Round One: Spike Lee

It was a great idea. 

I still think it is.

But after a few weeks of incubation,

Spike Lee has jumped out to any early lead.

I can't say it's everyday that I'm bested by the likes of Spike.

Though oddly enough, it seems to happen from time to time.

(though usually my ideas are somewhat less ridiculously large)

SIDENOTE:  The last time I remember something remotely close to this was nineteen ninety seven, or eight.  It was the molten hot food chain of take-and-bake.  I was going to franchise it, but by the time I got around to looking for land, somebody else already had a sign, "Papa Murphy's coming soon."  Sure enough, ten years later, It's still going strong.  Somedays I like it, and somedays I don't, but either way the idea was smokin' hot!

Needless to say I was surprised to hear about Spike's new project.

I was not surprised that somebody else launched the same kind of idea that I had. I was however surprised that it launched in such short proximity to my launch (In fact mine is barely even public, and still needs some work), but what surprised me the most was Spike Lee. 

A critically acclaimed director, with over forty movies under his belt, and he's my competition.  He calls his project "the Democratization of Film."  oooo good name. I call mine the Patchwork Video.  The basic concept is essentially the same.  We make a video largely based on user submitted content.  His website launched today (April 24, 2008).  My website launched about two days ago: Patchworkvideo.blogspot.com.

 

Clearly his website is all the things that mine should be, but is not yet.

So round one goes to spike.

I'm guessing this is something that they've been working on, unless they have an amazingly sweet team of web warriors, because my vision looks kinda like their site, but I just haven't had that kind of time.  Besides it would have been hard for them to do so much in just two days.

Still I can't decide whether I should be flattered or furious, but I can say that I don't have the time to be furious, so I'm choosing flattered.  You know what they say, great minds think alike.  Ironically though, the person  usually saying it doesn't always have a great mind.

So let me tell you about my project.  This will be my second feature length film.  I was a technical consultant/ secondary cameraman/ miscellaneous minion, for another film called Nerd Squared.   A couple of my friends decided to make a movie, and I decided to join them.  

It was an amazing experience, but not without complications.  They've almost completely finished the movie, but very important people keep disappearing.  I think the last thing they are working on is the scoring, but they can't seem to find their musicians anymore.  

This of course makes their job a lot harder.

It did however open my mind to a new kind of video.  A video where every part could be pieced out, in a sort of contest.  It's like American Idol meets YouTube meets Hollywood.  A movie where people could come and go as they please.   A movie where no one is too important to be cut. Everyone can participate, but anyone can be replaced, and if your sound-guy should disappear, scores of people are right there waiting.

And so I had my idea, a patchwork video.  A video for the people, and by the people (with of course some creative oversight).

And then Spike went and had the same idea: A video for the people, and by the people.

Though as similar as our ideas are, they're actually quite a bit different.

Spike is encouraging people to shoot their video with cellphones (Nokia).  But I am discouraging cell-vids.  I want videos with really good resolution (at least 640 x 480), good lighting, and good sound.  If a person can do that with a cell phone, I certainly wouldn't stop them, but most cell phones just aren't made to make videos.

Point number two Spike is telling the 'story of humanity with music.'

I am telling a story. 

Spikes movie sounds like it has a lot of potential, but it also sounds like a documentary.

(which I'll admit will make his a bit easier)

Mine is most certainly not a documentary (though we don't have a plot yet, we are of course seeking submissions Ü). It could be action,  it could be adventure, and yes there's a chance for a little romance, but we are trying to keep it PG at the most, so it's not one of those.   

So clearly Round one has gone the other way,  but who knows, round two might just be mine.

Congratulations to them, and the work that they've done.

We've started something with incredible potential. Now we'll just have to see what happens.

Let me know what you think.

ttfn