There is a great online viral which hit the interwebs yesterday called Thetippexperince and yes as the name suggests Tipp-ex is the brand behind it.
Now this is not your typical youtube video, think of it as its own website hosted on youtube, it may look like youtube but it isn’t. For example, you can’t adjust the volume, so make sure if you are at the office that you have adjusted the sound on your information receptical to low!
I don’t want to spoil any of the fun so go ahead and click on the link:
There have been a very small number of film projects that I have watched this year that I can honestly say have ‘changed me’. I am talking about films that have forever changed how I perceive the world and how it perceives me.
Traditional cinema films Mr. Nobody and Inception would be two examples of such films (More on those two films next week), but an extremely special documentary called The Cove will stand out as the film that has changed me more than any other piece of media to ever come before it.
Now don’t get discouraged because this is a documentary and you somehow feel that documentaries are not entertaining as this Oscar and Sundance award winning film has more drama, suspense and espionage than any Bond film could EVER wish for!
The Cove tells the amazing true story of how an elite team of activists, filmmakers and freedivers embarked on a covert mission to penetrate a hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret.
The shocking discoveries they uncovered were only the tip of the iceberg.
This documentary is not only one of the most important pieces of modern day cinema but it is also the most highly entertaining and well made documentary I have EVER experienced.
I watched the film with a group of 8 close friends and not a word was said for the entire duration of the film. This continued well into the credits.
I am not going to lie to you and tell you that the subject matter is easy to ingest, because it is’nt. It’s the kind of film that will make you feel ashamed to be human, but it will also inspire you to into action.
A week after watching the film I quit by cushy job as a commercials director at a big local production company. I made the decision that if I am going to be a filmmaker, I must be making content that is contributing to the protection and sustainability of our planet and its inhabitants. I can no longer count myself as one of those people who sit by and let things happen.
Check out the films official website here and read up about how the Japanese government is doing everything in its power to stop this film from being seen.
Order the film online or go to your local video store to see it, if they don’t have it check out DVD Nouveau in Newlands or in Cape Town CBD will definitely have it.
It has always bothered me that in South Africa ‘PSA’s’ are usually seen as a piece of filmmaking to get young filmmakers noticed. This is mostly because a lot of young filmmakers spend their time trying to make the ad look ‘cool’ and get noticed instead of being visually responsible for a good cause.
I can’t say I am completely innocent in this sentiment but I slowly learned that the best way to get noticed is to either tell a great story, move someone emotionally or to make them think.
I am not sure who is responsible for this POWA ad but I was thoroughly impressed by both the idea and the execution. Check it:
The video has nearly 350 000 views in just over a month and has started a healthy debate in the comments section. Most people are questioning whether anyone did in fact complain the second time around? And if they did, did the filmmakers just decided to omit this information? Here is my two cents on this issue:
As a filmmaker I wouldn’t be surprised if someone did complain on the second occasion and the people behind the AD decided to leave it out… I also do not think that there is anything wrong with that.
The PSA has a purpose and that is to make people aware of the plight of woman abuse. The ad has done exactly that. It never claimed to be a documentary, and at the end of the day it is a piece of advertising, we should not forget that!
In a way I kinda hope people did complain on the second occasion, I would hate to think that we live in a society where people would ignore this kind of thing. I hope people don’t get all Carte Blanche on this thing and try investigate the truth behind this experiment… because if they are then they are seriously missing the point.
Check out two of my favorite PSA’s of all time here and here. To see my latest PSA click here.
This video (and others like it) are the reason why I am too scared to ever go anywhere near acid. Its a dwelm that has always got me shit scared… why? I will be the first to admit that I am a bit fucked up in the head and I am way too scared to see what my mind is capable of.
I am under the impression that something like this would be the result.
It’s a great little video and I really enjoyed the music but you gotta admit that whoever is responsible for this has a screw or two loose in his/her head. I would love to him/her.
