watch Metro North - An Experiment

[TomofSSS]

This was really difficult for me to put into a genre, but it was mainly an experiment into making a workable short with different technology then we usually use, hence its posting here.

Shot with an EnV-2 cell phone at a train station in Connecticut over the summer. Luckily I missed the first train, so I was able to get more shots. No scenes were planned out, everything filmed occurred as I creepily followed people around haha. Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYueR2XhJ7o

 

[indietalk]

Just put the video number between YT tags. Fixed.

 

[TomofSSS]

Thanks. I learned something today.

 

[Zensteve]

I'm very story-centric, so it ain't getting points there.


So... what makes this "viral"?


Most of the questions I have come from the closing frames (screenshot below)...

Music is obviously not yours.

"Video Protected under Fair Use" - What does that even mean? You filmed it, right?

Followed by an invitation to contact you if someone has a beef - with no contact info provided.


I can appreciate that it's in the experimental part of the forum, but throw me a bone here - is this supposed to be anything more than the random footage of someone who caught a train?

 

[TomofSSS]

I don't see how the narrative structure isn't apparent.

The train station is introduced.
People are shown waiting for a train.
The passengers board the train.
The train departs
The film closes with the passengers taking in the scenery, the rest of their journey remaining ambiguous to us.

I'm sorry if you were hoping for dialogue or something clearer, again the aim was to construct a short form film from unplanned shots. It's not meant to be a character piece or a meaningful exchange between passengers, its just meant to be a short film showcasing an event, much like expanding upon the efforts of Louis Le Prince.

I state it as "viral" in that it uses amateur equipment (a cell phone) and style to present a subject. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a website that had a clear definition of what I'm trying to say other than Wikipedia, which I know is often considered unreliable. However, many other sites have taken this definition so I am forced to use it:

With the proliferation of camera phones, many videos are being shot by amateurs on these devices. The availability of cheap video editing and publishing tools allows video shot on mobile phones to be edited and distributed virally both on the web by email or website, and between phones by Bluetooth or MMS. These consumer-shot videos are typically non-commercial videos intended for viewing by friends or family.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_video

The end of the video is a poor editing job that I acknowledge as a stupid mistake showing poor effort. I mean to state that the use of the music is protected under "fair use", not the video itself.

NOTE: The amended video has been uploaded onto YouTube.

 

[Uranium City]

I don't see how the narrative structure isn't apparent.

Then you've made a narrative film, not an experimental film. An experimental short is one that wouldn't tell a story with a simple narrative structure. We were looking for something beyond the simple story because you called it experimental.

And I don't think a video becomes viral until it's already spread the world over. A viral video isn't something that's initially created; a video only becomes viral video after thousands of people pass the link to it and say "hey, check this out."

I appreciate what you've made, and how it was an experiment for you, and I was definitely reminded of the early Edison films.

 

[CDCosta]

Then you've made a narrative film, not an experimental film. An experimental short is one that wouldn't tell a story with a simple narrative structure. We were looking for something beyond the simple story because you called it experimental.

And I don't think a video becomes viral until it's already spread the world over. A viral video isn't something that's initially created; a video only becomes viral video after thousands of people pass the link to it and say "hey, check this out."

I appreciate what you've made, and how it was an experiment for you, and I was definitely reminded of the early Edison films.

Truth.

It is only viral once it BECOMES viral. You can make what some people define to be a viral video, but it's not actually viral until it goes viral.

 

[TomofSSS]

I see. Well I can appreciate that point then. I apologize for confusing the genre.

 

[black gun forge]

i would like some beef... havent had any in a while...