Report a Concern, Jon Rafman

I've been a fan of John Rafman's 9 Eyes for a long time. If you're unfamiliar, it's a repository of strange and surreal images captured by the Google Street View car (hence, 9 eyes) that Rafman stumbled across. The archive goes back some 16 years and every page of it is worth spending time with.

Admittedly, I have not kept up with Rafman's work outside of this. I was not even aware that he was a fine artist! His website is seemingly straightforward but contains many subtle secrets - just be sure to tap that Kool-Aid man.

Despite all that, I found myself on Rafman's Instagram glued to his short film, Report a Concern, Ep 2 - Oak Run, CA. It's six clips that tell a somewhat scary, somewhat surreal and altogether blurry tale about Rafman, 9 Eyes and someone he managed to capture in a tragic moment.

From a storytelling standpoint, it's riveting. From a storymaking standpoint, it's extremely clever. There's lots of AI being used here but the tone of the story, the distinctive look and the blurred-for-anonymity security footage angle of it all works incredibly well together. I know there are lots of big feels about AI in filmmaking but this feels like a prime example of great usage of it. Tho I'm sure there are some that would argue against that.

I wish this was viewable in some format that wasn't an Instagram clip but I suppose that delivery method plays into it all as well.