Xark began as a group blog in June 2005 but continues today as founder Dan Conover's primary blog-home. Posts by longtime Xark authors Janet Edens and John Sloop may also appear alongside Dan's here from time to time, depending on whatever.
Geoff Marshall has been a good friend since we met back in the early Lowcountry Blogs days. I helped him get a job at The Post and Courier and in the early days of the paper's web video push it was pretty much just the two of us, wandering around with cameras, figuring out technical tricks, comparing notes, and each of us trying to develop personal styles of storytelling.
It didn't take time much time for him to begin establishing a style that I thought was not only distinctly his, but very, very good.
Geoff covered BarCamp Charleston this weekend and just posted his video. I think it's excellent in all sorts of ways.
And it makes me feel a bit nostalgic. He's leaving Charleston in a few days with a one-way ticket back to London, his true home. So in a way, this #BarCampCHS video is his parting gift to the Lowcountry. It shows not only how far the tech community has come, but also how sophisticated Geoff has become.
BONUS VIDEO: Hey, trying to figure out that whole 21st century media thing? Can't figure out why the old tricks just don't work anymore? Watch this video. Via Blue Ion.
AND FINALLY: We're huge fans of Michael Wesch. Interested in education? Watch this video and then read this post. Tell 'em what you think while you're there.
This week's XARK TV episode isn't for everyone, but if you're a fantasy football player and/or a member of the Manly Football League, give this one a try.
The MFL will hold its 18th draft on Aug. 23. Not bad for a bunch of newsies from Waynesville, N.C.
I tried to watch Joss Whedon's buzz-generator Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog on its premiere day, but traffic was so heavy I gave up. Here's the complete three-act musical (42 minutes, with some short commercial breaks), and it's worth a watch.
But how do I feel about it? Not so easily capsulized.
The most obvious observation is this: When you're a cult celebrity with a body of successful work (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Serenity), a relatively small amount of money, plenty of talented friends and too much time on your hands (Dr. Horrible came out of the writer's strike), you can get plenty of publicity and great production values out of a low-rez media form like web video.
Another obvious observation: Neil Patrick Harris is an extremely funny guy.
Yet none of that particularly interests me. Yes, Dr. Horrible likely will be remembered as a historic milestone in the development of web video as an independent medium, but that was almost assured from the moment that news of the project started racing around the Twitterverse.
No, what I want to talk about requires spoilers. So don't read past the jump until after you've watched the final act.
I'm not a Hillary Clinton fan, and my estimation of her has diminished geometrically since April. But when Clinton supporters say that they're mad about sexism in the news media, don't dismiss it as sour grapes. They've got a legit beef.
Episode 3: Sharon gets behind the wheel of the Penske for her first truck-driving experience; everyone hustles to get ready for the first performance of Vaud Rats.
I held off on releasing this in hopes of getting the audio sweetened by May 27, which happens to be International Zombie Day. When that didn't happen, I decided it was time to make a few little fixes and put this baby out!
Look for the polished version -- complete with the documentaries "The Making of 'Brunch of the Living Dead,'" and "The Making of 'The Making of Brunch of the Living Dead,'" on the special DVD director's cut, which should be available to anyone who asks me for one later this summer...
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