Week 10 Screening 2

PressPausePlay. 2011. David Dworsky, Victor Köhler.

This documentary covers the effect that the digital revolution has had on peoples ability to create and disseminate their art. Using primarily talking head interviews the film observes the creative process from different perspectives. Importantly it is mainly individuals who have already had some measure of success who are interviewed; people who already make a living from their art. For example there is some talk of the ‘noise’ and ‘garbage’ that all this creative output has generated, but this is always viewed from the outside looking in. The people interviewed already have a voice and an audience; they have escaped the noise of the masses.

“The creation of art is an elitist business”, this quote from the film sums up the dichotomy between those that are creating and those that are creating and managing to broadcast to a mass audience. Despite the freedom to create using new and improved tools there are still only relatively few people who can actually manage to make a living from creating. Although art is more available than ever and communication is enhanced the status quo has not changed. The documentary manages to skillfully stitch together the interviews with a variety of experts, and in doing so make it seem as if they are finishing each other’s sentences. The different participants could have been edited together into their own sections but instead they are sorted by subject matter. This variety of interviewees and stimulating subject matter make for an entertaining watch. Without tackling it head on the subject matter turns to the relative value of education and the creation of art. This deft handling of the subject matter (possibly due to interview techniques) stimulates rather than stagnates ideas on the topic and the film flows without meandering.