I never really know what to write in these Friday Video summaries. Do I point out the best posts from the blog this week? Do I tell you about yk records happenings that you may have missed? Do I rattle on about the weather? (It snowed this week). Or do I make up some filler text about not knowing what to write just to occupy the space?
Enjoy!
Olly at Crufts 2017 - a 10-week old Jack Russell has a blast at a dog show. Lots to love here - the ramp leap, the total face plant and the announcer having the time of his life.
Mint Royale - Blue Song - when Edgar Wright's trailer for Baby Driver came out, I became aware of this music video he directed some years ago featuring a load of British comedy greats. New to me.
Helicopter Rotor Frame Rate - lovely bit of technology pairing here matching the framerate of the camera to the rotation of the helicopter blades. The mismatch inverse is also quite entertaining.
2017 Minnesota State High School All Hockey Hair Team - the title is a mouthful and the video is 8 minutes long of passionate insights on sports hair. I couldn't get through it all but I must respect the earnesty.
Everything - this is cheating a bit because I already posted about it but if you have not immersed yourself in the new trailer for David O'Reilly's latest project, take the time to do so now.
Everything, Ep 15 - it's been many years since I revisited the Jason Whetzell, Danny Jelink created series - Everything - but it's still good. The Juicer sketch in this one is so good.
Can't stop watching this. It's too hard to pick a favorite part. And this GIF compilation needs your eyeballs on it. Stat.
A few years ago, I posted about my infatuation with the Brandon Graham* comic Prophet. The final collection of issues has been released so it's possible to read the entire story from start to finish now without having to buy 100+ individual comics. This review of the series makes a great argument for why it's among the best around. It is, without question, hard sci-fi and incredibly dense. The plot isn't always a straightforward linear tale and there's a lot left untold. But those gaps make it enjoyable, not confusing.
The artwork comes a number of talented illustrators / inkers and runs a nice gamut of styles; never diverging too far from an intricately detailed world but diverse enough to clearly be from different minds.
I don't talk about the graphic novels I read that because they don't often leave a deep impression. Prophet is different. I highly recommend picking it up.
The Het Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam has no shortage of interesting things to offer - from a rad website to engaging art installations, there's a lot to take in. This Rafael Rozendaal installation Sleep Mode, The Art of the Screensaver is right up my alley. It is, as it sounds, an exhibition of screensavers, largely from the early days of computing.
The playlist of examples is a nice trip down memory lane but this interview with the artist is a nice reminder that it's not just about nostalgia. Screensavers served an actual purpose (prevent screen burn) and were one of the first examples of widespread computer art.
The physical installation is a series of large scale screens, immersing the viewer in a way they've likely not experienced the works before.
I've been listening to The Music Digest quite a bit lately and have to say, it's the perfect storm of simple concept and entertaining commentary. Hosts Bryan B and JLM are long time friends, sometimes band mates and seasoned veterans of listening to an absurd amount of music. In each episode they simply pick a song at random from a large pile of incoming submissions and then share their thoughts on what they thought about it.
Sounds pretty straightforward I know but it not overly academic or anywhere close to heavy-handed. It's two friends (often with a guest), riffing about music they've never heard. It's fun and funny. Done and done.
I am, as I assume most are, a big fan of artist David O'Reilly. Even if this was the only thing he ever made, I'd be locked in.
His latest release is Everything, a "game" for PS4 in which you embody... anything. I implore you to watch the trailer, in its entirety, to fully appreciate what he's tackling here. In the words of narrator Alan Watts, it is "an exercise in perspective."
I realize taking ten minutes to watch anything on YouTube with your full attention is a big ask but it's entirely worth it. O'Reilly's ability to merge the poignant with the absurd is unparalleled.
Chris Crofton is a comedian. Furthermore, he's a comedian with a point of view. He writes a regular column for The Nashville Scene called Advice King in which he answers absurd questions, typically with a vitrolic response. 90% of the time, the questions are intentionally absurd, non-serious and meant to provide a platform for his ire.
Recently, he's taken to YouTube in a series of Advice King videos. The latest episode is the best of the bunch so far (and they've all been good). Crofton lambasts the questioning individual by explaining gentrification in the most entertaining way.
Why is this relevant? Because the gentrification of Nashville is not unique to Nashville. "Condo Zombies", "Ultra Lounge Bowling Alleys" and "Sociopath Makeovers" are happening across the country. In the pantheon of complaints and things wrong with the world it's a minor one but it's still great to hear someone so eloquently lambast the phenomena.
Awhile back I posted about Bandit Bird, an episodic, hand drawn animation from Jayr Sotelo with a spaghetti western vibe - complete with original music courtesy of Theo Katzman.
The first episode, aka Chapter 1, is now available for viewing. It's hard to imagine the amount of work that goes into one person drawing each cell of this. It's impressive and it's fun to watch.
