Rush Limbaugh wants to buy the St. Louis Rams. Al Sharpton is leading the crusade against Limbaugh’s efforts, arguing that Limbaugh is unfit to own a sports franchise because he is a racist and an addict; clearly an irresponsible role model for young Americans. While the drug possession charges are general knowledge, the racist argument is yet to be determined.
Common sense dictates that Limbaugh is a staunch conservative and therefor a racist and tainted with prejudice. But where are the facts?
Notwithstanding lack of evidence, is Rush Limbaugh entitled to his opinion? Or is his money no longer good?
This is an important ethical question for our generation to answer. Is it true that 'hate speech' is the antithesis of democratic free-speech and must be censored? If Limbaugh is a racist, should he be bared from participation in public radio, in sports, in business? Is Limbaugh’s money no good or is Limbaugh, in a free society, free to both speak and spend his money as he pleases? Is the NFL unable to stop him?
This discussion might be better framed as good or bad marketing: Does the NFL as a publicly traded organization have the freedom to pick and choose the partners it affiliates with?
David Sirota wrote in Huffington Post: Forget the double standard of Rush Limbaugh, a free marketeer, now decrying as outrageous the NFL corporation's logical business decision to protect its brand from his taint.
Sirota dismisses a good point. The St. Lewis Rams may, as a PR strategy, choose to turn down Limbaugh's offer to buy the franchise. But this decision should come from the Rams and the strategic decision will rest in the symbiosis of brands, weather or Limbaugh’s values are acceptable to the St. Louis Rams and their fans. Of course, we might safely assume that the target audience, Rams fans, are also Limbaugh fans. So.... it would make no sense to stop Limbaugh.
Freedom Watch hosts an interesting conversation:
Monday, October 19, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
goodnight unknown
i am in love with this small documentary. its truly a personal little statement. i would love to spend so much time with an artist as they are making a record like this.
documentary film is sharing a second hand experience. the trick is finding that experience that is worth sharing.
and finding a documentary you want to watch is kind of like shopping at garage sales. i suppose it goes without saying that i might see new life in old trinkets that no longer interest you.
its up to the documentary film maker to arrange the odds & ends and fragmented moments into a meaningful collage. a total product you might find more interesting than the sum of its parts.
Lou Barlow - Goodnight Unknown Documentary from Merge Records on Vimeo.
documentary film is sharing a second hand experience. the trick is finding that experience that is worth sharing.
and finding a documentary you want to watch is kind of like shopping at garage sales. i suppose it goes without saying that i might see new life in old trinkets that no longer interest you.
its up to the documentary film maker to arrange the odds & ends and fragmented moments into a meaningful collage. a total product you might find more interesting than the sum of its parts.
Monday, October 5, 2009
fashion week bellevue
a fashion designer friend of mine wanted to bring me to bellevue fashion week to film this event at the hyatt hotel but there was a conflict with the model contracts. of course, i was welcome to come shoot the video for my own personal use.
it is funny how journalism and pr and blogs all adhere to different rules. blogs are the anarchy of information!
i think it is useful to watch even bad footage. obviously, i will learn what not to do. but also sometimes the amateur eye is willing to see things from a new perspective. out of the mouths of babes, so to speak?
it is funny how journalism and pr and blogs all adhere to different rules. blogs are the anarchy of information!
i think it is useful to watch even bad footage. obviously, i will learn what not to do. but also sometimes the amateur eye is willing to see things from a new perspective. out of the mouths of babes, so to speak?
Friday, October 2, 2009
(pow pow) powercorp video
i really launched myself into this project headstrong. i had just completed the video for emerson and i was feeling good about myself. i ended up making some silly mistakes on this one.
things i would change include:
1) don't perform an interview in front of a window. lighting is always tricky. thankfully, rory brought a truck full of watts or i would have been out of luck with a backlit subject. to avoid this problem, reserve a space ahead of time for interviews that you know will work.
2) use a monopod for b-roll. no hand is steady enough and a tripod is too much work.
3) plan the interview before you shoot b-roll. this way, you get b-roll that fits the audio.
4) planning is half the battle. you should know exactly how long the video is going to be and what is going to be said. even when the voice over is interview based, you should know the answers to the questions and script out the flow and feeling before you go in to shoot.
5) execution is the other half of the battle. planning goes to waste if you don't stick to the plan.
6) communicate clearly your expectations of all people involved. up and down the management chain, communication should be open and free. be respectful to your team members but also be respectful to the project and do what it takes to get the job done.
7) when you script out the quotes you want from your interview, you can better coach your subject into giving you that soundbite you need. don't think you can fix it in post because you will not always have the tools later down the road.
8) how many people are going to watch the video? who is going to care enough to show it to someone else? these are questions you should ask yourself when making any video content.
things i would change include:
1) don't perform an interview in front of a window. lighting is always tricky. thankfully, rory brought a truck full of watts or i would have been out of luck with a backlit subject. to avoid this problem, reserve a space ahead of time for interviews that you know will work.
2) use a monopod for b-roll. no hand is steady enough and a tripod is too much work.
3) plan the interview before you shoot b-roll. this way, you get b-roll that fits the audio.
4) planning is half the battle. you should know exactly how long the video is going to be and what is going to be said. even when the voice over is interview based, you should know the answers to the questions and script out the flow and feeling before you go in to shoot.5) execution is the other half of the battle. planning goes to waste if you don't stick to the plan.
6) communicate clearly your expectations of all people involved. up and down the management chain, communication should be open and free. be respectful to your team members but also be respectful to the project and do what it takes to get the job done.
7) when you script out the quotes you want from your interview, you can better coach your subject into giving you that soundbite you need. don't think you can fix it in post because you will not always have the tools later down the road.
8) how many people are going to watch the video? who is going to care enough to show it to someone else? these are questions you should ask yourself when making any video content.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
a little slice of life
i like people. tommy is good people. so many experiences out there, waiting to be discovered if only you had the courage to talk to new people. or you can watch film.
that's what i like about movies. it gives you an opportunity to live vicariously through someone else's eyes. because we don't all have the courage to go home with weirdos like tommy and talk to them about the trinkets hanging on the walls.
wish i could show you everything but you probably don't care enough.
that's what i like about movies. it gives you an opportunity to live vicariously through someone else's eyes. because we don't all have the courage to go home with weirdos like tommy and talk to them about the trinkets hanging on the walls.
wish i could show you everything but you probably don't care enough.
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