Creative Video Podcasting

I recently happened upon the site of two filmmakers who have decided to market their film in an entirely new way: video podcasting (or vodcasting, wouldn't vidcasting sound better?). I was blown away at the creative use of this new medium, and I have to say it worked for me. I now very much want to see this film. If these two can make such beautiful and inspired vodcasts, just imagine what they might do with a feature film!

The film itself is about, as are many others, two crazy kids falling in love. But the difference here is how they fall. Based on the real love story of the two filmmakers themselves (who play themselves in the film), the two are artists who, lonely and feeling unfulfilled romantically and artistically, decide to embark on a romantic and artistic experiment, and one that is very appropos in a digital age. They meet online, become involved, and begin "dating" without ever meeting. And for the first four months of their relationship, all of their communications are through what they consider to be artistic media.

When the film was completed, they were invited to a series of prestigious film festivals including Slamdance and SXSW (South by Southwest), but no distributors were banging down their doors. They began a video blog documenting their frustrations and joys, and that began to generate some buzz for the film. They decided that, since no one was going to do it for them, they would have to market their film themselves, and they needed a new and interesting way of doing it. And thus the idea of using the vodcast was born.

Let me assure you that this is no garden-variety vodcast. This isn't two people sitting in front of a low-quality camera with terrible lighting, ranting into the camera. These are beautiful, thought out, edited works of art. You must see them. And if there is only one that you give your time to, watch episode 3. See how they combine confessional video diary with interviews, with documentary footage, with metaphorical images of dance. Absolutely inspired.

They really made me want to think of using the vodcast myself as a means of artistic expression.

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