Flickring Videos

I've just recently heard about Flickr introducing video posting capabilities to their users. Some of my contacts (and others on Flickr) have been upset about it and have been promoting petitions to have video banned at Flickr, etc. Maybe they see video as the chain fast-food, strip mall of Flickr, leading to artistic decay and the ruin of the community. I suppose that's possible. Certainly Ye Olde U-Tube has its jewels mired in sludge.

As eagerly as I tend to resist change (no early adapter here), I'm not convinced video on Flickr is such a terrible thing. For one thing, the clips are limited to 90 seconds, as Flickr admins like to put it, "moving pictures." Also, there are some things that are very interesting (or more so) in motion than as a still. It's possible or even likely that I will get very tired of everybody and her sister posting clips on Flickr, but for now, it's intriguing. I like seeing my contacts in motion and hearing their voices.

No doubt, we will experience a range of expertise and artistic visions with the vids as we already do with the photos. The funny, the clever, the amazing, and the sublime coexist with the trite, the tasteless, the merely pretty, and the outright disgusting. I can predict that everyone will go through a period of introducing themselves and reveling in the novelty of the experience. Finger-painting for adults!

So I can't bring myself to get upset about it. Rather, I'm interested to see what kinds of creative visions it will induce.

I admit that I'm less concerned at this point about what others may be doing. I'm thinking, "What can I do with this? What's MY vision in 90 seconds?? Oo, yeah!" My inner videography director is pitching ideas to me left and right. This afternoon, I even took some footage of my singing bell and of me giving a tour of my garden. Did you know when I was in school, my instructors used to jokingly refer to my video and animation projects as masterpieces and Broadway productions? Yes, they were joking, but also half serious. I really got into crafting the stories and the visuals. I don't have the programs right now (yet) to do any editing, but there's still lots you can do with a single shot.

Just as with my photography and my (old) art, and my writing, certain things draw and inspire me to shape something. Like photographs, videos can be used to simply document or "show" something, or it can approach more of an emotional, sensory experience. And if you've been following me, you know I am interested in BOTH!

So yeah, I'm working on my videos. It's just another medium for me to play with.

Now if we could only get rid of those tacky flashing gif invitation icons, I'd be *really* happy.