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terrence-silver · 4 years ago

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"tell me every terrible thing you ever did, and let me love you anyway" - for terry? 🖤🖤🖤 thank you, darling, whenever you don't write even for a short while, you're sorely missed.

Love never hides when it wants to be found.

And he's hidden himself all his life.

Had a legitimately good time doing it.

Terry found that honesty was grossly and wildly overrated as a concept. Everyone claimed they valued it more then anything in the world, but everyone flinched away from it when presented with it, like careless fingers struck by wild-fire - and then there was you. You, in essence, were his polar opposite. Open. Truthful. Almost disturbingly, to a fault keen on being transparent just for the sheer sake of it. Furthermore, you were understanding. Forgiving. Empathetic. A bona-fide good person, as they say. But, Terry often wondered, almost perversely so, to what degree? Where was your limit? Was there a limit? Can that limit be changed? Pushed further past your comfort-zone? Transformed? Erased entirely, even? He was tempted, as he often was, to just make you sit, strap you down, render you completely and utterly immobile, and just list off all the worst things he's ever done, ever indulged in, ever tried, one by one, sparing you no detail, regardless of how disturbing, horrendous or haunting - all the bad, all the ugly and the slothful, lustful, prideful, greedy vices he's dragged himself through and enjoyed the entire hellish downward spiral of the process and witness all the love, affection, care and sympathy you had for him vanish in front of his very eyes when you realize, at long last, that Terry Silver was genuinely a shit person you couldn't justify no matter how much you wanted to and someone you should avoid and be scared of if you knew what was good for you.

He wanted to hear those words from your lips.

Those precious, priceless, trembling words;

"Tell me every terrible thing you ever did, and let me love you anyway."

Oh, he's imagined them so long - so often, that it almost didn't matter that you never actually uttered them to him out-loud except in the vestiges of his darkest fantasies, so he did what he always wanted to do; he started out telling about Dynatox's dealings abroad. How he destroyed entire countries. Fucked up entire cities through pollution, unethical business practices, how he's bought out local water reserves, rendering entire communities near obsolete and pushing them past the brink of starvation and famine, how he was the direct cause of forest fires world-wide, flooding and depleted resources and exploitative business practices in the Third World and he just tore into you mercilessly, not bothering to ease you into it all or start out small with his confessions Telling you about being sued for various reasons starting from bribery, corruption and criminal wrongdoings of multiple degrees almost felt like serving dessert after the main course. You were staring at him from the place where you were tied up at, thinking he was joking at first. A sick, frankly rather distasteful joke. Then falling into a state of denial. Then came the shock. By the time he was mid-way through and started telling you about his sexual exploits after the war and how he discarded people for his own petty amusement, never caring if he hurt them, broke their hearts or shattered their hopes and expectations, you already went through all the seven stages of grief.

You wanted honesty?

Enjoy your little honesty then.

Wasn't this what love was all about - being open?

C o m m u n i c a t i n g ?

You were crying profusely, trashing against your bonds, trying to break free and just squirm away and run so you wouldn't have to listen to this any longer, just like Terry knew you would. His lips on your tear-soaked cheeks, tenderly kissing away the grief and cupping your chin like you were something small and breakable, hushing you along while he proceeded giving you more details you didn't wish to listen to, straddling you on the chair you were tied down on, crushing you into place under his weight, wanting to lay prostrate every twisted, rotten bit of himself in front of you so you'd see. See the real him; First time he's ever killed someone in Vietnam. First time he's fucked someone and never called them back. First time he's stolen a dearly departed friend's identity and proceeded taking on his whole personality and behaviour pattern for the next two decades, at least. First time he's made a business deal, deliberately knowing how many people it would kill and harm - and finding legitimate, genuine pleasure in the fact. How he constantly adapted his entire persona and agenda to the particular individual he was dealing with and how he, as such, didn't even exist anymore, except in concept. How he lied. How he scammed. How he used. How he consumed. How he'd consume you too, whether you allowed him or not and how you could never, ever leave now that you knew everything that Terry Silver was and is.

He pressed his mouth upon your own.

When love wanted to be found, it didn't hide.

He wanted your love and wanted you to want his own.

And if you didn't want it, he'd force it upon you anyway.

Take what's rightfully his like he took everything else.

Terry Silver slipped all his masks off for you.

And there was not much to be found there.

Save for the absolute need he had.

#terry silver #kk3 #cobra kai #this is yandere times ten #request #also i can't believe someone would miss me #thank you so much anon #enjoy #this is pretty dark #love never hides when it wants to be found is such a good line

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ohn1m · 6 years ago

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The Art of Being Mino

The South Korean hip-hop star wowed critics and fans alike with his solo album ‘XX’; but is he any closer to discovering who the ‘real’ Mino is?

Mino's journey is an ongoing one and 'XX' is a chapter that marks an artistic coming-of-age on this wild ride.

Understanding Song Minho is kind of like catching lightening in a bottle; impossible to do but the idea itself is so dazzling, you need to give it a shot anyway. Tall and blonde with bleached eyebrows and sharp features, Song–better known mononymously as Mino–cuts quite the intimidating figure. He’s intelligent, polite and forthcoming on every answer and there’s an elegance to him that’s instantly appealing. There’s one little thing that proves to be more charming than any of this, however, and it comes in the form of a little note he sends on email after the interview; “Thank you for your interest!” it reads cheerfully, accompanied by a smiley emoji. “I hope we do it again when Winner’s back!” It’s simple but sweet and suddenly there’s yet another dimension to the chic, fierce rapper we’re used to seeing onscreen.

Before sitting down with Rolling Stone India for a conversation in December, the 25-year old musician’s schedule through 2018 included the release and promotion of a full LP with his band Winner, a Japan tour, a more extensive Asia tour, a series of performances across his home country South Korea, starring roles in several variety shows and a feature on YG Entertainment labelmate and his senior Seungri’s viral hit track “Where R U From.” November was busiest for him with the release of his first solo LP XX, a 12-track feast of hip-hop, tradition, emotion and culture. December finally closed with yet another single with Winner and a series of year-end performances in Korea.

While a bit of a break is warranted after the whirlwind of activity, Mino confirms he has no plans to take it easy in 2019. “Winner will release a full album this year,” he reveals cheerfully. “I cannot talk about our plan in advance, but we are preparing a surprise gift with a great musician!” The four-member K-pop band are working on their upcoming third LP and have already begun their tour schedules in full force– they’re currently on a six-city run of the United States with stops in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago and New York.

Over the past year Mino has embraced the avant-garde with ease, stepping away from his swag-heavy hip-hop image and slipping into a more elegant avatar.

As an artist, Mino is full of surprises with an evolution that’s been thrilling to map. He started his career as a rapper in South Korea’s vibrant underground hip-hop scene back in 2010 (when he was just 16) but success took a while to come along. He debuted briefly in 2011 with a group called BoM before its premature disbandment in 2013, and then finally signed with leading music label YG Entertainment as a trainee. In 2014 he got his big break after participating in TV channel Mnet’s reality-survival program Win: Who Is Next and ending up as a member of the winning Team A–which would go on to form Winner and debut that same year. He shot to fame quickly this time around, gaining attention as a solo artist after finishing as runner-up on the fourth season of South Korean hip-hop survival competition Show Me The Money in 2015. With several eyes on him, he wowed with a more bluesy, melancholic persona on Winner’s 2016 EP EXIT: E. That same year he and YG Entertainment labelmate Bobby announced a duo project titled MOBB, which showed off a completely different, swag-heavy, fun-loving attitude, but in that EP he included “Body,” a solo single that blended sex and passion with angst and regret. Winner’s discography as of late has been bright, tropical and electronic-pop and he’s able to adapt to it effortlessly as well. His career trajectory spells ‘chameleon’ and even in times of trial there’s a sense of chill around him, as though deep inside he knows everything’s going to work out.

Over the past year Mino has embraced a life of avant-garde with ease, stepping away from his swag-heavy hip-hop image and slipping into a more elegant avatar. He seems more comfortable and willing to express himself in ways outside of music. He’s always had fondness for art but now seems to revel in it, regularly posting images of artwork he’s created on Instagram, participating in media projects, exhibitions and editorials. Last year, he displayed some of his own artwork at an exhibit titled ‘Burning Planet.’ The pieces were a combination of installation art with media and performance art which explored the idea of burnouts, stress and humanity’s exhausting pace of birth, work, death. It’s morbid, futuristic and almost prophetical in its warnings about the pressure society puts on young people and quickly gained critical acclaim. Mino remains modest in the wake of all the praise, saying, “I do not know if I have had any talent when I was young, but I painted as a hobby since I was a kid. So I have become interested in art naturally. It was a very good opportunity to exhibit ‘Burning Planet’ with [eye wear brand and collaborator] Gentle Monster. It was a good time to learn and experience many things.”

It’s this artistic and emotional evolution which seems to have had the biggest hand in the creation of XX. “I wanted to give a tweak to my existing image, which I guess has been heavy with hip-hop and rap. I wanted to start afresh,” he stated at a press conference in November, according to a report by the Korea Herald. XX is an extension of his performance art–dramatic, creative with an ambiguous title to boot (he’s explained he wanted his listeners to have their own interpretations of it.) The video for the lead single “Fiancé” features imagery around birds, dreams, fantastical landscapes and more. In addition to being involved in the entire concept, Mino also contributed to the set design–there’s a giant mural of a bluebird featured in the video which he painted himself. Several fans as well as popular YouTube channels like DKDKTV have attempted to decipher the meanings behind it and he’s thrilled to see all the various discussions. “It is one of the things I enjoy the most,” he says when I ask if he ever watches these theories. “Making parts that can be interpreted in various ways… I love watching them in various interpretations.” Could he tell us which theory got closest to deciphering his work? “I will never tell which one is correct or incorrect for more diverse guesses!” he teases.

“Fiancé” has also been appreciated for its unconventional combination of trot, a form of Korean folk music, and trap. To do this, the track samples Korean veteran singer Kim Taehee’s 1969 track “Soyanggang River Maiden” and blends it with bass-heavy, rolling trap and Mino’s drawling rap. “There was no intention to use ‘Soyanggang River Maiden’ from the beginning,” Mino says. “When the song was almost 80 percent complete, [YG Entertainment CEO and music producer] Yang Hyun Suk gave me an idea of putting a part of ‘Soyanggang River Maiden’ as a sample source, and it fit perfectly into the message and vibe of this song.” The haunting sample had younger fans enthralled and searching through YouTube to listen to the original track while applauding Mino for putting a limelight on Korean pop culture and history. Because in addition to the retro sound, the music video for “Fiancé” is a fever-dream blend inspired by the Korean Joseon dynasty and modern-day angst. In the clip the rapper wanders between fantasy and reality, dressed as an emperor as he searches the past, present and future for his one true love.

“I was getting to love myself, and everything [about that experience] is in this album.”

Is it possible that with younger artists like him using older genres like trot or paying homage to their history in music videos, it can help young listeners appreciate tradition a little bit more? Mino reveals that wasn’t really his intention at all. “In fact, I considered this song for older people than younger people,” he says, adding his plan was to erase misconceptions about hip-hop and ‘young’ music in the minds of older generations. “Even if the genre of hip-hop is popularized, it is still hard to catch up with higher age. So it seems like sampling of ‘Soyanggang River Maiden’ was a good plan for this song.” “Fiancé” has indeed added to the buzz around rappers defying expectations and stepping into traditional musical and visual territories. Hip-hop no longer has one definition and inspiration can come from anywhere. For Mino, the ideas for “Fiance” and XX came from several fragments of art. “I have so many things inspiring me, so I do not know which one to say first,” Mino says. “Among them, some works of (Italian painter) Piero Fornasetti, various plants–especially blue roses– and the Japanese anime Devilman were in my mind. However, it’s my inner self that affected it the most. I stayed alone in the studio every time so I could be deeply involved in my work and I looked back upon myself.”

XX as a whole has been well-received thanks to its use of complex metaphors, puns and double meanings in its lyricism, but for Mino, making this record was about finding his true self. “I got down to work in earnest in the beginning of 2018 for this album,” he says. “It contains various songs ranging from a song written two-three years ago to a song written two weeks before the album came out.” The rapper has written and composed each and every track, taking a dive into his own psyche to unleash several different sides of himself. In a video teaser right before XX‘s release, Mino explained he’d made the album by “grating [his] soul into it” and the result is an LP that is diverse, clever, saucy and undoubtedly one of the best hip-hop albums of 2018. Lyrically, he tackles everything from waiting for a lost love (“Fiancé”) to calling out obsessive fans (“Agree”) and bold eroticism (“Hope”). He gets emotional on “Alarm” and “Her,” exploring heartbreak, his relationship with his fans and self discovery. “I was getting to love myself, and everything [about that experience] is in this album,” Mino tells me. “I got a lot of thoughts and experiences from it and I am so proud of the production process.”

It’s clear from the get-go that wordplay is key; in the vicious introductory track “Trigger,” Mino uses syllables in its Korean title to play on the curse word ‘shibal,’ blazing through verses of self-praise with swagger, while on “Rocket” he drops references to art, Korean mythology and more. It’s the realest taste of what he’s truly capable of and it surprises and delights in equal measure. The impressive roster of collaborators on the record include YG Entertainment’s biggest in-house producers Choice37 and Millennium, comedian and actor Yoo Byung-jae and up-and-coming vocalist Blue.D, among others. There was one artist, however, that Mino was particularly excited to work with. “It was all fun, but working with YDG was extremely impressive,” he says proudly of his collaboration with the Korean hip-hop veteran on “Bow Wow.” “It was one of my dreams from my childhood.”

Mino at a press event for ‘XX’ in November 2018.

With XX being his first massive solo effort, Mino confesses there were hurdles along the way that he hadn’t expected. “The toughest part was familiarity,” he says, adding, “When I listened to songs hundreds of times to make a song, I always got confused. That’s the hardest thing to me.” Working alone means more pressure and he says he finds it more peaceful when he’s working with the members of Winner– Hoony, Yoon and Jinu. “When I work alone… I get sensitive because I am dissatisfied with any result. When I work with Winner, it’s really a load off my mind. Each member has their own roles, and I think we fit in nicely with each other.”

Mino’s journey has been wild, difficult, rewarding and a little messy–we’ve covered a lot of it over the course of the interview, but it still feels like we’re scratching the surface. He seems to agree; there’s a lot more he wants to consume and learn and a lot more he wants to show all his fans, old and new. “I am always thankful to fans who have supported me from the beginning and everyone who has known me since yesterday,” he says. “I will try to put a little more of my own personality and style on next album, and I also want to challenge something that no one expected.” While the search for the ‘real’ Mino continues, XX is a chapter in his story that marks a significant turn; he’s found a balance between the sexy rapper we see with Winner, the exuberant hip-hop dudebro he turns into with MOBB and the expressive poet he is as a soloist. It might not be lightening in a bottle just yet, but it’s pretty damn close.

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#⟨ ✕ « info »▕ ▏ʏ'ᴀʟʟ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡꜱ? ⟩#/ it's so damn long.#a l e!!! musiałam bo to ważny wywiad.

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womenandfilm5 · 5 years ago

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Great Women Animators, selections: http://greatwomenanimators.com

John and Faith Hubley

The Short, The Hole (1962) records the dialogue between two construction workers in New York City. One white, one black, they discuss an array of things but the overarching theme of their discussion is about accidents. Whether or not accidents are possible and the possibility of an accidental nuclear attack. During this time period there were high tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union known as The Cold War. Many were fearful of a nuclear missile attack and a possibly world-ending nuclear war. This film was animated and produced around the same time of the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) when the United States discovered Soviet based ballistic missiles in Cuba which resulted in a 13-day confrontation between the two world powers. This improvisational film won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1962 and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant”.

The Hole follows an improvised conversation between two fictional construction workers of different races. This conversation is respectful and interestingly enough, race was not discussed between the two. Instead, they discussed accidents, why they happen, and if they even exist. The black character, voiced by Dizzy Gillespie, mentions that the other day he was washing the dishes and he accidentally dropped a glass, shattering it. He mentions that his wife theorizes he dropped the glass because he was not thinking about the glass. The white character, voiced by George Matthews, cuts him off exclaiming that he hadn’t dropped the glass because he wasn’t thinking about it, rather, he dropped it intentionally because he did not want to do the dishes in the first place. This interesting take on intention and “accidents” was meant to be applied to the political climate at the time of the Cold War. In other words, any move made by the United States or the Soviet Union is an intentional action with malicious intent behind it. This is further explained by the next statement made by Dizzy’s character “If I am walking down the street with a pistol in my pocket and someone accidentally steps on my toes I am going to ask him why he did that” then he continues to say that he would confront the person because he had the pistol. He states that if the person is far bigger than him and he no longer has the pistol, he wouldn’t choose to confront the man, he just would not say anything at all. This is an interesting narrative that can be applied, once again, to the political climate at the time. Both the United States and Soviet Union have theoretical “Pistols” or in other words; nuclear weapons. These tools allow the countries to confront one another, however, no one wants to be “shot”. Due to the fact that both countries equally have nuclear weapons they are at a stand still; hence the cold war. Neither country is saying anything to the other and they are simply assuming nothing is accidental, rather they are threatening the security of the other.

The Short film Moonbird (1959) is based off of a secretly recorded conversation between the Hubley’s two sons Mark and Ray in which they make a story about capturing the “Moonbird” and bringing it back home. The story takes place in their backyard, the two boys set out in the middle of the night to capture this mystical bird, they set up a cage with bait and wait nearby in a hole for the bird to arrive. The two children bicker, sing, eat candy and eventually capture the bird and bring it home.

This experimental film was awarded an Oscar in 1960 for best short subjects. In the film the older brother tells the younger brother what to do, for example the younger brother was told several times to lower his voice or he would “scare away the bird”. By the end of the film, however, their singing is what attracted the Moonbird and allowed the boys to catch it. The improvisational tone of the dialogue between the two young boys puts a unique insight to the domestic side of the Hubley’s life. Staying in and creating made up stories, using the abundance imagination from their young sons to create an animated short. This approach was revolutionary and very interesting to watch. The animation of the story fit perfectly with the dialogue, which requires a lot of careful thought and understanding of the storyline. Essentially, with this film the Hubley’s translate a child’s imagination into an enjoyable animated short film.

Ana Perez Lopez

Amarillo and A Frog Fried Me

The short film Amarillo supplied a short history of the banana. At glance, you often times do not think about the origin of something so simple such as a banana. The animation showed men and women, with black mask like coverings on half of the face, just enough to shield the features of the face, as well as animations of the banana spinning. In the opening, she calls the banana, “a candy that melts in the hand,” giving the fruit qualities that you would not attribute to a fruit usually. The dialogue offers a short history of the banana, from pre-WWII when the original natural form of the banana, or the ‘gros michelle,’ became extinct, to the banana ban that occurred during WWII that completely wiped out the gros michelle. The common banana that we have today is in fact not related to the gros michelle, but is completely manufactured from genetic modification, and within the next 10-30 years, the banana we know now will be completely replaced by a fruit with no trace of any original ancestry. The concept of replication and extinction was the main focus of the film. Something so simple as a fruit can be completely erased and then replaced by something that relates nothing to the original. The background sound of the film made it seem as if the narrator was placed underwater, as the figures of people swam through the timeline of history. She also included snippets of film and TV from the mid 20th century, in small bubble like televisions, which made it easier to connect the time periods that were mentioned.

A Frog Fried Me displayed more of the experimental aspect of Lopez’ work. The opening animation showed patterns of koi fish circling in and out, until they dissipated into themselves. The main focus was a scene of human bodies with heads of animals such as elk, and cows, reclining in chairs, and seated upon bar stools. One elk-human ran into the middle of the room, and was stopped in a spotlight of red light. Frozen in time, the other animals seated in the room began to exchange conversation, through bubbles of speech that instead of dialogue had geometric shapes. The screen then went black, and showed a tree frog, illuminated by white, and then back to the man running, but this time simply in the same black and white that was paired with the image of the frog. To decode the symbolism of this film was difficult, however I was able to connect the imagery of a tree frog to the title itself, with the existence of a hallucinogenic tree frog. The kambo, a hallucinogenic tree frog, is used for psychedelic experiences by extracting the venom, burning a small hole into the skin, and placing the venom on the wound. This creates a hallucination that some use for treatment with addiction, and also just for the pleasure and experience (VICE). The title, A Frog Fried Me, may relate to the imagery by depicting a scene that could very well be experienced as a hallucination. The people sitting in the room were mostly human, but had animal heads. The scenario could have almost been realistic had the people been fully human, but with the colors, the red flashes of light, and the nature of the creatures sitting in the room, it is safe to say the entire experience could be a replication of a trip. . Arisa Wakami .

Blessing and chibico . The film blessing was a stop motion film of a baby laying upon a mattress in the middle of a floor, with boxes and bags opening and spilling out items that then moved around the child or put themselves on the child. A box of socks opens up and circles the baby, a bag with a onesie in it moves across the baby vertically but never is put on the baby, bags of blocks and toys spill onto the baby who plays with them until they move away, and the baby sleeps surrounded by the blocks, dressed in a hat and a bib left behind by one of the bags. When the mother picks the baby up, the hat is left behind, and then slowly slides off the bed and out of frame. This closing scene of the hat moving off the bed was symbolic to me. I believe that the theme of the film was to show that material objects are superficial and can be replaced and forgotten about so easily. From the time we are born until the time we die, we are given so many items that we use and discard, to never be used again. As we grow as humans, we have different needs that have to be catered to in the moment, but are then forgotten about as we move on and continue to grow. The baby is being given so many different gifts, that cycle through and then are never seen again. Wakami’s work is centered a lot upon children, which is shown in the other film chibico. A young girl who lives on a hill is standing on a stool, peering out of her window at the red sun, who extends a hand out to her. She immediately gets off the stool, and a hat and shoes are placed on her body. She gets in a car, looking very shocked, and is brought to either school or a daycare. As the kids play, she is somewhat lonesome, standing by the door. As the children dance, she is off beat and cannot keep up with the other children. As the children eat food, a girl cries next to her as she sits, quietly, with one bite of her meal taken. As the children get picked up from school, she sits alone and is the last one to leave. The sky changes from it’s bright blue of the daytime, to a light pink that indicates the sun is setting. She bathes with her family, is excited to eat a meal when she is seated at home, and when she finally gets into bed, she steps back onto the stool to look for the sun. Instead, she finds a dark night sky with the moon above, and the scene is very transient and dream like, of a human like apparition that is very difficult to describe. Contented, she goes to sleep. The background images of the credits are of children’s drawings. As a filmmaker who focuses upon themes of childhood, I assume the theme of this film was to express the curious nature of children. The little girl in the film expected to see the sun when she finally ended her day, but was still content to find that the sun was gone, and replaced with the moon. The entire time she was at school, she seemed to not be focused upon what was going on there, but was eager to look out of the window when she finally had the chance. In japanese, “chibico,” means “small child.” Wakami’s focus upon the nature of children provides an inventive style through picture to display the mannerisms of children in a way that is not often times analyzed. . Dahee Jehong .

THE EMPTY trailer and Reflection Type .

The film style of Dahee Jehong is to take poetry and metaphors, and translate them into visual imagery that is calm, yet powerful. THE EMPTY trailer was a very short and basic film, but had very somber overtones that were created in the span of less than one minute. A door with a painting is shown on a blank wall, and suddenly the door begins to rotate, letting people in from all angles to bring in furniture and objects, and then when the door finally reaches full circle, the last individual grabs the painting from the wall and exits through the door, leaving a translucent shadow of what was once there. The screen then pans to black with the subtitles, “everything is gone. I’ve been left alone again.” The imagery of people moving in, circling around, and leaving through the same door they entered resonates with the same way that individuals move in and out of transitional periods of their life. The people start by moving all their objects in, they are not seen, then as they leave, they take something with them that was not theirs to begin with. In cycles of bringing an individual into your home or life, it is never certain how long they may reside there. Everything is inevitable, and nothing can be avoided. The narrator ends the film having less than they started with, being alone again. A simple and quick film was able to capture a function of life that everyone experiences, and sometimes in cycles. On the opposite end, Reflection Type was very experimental, as it begins with a mirrored image of a women meeting herself, and then falling into herself. It is not apparent until minutes later that she had formed the letter A with the reflections of her body. The entirety of the film is Jehong creating each letter of the alphabet by using cut techniques of multiples mirrored images to form each individual letter with her body. The background is simply a concrete tan wall, and she performs the same routine over and over, but to produce a different image each time. This film acted as more of a creative lens of the work of Jehong, and reflects the creative nature she has especially with her animated film. . Jane Geiser . Ghost Algebra and The Red Book . Jane Geiser is an experimental film maker that uses objects that have been once abandoned or forgotten about to bring life and movement back into them, while also creating symbolic value. In both of the films, the subject was a female figure, focusing upon the female form and the experiences of the woman. Ghost Algebra used plant matter, perforations, light and color, the concept of time through clock hands and molds of pocket watches, diagrams of birds and anatomical drawings, with sounds of cars moving and nature in the background of the film. The subject of the film was a worn out plastic figurine of a girl with blonde hair, that was shown moving across areas through shadows underneath the perforations, as well as travelling through the drawings of birds and anatomical figures. It seemed almost as if she was lost, looking for the meaning of everything arounds her. The diagrams of birds were all missing heads, that were punched out of the diagrams. Eventually, the sounds in the background transition to children screaming, and the holes where the bird’s heads should be fill up with a red paint, that overflows and seeps into all of the crevices of the diagrams. The female figurine moves across all of the sceneries, looking as if she is whispering in the ears of the anatomical figures and the images of the birds. It is never known what exactly she could be saying, but it is apparent that at some point things went awry, as the red paint resembles blood. Film of this expanse is not meant to have a singular meaning, but instead be subject to interpretation. The female subject is travelling around, trying to make sense of her surroundings, but eventually finds that nothing is the same as what it originally seemed to be. The types of medium Geiser uses when combined as a whole reflects an environment subject to change, but also hovering in a great amount of unknown by the viewer as well as the subject of the film. Perhaps, the idea of the film is to express the functionality of a woman in society, trying to understand the perils of life that are not outwardly apparent. . In the animated film The Red Book Jane Geiser opens her film with the sounds of crickets which translates to feelings of tranquillity and nature. The first thing the viewers see is hands writing in the dirt. After that it flashes to a woman lying naked on a table, throughout the film she is dissected, her mind is opened up, she becomes altered in some ways. Made to fit within a house, looking out at the industrialized world through the windows of her home. This, to me, is a clear parallel to how women are manufactured in our patriarchal society. Much like the woman on the table, women in our society are dissected as well. We manufacture women only for the domestic realm, when they do not fit we simply alter them so they do. The woman in the film does not have any clear agency over her own body and is subject to the will of the people around her. They attempt to “fix” her so she fits, but what they consider “fixing” is what we consider domestication. There is also clear imagery of natural scenery versus industrialized scenery. Much like natural elements the woman is harvested, manufactured and processed to make a product. Whether the product be infrastructure or a domesticated housewife it is all the same to those who are processing her. She is no longer an individual, rather a cog in society’s machine. Through this film Jane Geiser expresses the way we as a society view women.

Joanna Preistley . Bottle Neck and Split Ends . Joanna Preistley’s focus in film is solely on the experimental type of film that explores what boundaries can be crossed. The animation Bottle Neck had two sides of the screen that eventually merged into one image. The left side had constant moving geometric patterns, whie the right side had individual patterns that went from abstract drawings, into shapes of bottles and vases. Not one image could be focused upon at once; either your attention is drawn to the constant moving patterns, or your focus is drawn to each individual drawing that moved slower, yet was easier to decode. In Split Ends, the geometric patterns were either very plant like and resembled the motion of growing. A scene that I found particularly interesting was a set of steps that filled the entire screen, and a ball rolled down the steps and as each step disappeared, the ball eventually fell straight down into the void. The work she creates is simply is an appreciation of the art form of animation, while embracing the freedom that accompanies creating art. The titles of each film respectively reflect what the imagery seemed to be, but an open mind may interpret the motions and visions in an array of perspectives. – SA .

REFERENCES:

https://filmfreeway.com/[email protected] https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/gqkxa9/kambo-ceremony-alcoholism-purging-uk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonbird https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_Hubley https://www.zippyframes.com/index.php/interviews/dahee-jeong-makes-the-empty https://www.fandor.com/filmmakers/director-janie-geiser-1234

VIDEO LINKS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGB3eudJwOU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIGlX0iVy1Y https://vimeo.com/165069458 https://vimeo.com/165823831 https://vimeo.com/161456257 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUPh1exMKWc https://vimeo.com/158120311 https://vimeo.com/85528988 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK9aP9GKU4Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZWv_UBXx8k https://vimeo.com/184923964 https://vimeo.com/64678851

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courtneytincher · 5 years ago

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Why Bitcoin May Have Doomed Facebook's Libra Cryptocurrency

Unlike Bitcoin, Libra's blockchain will also be run by a corporate umbrella composed of payment processors, tech and telecommunication companies, venture capitalists, nonprofits and other cryptocurrency companies known as the "Libra Association." In June, Facebook made waves when it confirmed it was planning to launch its own cryptocurrency in 2020. Called Libra, the system will be connected to Facebook's massive user base, granting it the immediate potential of rivaling such established systems as Google Pay and PayPal. Indeed, Libra hopes to become the world's most widely adopted digital currency — sparking the kind of economic revolution that cryptocurrency has long promised, but has so far largely failed to deliver. Unlike other digital coins, however, Libra's main barrier to success won't be its technology, but its image.The privacy concerns associated with Facebook, along with the general skepticism associated with notoriously volatile cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, are hardly relevant to Libra's platform and functionality. But that won't erase regulators' prejudices. Libra's ability to enamor and educate already highly skeptical and generally misinformed legislators around the world — and in particular, in the West — will mean the difference between joining the ranks of global currencies or sharing the same fate of other high-profile cryptocurrency busts that have come before it.Libra vs. Bitcoin: A False Analogy New cryptocurrencies are almost always compared to Bitcoin, the world's biggest and best-known cryptocurrency that launched in 2009. And Libra is no exception. Each coin, perhaps to both their detriment, will likely always be linked. In reality, however, Libra has an entirely different structure and thus requires different regulations. First, Libra will be an equity-backed asset. This paradigm is getting somewhat more popular in the cryptocurrency space, as evidenced by the growing number of coins backed by precious metals. By being backed by conventional goods, such coins — known commonly as "stablecoins" — minimize the volatility often seen in unbacked cryptocurrencies (which currently dominate the market).Unlike Bitcoin, Libra's blockchain will also be run by a corporate umbrella composed of payment processors, tech and telecommunication companies, venture capitalists, nonprofits and other cryptocurrency companies known as the "Libra Association." These companies will not only manage Libra but will also receive payouts upon the initial coin offering (ICO) and earn interest on its equity basket. But perhaps most importantly, the association will govern who can and cannot interact with Libra's blockchain — creating what's called a "permissioned" network.A centralized membership body lends tremendous credibility to Libra's ability to control who is using the currency and how within the present financial frameworks. Bitcoin's blockchain, by contrast, is considered "permissionless," which means there is no approval process to "mine" for the coin and manage its ledger. As a result, Bitcoin's public infrastructure is notoriously slow and inefficient because of the sheer number of people who are allowed to operate on its system at any given time, which increases the computational power needed to complete transactions. In essence, Libra is trading the conventional conception of cryptocurrencies for increased dependency, function and security, all of which on paper should create a far more accommodating regulatory environment.The Rocky Road to RegulationLibra has a strong interest in working with governing bodies, expressed both in its white papers and Facebook's decision to announce its currency without an actual product. Its success, hinges on ubiquitous acceptance. Ensuring that the proper systems are in place in key markets will thus be paramount to quickly secure the type of global traction needed upon its launch. While most punditry around the currency will be fixated on regulating privacy or its blockchain in general, Libra's exploitable points will be more standard financial measures. Simple regulations — namely, wallet or vendor restrictions, spending limits or international fees — could quickly sink the currency's hopes of joining and eventually disrupting the global economy.Europe: Widespread adoption in Europe will be critical to Libra's long-term success there. To become a viable currency, the coins need to mimic the euro in that they cannot be immediately rendered useless upon entering another country.Switzerland: Given their relatively small economic size and openness toward cryptocurrency, Switzerland is unlikely to restrict Libra's growth. The Libra Association will be headquartered in Geneva, which is fitting as Switzerland is one of the few countries that has passed coherent legislation for coin offerings. Under its current framework, Libra will most likely be regulated as both a payment token and a security token in Switzerland — placing it under the purview of the country's anti-money laundering and banking security requirements. Such regulations will not overly hamper Libra's use case and may, in fact, offer a regulatory blueprint for other countries. Thus, Switzerland will likely provide a welcome regulatory reprieve and home base in what is sure to be an otherwise tricky continent to navigate.The EU: The European Union will certainly be involved in the political aspect of Libra because of its interest in setting standards for the Continent's emerging tech regulations. That said, the bloc has yet to pass any specific cryptocurrency legislation. Supervisory authorities have issued joint warnings, but have taken little concerted action beyond money laundering directives. This is most likely the result of cryptocurrency's clumsy fit within EU regulations. Resting somewhere between a currency, a commodity and a derivative, cryptocurrencies could fall within the confines of monetary policy at the EU level, or as fiscal and economic policy on the national level. An EU-wide decision on cryptocurrency would also require the approval of the bloc's 28 member states — an unlikely proposition on a generally low priority subject.Germany: Specific regulation toward Libra is thus much more apt to occur on a state-by-state basis, which will likely make Germany the most important European market to win over. Home to Europe's largest economy, Germany wields tremendous influence in Brussels and often speaks on behalf of the entire European Union. But Berlin is also a staunch skeptic of U.S. tech companies — including Facebook — which may not bode well for Libra's adoption in the country and thus other EU members.The U.K.: The United Kingdom has been at the forefront of cryptocurrency-related technology, and was the earliest European adopter of PayPal's online payment system (which, at the time, was revolutionary in its own right). The government's relatively new cryptocurrency taskforce has named digital coins as a potentially disruptive field, but one still far too small to regulate. Until the U.K. cryptocurrency market grows to a size London deems worthy of oversight, the Financial Conduct Authority (the country's regulatory body) has been tasked with simply promoting general safety and prudence over cryptocurrencies, instead of imposing strict rules.Such a lax regulatory environment could make the United Kingdom Libra's biggest ally. However, the country's past three years of political crisis surrounding Brexit has largely diminished its trendsetting influence. Libra's success in the country would nonetheless be considered a victory. But London's adoption of the technology is less likely to prompt its neighbors to follow suit — making it much less strategically important market to secure for the coin's European longevity.Developing Countries: One of Libra's key use cases is providing a new and stable currency in under-banked areas of the world. Thus, while less influential in deciphering the global regulatory environment, developing countries will still be critical in securing the currency's long-term adoption.India: India currently has the highest proportion of Facebook users in the world. And indeed, securing high usage rates and normative backing in such a massive market could catapult Libra's proliferation elsewhere. But capturing the imagination of the hundreds of millions of Indian users needed to do so will be easier said than done. In addition to having some of the most active measures against illicit use of virtual currency, India's central bank has banned regulated banks from trading in cryptocurrency. On top of New Delhi's cryptocurrency-adverse regulatory environment, the country's limited tech infrastructure further limits its prospects as a launching ground for Libra. According to a 2017 World Bank survey, the vast majority (70 percent) of Indians still don't own smartphones — meaning only 30 percent of the country even has access to the mobile payment technology needed to use Libra. In other words, before Libra can revolutionize India's currency system, a similar revolution in mobile finance would need to take shape first.Brazil: When it comes to other emerging markets, Brazil is likely the next best bet for Libra's widespread adoption. Yet compared with New Delhi, the South American country offers roughly one billion fewer potential users.The United States: But while Libra is not explicitly billed for the Western world, it cannot exist without its approval. Like any other commodity, the coin stands no chance of survival if it can't be traded for dollars or euros. Given the mix of legislative weakness and cryptocurrency-animosity in emerging markets like Brazil and India, Libra's future will largely hinge on its ability to win over the West — and in particular, the United States.Although the European Union may be equally loud in terms of its political messaging around digital coins, the United States is far more equipped to deal with cryptocurrencies on a legal level. Washington is armed with arguably the world's most comprehensive regulatory framework, which revolves around the U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Commodities Future Trading Commission (CFTC). But the overlap in authority among these three entities has led to more incoherence than coordination, evidenced by the fact that only one coin has so far jumped through all the hoops needed to register with the SEC.According to statements released by the legislative and executive branches, Libra actually satisfies the majority of U.S. concerns. Its consortium construction limits security and identification issues, while privacy will naturally be less of a concern within a blockchain than with Facebook's social media platform. Libra's ability to communicate these intricacies, however, will be its true test. The spate of controversies that have shrouded the social media company in recent years has tainted its reputation among Americans and U.S. legislators alike. Shortly after the Libra announcement, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown declared it "delusional" that users would trust Facebook with their money. It is thus reasonable to assume that this scrutiny over Libra's parent company — compounded by a general misunderstanding of its differences from Bitcoin — will create a hostile environment. And thanks to Facebook's entrance, the cryptocurrencies that have so far benefitted from the relative lack of oversight may also now face undue attention. Indeed, at this point, Libra may be just as likely to carry the cryptocurrency market as it is to destroy it.For Facebook’s Cryptocurrency, the Well May Already Be Poisoned is republished with the permission of Stratfor Worldview, a geopolitical intelligence and advisory firm.Image: Reuters

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