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Caption for Websites

Fresh

We believe in order to be ProActive, we must stay abreast of culture, social, economic, and industry trends. This is a place where we will post articles, links to websites, information about conferences, and anything else we think is interesting and worth your time.

• Jun16

  Take Away Shows

  Posted in Websites by Danielle Stowell Permalink

  Witnessing your favorite music performed live, and sharing that experience with the sea of people that surround you is, for most music enthusiasts, just about as good as it gets - regardless of what musical genre you prefer.

  What I love about the Take Away Shows on LaBlogotheque.net is that it gives you that concert experience, but with an appealing twist. Often there is no audience.

  The Take Away Shows showcase clips of somewhat lesser-known indie bands performing completely out of their traditional element. A few examples include: crammed into a freight elevator (#41.1 - Arcade Fire "Neon Bible"), on a subway train in Paris (#87.1 - Yeasayer "No Need to Worry"), or one of my personal favorites, being pushed around a warehouse on a loading cart (#35.1 - Cold War Kids "St. John").

  These clips give you a very intimate experience with the band, even though you're not there in person. The small audiences that do form around the spectacle (often unwittingly) add to the spontaneous, stripped-down feel of the performance. I am only familiar with a fraction of the bands featured on the site, but those of you with a more sophisticated musical palate might find some of your favorites.

  

  I just happened to stumble upon this musical goldmine one day, so I'm afraid I can't offer much of a background on the creators of the site itself. The main page of the site is in French, and my efforts to figure out how to view the page in English proved futile. I was, however able to determine that the Take Away Shows are just one component of the blog, which also offers opinions about current events, the arts, and world culture in general. Vincent Moon, often the contributing videographer of the Take Away Shows has dedicated the better part of his 20s to making films about music.

• May10

  Brand New

  Posted in Websites by Arlo Guthrie Permalink

  

  Brand New examines the design of brands, most notably when a company chooses to refine their branding. The above example shows the before and after of SanDisk's new brand. An interview with the creative director behind the new branding reveals a number of profound insights into the process of developing a single mark meant to express an entire business mission to a broad audience.

• May07

  Pitchfork.tv

  Posted in Websites by Mick Brennan Permalink

  MTV used to show music videos. Lots of them, even during the day.

  In the beginning, MTV would show anything programmers could get their hands on. This meant the channel showed a pretty diverse assortment of videos. Established artists added to their record sales. New acts became stars.

  Eventually though, MTV tightened its playlist, relegating the more underground-leaning acts to smaller and smaller windows of airtime. Fast-forward to higher-ups at MTV deciding they need to get back to the channel's original spirit. Moments later, MTV2 is born.

  MTV2 used to show music videos. Lots of them, even during the day.

  Then reality shows happened ... and Ashton Kutcher.

  So much the way independent record labels rose to prominence in the early '90s, parlaying major label cluelessness into success on their own terms, wildly influential music site Pitchfork Media has launched Pitchfork.tv.

  

  Pitchfork.tv is "the first ever music video channel dedicated to the documentation of independent music." The site features original performances and documentaries, complete concerts, interviews, and a robust collection of music videos.

  Like the website, and music scene, that spawned it, Pitchfork.tv is an independent enterprise, affording its contributors "the freedom and control to stay true to (their) creative vision."

   

• May06

  Film Buffing

  Posted in Websites by James Kinney Permalink

  This year I received one of the more thoughtful gifts anyone could give a (self-proclaimed) movie snob like me ... a six-month subscription to a group called Film Movement. Similar to a book of the month club, Film Movement sends its members highly decorated, festival award-winning films—that may or may not make the studio cut—once a month.

  In an effort to promote underrated, and more importantly, under-marketed independent film, Film Movement's curatorial board delivers selections months, if not years, before you might see them on the big screen. The board includes directors of top film organizations, like Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival.
  
  A community forum of reviews and raves is cultivated via Film Movement's website and newsletters, and subscribers are strongly encouraged to submit comments. Having worked the Sundance Film Festival, I enjoy the ego-stroking ability to discuss films even more obscure than those shown annually in the overbooked, broom closet-sized theaters of Park City, Utah.
  
  Genre and tone of the choices varies monthly. And each film is yours to own, complete with synopsis articles, additional details on the filmmaker, and awarded honors. One of my favorite features is the bonus short on each disc.
  
  The club offers true fans of film—and aspiring writers, directors and producers—a broad look at international independent cinema. The website is worth a look as well; it gives subscribers discounts on Film Movement's catalogue of previously released films, and allows searches by genre, language, and festival.
  
  I'm currently on my second month with Matthew Saville's Noise, an Australian police drama.