"God Bless The Internet!" - American Pie, 1999
Online Film and Video
The Internet creates a culture of transnationality and multiculturalism through several mediums. Hjort and Mackenzie state “contemporary media activity is clearly one of the main ways in which Transnational connections are established” (2000, p.66). In the context of the Internet, Hjort and Mackenzie are correct in assuming this position. We now live in an age where global communication is effortless and possible which opens up the gates for the future of Film. Kellner concurs expressing “Film will appear in seductive new virtual and interactive forms, accessible through computer, satellite and other new technologies” (Miller & Stam, 2003, p.217).
In recent years, websites such as YouTube, Vimeo, MSN, live forums and Facebook have aided transnationality. YouTube and Vimeo enables people all around the world to share video’s that are either home made, fan based, and distribute news from foreign channels. This means individuals can use the Internet to market home made films for absolutely no cost. “The magic of the Internet is that it is a technology that puts cultural acts in the hands of all participants” (Stratton, 1997, p.211). These are accessible to anyone who has access to the Internet, thus displaying how easy it is to merge cultures.
This YouTube clip is an example of how global communities can express concerns through the medium of online video. The author is expressing a critique of Post-Colonial reason between USA and Japan.
" OMG Did You See Her Status Yesterday?! " : The Facebook Generation
In the last two years, Facebook has rapidly become the most popular social networking site on the Internet that allows people from different countries to connect, chat and stay in touch. Jenkins concurs stating “the Internet allows us to maintain contact with those we’ve left behind, build new friendships and join new communities” (Miller & Stam, 2003, p.250). Facebook is also utilised for global marketing of different Films, celebrity figures, music and fashion. The advertising used is visible to all users and permits people to interact.
The Case of Amazon & Film Movement
Amazon marketplace is one of the only sites along with Play.com that stocks a wide range of unknown and global films at affordable prices. Several mainstream and independent films can be purchased from UK or worldwide based sellers stocking multi-region DVD’s. This creates a culture of transnationality as varied countries have access and options to purchase Films that are not available in their country.
Similarly, Film-Movement also allows access to award winning independent and foreign Film. The website was designed primarily to address the problem of how marketing costs can be an issue for small films with low budgets. By subscribing to the site, they make revenue and in turn, we can view several different films such as the low budget, Cannes festival winner Munyurangabo (Chung, 2007) and Eldorado (Lanners, 2008). This propagates World Cinema through an online medium.
Independent Lens is a website devoted to short films from independent and foreign film-makers who showcase their films in this virtual online film festival. This is extremely vital in terms of Transnational film-making as a global film festival is now accessible from a home computer.
[ABOVE- No longer lost in translation: The Foreign Film Poster for Babel ]
