From: Christopher Hughes (email suppressed)
Date: Tue Feb 07 2006 - 12:14:31 PST
I think the first point is quite a bit off--a more accurate comparison would be the re-presentation of David's email in another format (Word doc, PDF, printout) rather than editing. No one's debating about reassembling the films, just showing them via other means than projection.
Be well,
Chris Hughes
Scott MacDonald <email suppressed> wrote: It's a busy teaching day, but I can't resist a few
comments on David T's rant.
1. If David's posting to this list had been intercepted
by Pip and revised to suit Pip's personal convenience and
ideology, then sent to the list under the moniker "David
T," my guess is that author David would not be pleased.
My guess is that he wants his posting to reflect his
intent (of course, we may wonder what his REAL intent is,
but since he did post the rant, he presumably thought he
knew what he was doing, and wouldn't want anyone to fiddle
with his work). And since his rant is signed, we know he
wants to be recognized as "the author." And, hell, I want
to know what he thinks his intent is and to read exactly
what he posts.
2. Respecting an artist's intent and desires is not the
same as "worshipping" the artist. My life, and my career
as a teacher and writer, have been immensely enriched by
the work of the filmmakers and videomakers whose work is
the focus of FRAMEWORKS. This work has often been
completed as a result of considerable sacrifices by the
makers and, even when they do get the rentals they ask for
their work, these rentals rarely pay for the making of the
work, much less anything more. The least I can do is
treat their efforts with respect--in a practical sense: I
can find the money to pay the rentals and I can show the
work as the filmmakers would wish it shown. This is not
"worship," it's simple decency.
(Actually, to transmute "respect" into "worship" in this
context seems to me to be a theoretical maneuver that
allows for the exploitation of these cultural workers.
Most of us would agree that worshipping a filmmaker is
silly, since filmmakers are not in fact deities, but if
not worshipping also implies not respecting, then, since
the makers are not worthy of respect, one can do what one
wishes with their work, including use it without paying
for it. That ain't fair.)
3. I too have been very impressed by Roger Beebe's efforts
in Gainesville. If I were close enough, I'd buy him a
beer. But it's no mystery "how he does it." He works at
it. He works to find projectors and money and audience.
He seems to understand that theorizing why something
cannot be done is less productive and valuable that doing
what can.
Scott
__________________________________________________________________
For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at
.
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__________________________________________________________________
For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.