maintain this site so that visitors can communicate
and learn more about us, our history, our dedication, and above all
our commitment.
The mission of Burning Shorts: to discover, present,
advance highest quality online video.
The mission goes well: site traffic climbs steadily
and dramatically. We at Burning Shorts communicate and work with major
online video talents presented on this site and later recognized by
mass media as major pioneer artists. We communicate and work with the
growing group of Visionary Editors who donate outstanding video
discoveries and who guide, advise, and thus make priceless
contributions.
To our surprise, we have yet to find another site
that shares our mission.
So, please know that, as you read this, we are in
the process of redesigning and expanding this site to innovate and
improve the pursuit of our mission. Among expanded features, we
expect, will be more visitor opportunity to contribute, to comment,
and to interact.
We move as quickly as we can without sacrificing the
quality to which we aspire. During this redesign/expansion, we may
dispatch Burning Shorts online video discoveries by means of our
extensive email list, which we invite you to join by contacting us.
Further.
ISSUE
12 - JUNE 2007 AND WHEN WE MUST
MY WATCH JUST MELTED
What time is it? Let me see. Oh my goodness, my watch just melted.
The June and Beyond Issue below was published yesterday, and here we
are again.
Since then, Tim Rehling alerted us to the latest and most
astounding work of Lasse Gjersten. Lasse was profiled here in ISSUE 5
- DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007.
THE ONLINE VIDEO SANCTUARY FOR INNOVATIVE WORKS: WE PUBLISH WHEN WE
MUST
We see clearly and declare our mission as Online Sanctuary for
innovative, intrepid, and noble video works. So, we must respond to
Tim’s alert immediately and present Gjersten’s greatest work here
and now. To advance our mission, we publish when we must. Now … and
awe-struck we present …
Lasse Gjertsen "Giovanni Sollima - Sogno ad Occhi Aperti
(Daydream)"
Since Burning Shorts launched one year ago, so much has changed.
The Online Video Giant Goo-Tube has emerged, and many similar sites
presenting the Raw and Unfiltered continue to trend downward in
traffic. Oh, yes, nearly everyone with a site, especially Hollywood
Major Studios (and their many networks), has declared entry into this
medium, though we have yet to see a single successful online video
site emerge from Old Hollywood.
During the very same time, Burning Shorts, thanks to you, has
trended generally and steeply upward.
Also during this year, we have connected with two of the artists
who we were honored to present in our very first Issue: Ryan Wood of
Dangerously Adorable Productions, Inc., creator/writer/director of
"Fear of Girls" and Sarith Azuma now known as Xin Sarith
Azuma Phan Wuku, creator/star of "Urban Ninja for Hire"
pictured above displaying the spirit appropriate for online video
achievement.
What has not changed in the year is the enduring brilliance of
these works and the artistic expansion of their creators. To us, this
is thrilling: "Content is King", and quality content lives
on and on.
Wood, now our cherished colleague, and one particularly savvy
Hollywood Studio have allied for soon-to-be premiere release online
"Fear of Girls 2". With "FoG2", we see pioneer
visionary Wood innovate to the very heart of what the world has
experienced as comedic/dramatic series entertainment, all while
seamlessly presenting lol comedy, touching drama starring our
geek-is-chic team of "DougDoug" and "Raymond". The
art and artist to watch above all.
We at Burning Shorts enjoyed some time with Xin Sarith and the EMC
Monkeys, watching practices and sharing social time. In the year since
we first presented "Urban Ninja for Hire", Xin Sarith has
grown and expanded.
Xin Sarith Azuma Phan Wuku in his own words (redacted from a longer
essay):
"Born in the jungles of CAmbodia, i lead a peaceful life until
the day rebels came and attacked my village. My family and i fled and
became refugees in Thailand, minus an older brother... After buying a
fake last name- PHan, we came to America.
Karma got to me once i faced a Muay Thai kick boxer. I never walked
the same again. Also around this time, i fought the law and the law
won.
For my 21st birthday, i went hitch hiking around middle America.
After being gone for 2 months, i felt renewed. Birth of Evolved Monkey
Combat! Utilizing my years of martial arts experience and being,
"down with the phat beat", I took a chance. I had a dream. I
had a passion. And i wanted to share it with the world! After 3 short
years of giving it my all, i produced "URBAN NINJA".
Through suffering and hardship, sacrifice and perseverance, i am
what i am today. Strong in mind, body and spirit. Confident in myself
and proud of the things I've accomplished. I am open minded and aware
of the people and things around me and although I am somewhat of an
anti-hero, beneath my tough exterior lies compassion for my fellow
man. I've learned to appreciate life and to live it the best way i
possibly can.
Now you know pieces of my story. A kid who came from nothing. A kid
who had a dream. A kid who gave it all but never gave up. Go be that
kid. And maybe one day, i will read your story."
There it is in the final paragraph, as clearly stated as ever
expressed: the American Dream lives. And, Xin Sarith’s guide to the
Dream is Eastern wisdom for the ages:
"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by
many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in
your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the
authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions
because they have been handed down for many generations. But after
observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with
reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then
accept it and live up to it.
BREAKING NEWS BULLETIN !!! THE AMERICAN ARTISTIC DREAM IS ALIVE AND
WELL !!! -- THE LANDLORD AND WikiTube
We interrupt the routine and the ordinary to bring you The Landlord
http://funnyordie.com/v1/view_video.php?viewkey=3efbc24c7d2583be6925
an hilarious video. In roughly a week in mid-April it has zoomed
faster and higher than the Space Shuttle Booster Rocket … 9,055,809
views with no signs of slowing … pulling a new and previously
unknown viral video site FunnyOrDie into the hottest viral video
destination on the web.
The American Artistic Dream is Alive and Well when a creative team
can connect with the global audience this quickly and directly!
Our mission at Burning Shorts is to ignite the connection between
creative team and audience, and our soon-ending Year One shows success
beyond our best hopes.
In a medium where The Landlord is just the beginning, our
Destination is always Further. So now and into Year Two we introduce
"WikiTube", the organic and innovative next step for Burning
Shorts.
"Wiki": As Wikipedia says of "Wiki": "…
[A]n effective tool for mass collaborative authoring." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki.
We want your discoveries as link candidates for our site!
"Tube": A word that evokes the Mother of All Online
Video, YouTube. The aim here is to stress that we invite you to find
in the vast Raw and Unfiltered, YouTube and its sibling viral video
sites, the Artistic American Dream Videos for our audience.
"WikiTube": Collaborate with us to find and present
American Dream Videos to audiences!
To help you WikiTube, we offer this resource. During Year One, we
compiled online/viral video sites in what we call "The Directory
of the Raw and Unfiltered". We happily offer you that Directory:
for each site, the Directory has the site address as well as a
sentence describing creative content and a sentence describing
business model. Request it, and it is yours.
Which leads naturally to Banksy… iconoclastic artist who defies
everything including our effort at editorial comment. Drill into the
site and let us know if you too are speechless. If we do not hear
from you, we will know you are. http://www.banksy.co.uk
And Beyond … We … Burning Shorts, our Friends, and Allies …
plan to hit the road on the "Wanted Dead Or Alive Tour", a
combination of anthropological field work and performance art, all
with the aim of intensifying the impact of Burning Shorts. The more
Raw Unfiltered and Disposable Video appears online the more we
pursue the Elite and Enduring.
Cynopsis Digital ["CynDigital"] is a fine daily
emailzine which features a video site or clip of the day. Subscribe
free through www.cynopsis.com.
Since CynDigital has the daily vid covered, our destination … the
Elite and Enduring … grows ever clearer.