Rock N Roll Photo Panel Pitch for SXSW Music 2010

Starting August 10, you’ll have a chance to vote for SXSW Panels and Presentations until Aug. 28th and your vote constitutes a portion of the selection process along with staff and an advisory board.

Here’s a pitch for a panel for SXSW Music Conference remixed from a panel at Northern Voice 2009 Rock n’ Roll Photo w/ Bev Davies + Kris Krug at Northern Voice 09. Like that panel, I’ll moderate a group of experienced band and concerts photographes about a variety of creative and technical and licensing issues. Read the whole submission below.

Also, for your voting consideration:

Hitchhiking to the Boardroom – Biz lessons from the road by Dave Olson
Web of Streams – Kris Krug
Robots Have Ears – Kris Krug, Amber Case et al

Panel: Rock N Roll Photography

Blurb:

Photos are an integral part of building a music scene and attracting audience but there’s a chasm between amateur snapshots and pro photos which truly capture the band’s aesthetic. This panel explores how bands and photographers can work together (technically & creativity) to produce images which enhance the artist/fan relationship.

Questions:

1. What do photographers want from bands when shooting them?
2. What can bands do to be better subjects for photographers?
3. What are characteristics of a great band or concert photo?
4. How can photographers get great shots at shows with low light and fast action?
5. What are the differences between shooting for love or money? Does it change your shots?
6. Who are you shooting for? Yourself, the bands, the fans, the future?
7. Everyone has a camera of some kind – how does this change the reasons/importance of your photos?
8. What are rights licensing options for photographers?
9. How can photographers build an audience by sharing and using Creative Commons?
10. How can photographers build relationships with promoters/bands/labels?

Bios:

Moderator Dave Thorvald Olson is a writer, podcaster and documentarian who frequently appears in media from High Times to CBC to BBC discussing counter-culture, art, hockey, and public policy.

Note: Dave Olson presented  F@ck Stats, Make Art spiel at SXSWi 2009 with solid reviews.

Why i am qualified to speak:

I’ve seen hundreds of rock shows, published punk rock fanzines, followed the Grateful Dead plus Elvis died on my 7th birthday. I presented this panel at Northern Voice conference in Vancouver BC – recap with video, slides, photos, reviews and live blog.

Also, I gathered up exceptional panelists:

Panelists:

Bev Davies photographed most every punk rock band in, or through, Vancouver in the 1977-85 from DOA to Dead Kennedys to The Clash plus “emerging” major acts like U2, Motorhead and Madonna. Her intimate and distinctive B&Ws, which appeared regularly in the alternative press together form a compelling chronicle of Vancouver’s music history.

Kris Krug regularly shoots bands along with fashion shows, tech conferences, Olympic Games and international travel. Known for his cross-processed style, he shares his shots with Creative Commons licensing, regularly organizes photo walks and contributes to conferences including TedX Shanghai, Gnomedex, PopTech, Petcha Kutcha and Northern Voice.

More about Rock N Roll Photography panel:

Photos are a key component of building a music scene or movement as well as engaging audience for a musical act, but there is a huge difference between some snapshots and photos which capture the band’s aesthetic and essence. Plus, photographers shooting for magazines or freelance don’t always want to share the licensing which allows the band to use the shots for their own promo use.

This panel with noted rock n roll photographers explores how bands and photographers can work together to produce images which thrill the band and inspire the fans. Beyond the technical points of photography, moderator Dave Olson will discuss how the manner of working, point of view, and setting are key contributors to quality results and ask the panelists how they find inspiration, develop a unique style, capture atmosphere, and form working relationships with the artists ~ plus technical tips to get in the pit and make a great rock shot.

For your Consideration:

Hitchhiking to the Boardroom – Biz lessons from the road by Dave Olson
Web of Streams – Kris Krug
Robots Have Ears – Kris Krug, Amber Case et al

Hitchhiking to the Boardroom – Presentation Pitch for SXSWi10

Here’s my (Dave Olson’s) submission to SXSW Interactive 2010 – Starting August 10, you’ll have a chance to vote for SXSW Panels and Presentations until Aug. 28th and your vote constitutes a portion of the selection process along with staff and an advisory board.

After the enjoyment of presenting F@ck Stats, Make Art spiel at SXSWi 2009, I mulled over my options and have some pretty entertaining in mind which will entice me to dig deep in my older travel files and more modern Internet biz binders of artifacts to support my story-telling. Will use some photos this time around too.

Here’s the details of my pitch along with a a few other resources to prepare for voting.

Title of panel or presentation (maximum 8 words):
Hitchhiking to the Boardroom

50 word description of this panel / presentation

Not all business lessons are learned in an MBA program, nor management skills gained in seminars. This inter-disciplinary conversation distills a decade of working odd jobs in 20+ countries, followed by 14 years of Internet biz endeavors, into unique problem-solving skills as well as inspire attendees with a replenished toolbox of usable tactics.

10 questions that will be answered in this panel / presentation

How can I reach the top without a fancy degree?
Why should you bring “yourself” to work?
How do you diffuse a$$holes (especially when they are your boss)?
How can I find mentors, teachers and miracles?
How can I develop recession-proof business ideas?
Why are the advantages of communicating with an audience in their language?
Why should I forget pre-conceptions and surprise myself?
Why is an inter-disciplinary perspective important?
Why should I consider hitting the road (and not look back)?
How can I figure out what truly matters to me – and make it happen?

50-word bio for this speaker

Dave Olson is a world-traveling renaissance guy who has published essays, poetry and fiction, wrote and produced a documentary film, and traveled to 20+ countries working jobs from mushroom farmer to private beach club host. An experienced story-teller, Dave’s presentation style is unique, visually compelling and free of jargon, cheesy buzzwords and bulleted lists.

I am qualified to speak on this topic because:

{pardon the 3rd person} An experienced media pundit, Dave made dozens of TV/radio/newspaper appearances discussing web media technology, public policy activism, entrepreneurship, hockey and more on outlets ranging from CBC to BBC to High Times.

Most recently, he’s worked as a professional web community builder and marketing evangelist for a variety Vancouver web companies.

He regularly speaks at events and conferences about using technology to enable artistic expression and using social media for social change.

He graduated in 2004 from the noted Evergreen College in Olympia, Washington with a degree in Inter-disciplinary studies after studying public policy, philosophy, global affairs and writing – he also attended the Universities of Utah and Guam.

A podcasting pioneer, Dave creates several long-running series including Postcards from Gravelly Beach – a spoken word literature show, Choogle on! – gonzo international sound-seeing adventures, and Canucks Outsider, a wildly-popular audio magazine about Vancouver hockey culture.

Has this person spoken at SXSW before?

Yes

Recent Publications:

Depth Perception (poetry) – 2009
Letters from Russia (epistolary lit) – 2006
The First Rule of Longboard Hockey is … – Heads Magazine 2007
Rebagliati Positive for 2010 – Head Magazine 2006
Zen Rambling in Japan – Heads Magazine 2006
Hemp Culture in Japan – Cannabis Culture 2000

For Your Consideration:

Rock N Roll Photography – Panel
Web of Streams – Kris Krug
Robots Have Ears – Kris Krug, Amber Case et al

F@ck Stats, Make Art spiel at SXSWi 2009 – Round-up Jamboree

Art Makes the Future. Art is the Future by KK.

F@ck Stats, Make Art at SXSWi 2009

I presented my soliloquy for personal expression called “F@ck Stats, Make Art” on March 13 at SXSW in Austin, TX as a Core Conversation.

While I was spieling, I couldn’t help to recall all the others times I’ve stood before groups – from Rotarians to Mormons to Deadheads to strangers on buses to students in Germany – to tell my stories. When I spoke about my ole dead Gramps from whom I heard I alot of tall tales, I realized that so many of the mundane and amusing talks I’ve busted out at one time or another were all coming together in that room.

Thanks to everyone who listened while the stories were in development and when they were really happening. To everyone who showed up, Thanks. To everyone who came up for a hug and a kind word to to show off their hero/project/metaphor cards – big thanks. I feed off of you to lay it all open. I gotta trust you or I can’t tell it real-style.

DIY Analog Power Point by Unkown - did you take this?

At the risk of waiting any longer to post *everything*, here is an evolving wrap-up of the related content from F@ck Stats Make Art at SXSW 09.

Consider dropping a vote for my pitches for SXSW10:

Hitchhiking to the Boardroom prezo for SXSW Interactive
& Rock N Roll Photography panel for SXSW Music

You may also enjoy this recap of F@ck Stats, Make Art at Northern Voice 2008 and this podcast episode SXSW Stories from Middle Earth – Choogle On #79 in which i both preview and recap SXSW09, finally, here are all my SXSW 2008 Choogle on podcasts – 6 episodes to soak in the chaotic flavour of the music and parties.

What’s next? I have a closet full of stories – literally. I plan to tell them. Perhaps a tour, more books, more artifacts – Wanna help spread this message of tolerance, translucency and creativity? Subscribe to Choogle On! podcast.

Photo Slidedeck

I didn’t use this deck in the prezo but it includes most of the photos in the envelopes of Heroes, Metaphors and Projects.

Treats! Photo By James Chutter

Twitter updates

@SimpleScott :

#sxsw insight #2: “be tolerant and translucent” – Dave Olson

@SquanderingTime :

I think the food thing needs to happen before the next set of talks. Btw, the fuck stats make art talk was incredible.#sxsw

@MezzoBlue :

@uncleweed’s “F@&$ Stats, Make Art” was so compelling I forgot to check Twitter for an hour. #sxsw

@MeJayne :

http://twitpic.com/22fk0 – MoJo talk’n tasty nuggz with rockstar Dave Olson, preacher of truth and rebellion

@SarahDavies :

“Even if you’re one in a million, find the 300 other Americans just like you, and have a party!” – Dave Olson #sxsw

@LeslieBradshaw :

At my first session, from Dave Olson: “embrace translucency” (not everything about you is interesting) #sxsw

@AustinJardinera :

Inspired by Dave Olson to try presenting stories to customers via arts and crafts projects #sxsw

@TexasBrat :

#sxsw F*&K stats make art tolerance & translucency makes people able to get along and share with others ~Dave Olsen

(TexasBrat was rocked the coverage of the spiel! Check these: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven! whoa!)

Think you're clever? Express with Vigor! (I Love Fish Tacos) by KK

Blog etc.

CAN YOUR LIFE’S WORK BE DIGITAL? (Sarah Davies)

Is there a digital Thoreau? Will we discover a currently neglected philosophy blogger in a hundred years and suddenly realize that we ignored someone whose ideas would come to change the world?

SXSW Diary – Friday (Pete Ashton)

It worked for me because he’s sort of a fellow traveller having done the zine thing. I’m still processing my thoughts but it tied in with some thinking I’ve been doing about what I might end up getting involved with next…

jewgonewild @ identi.ca

Watching David Olsen put on a robe.. lol (look closely) #sxsw http://pikchur.com/pan

Kris Krug @ Friendfeed

Looks like Dave Olson’s ‘Fuck Stats Make Art’ talk is gonna be standing room only. Come be a part of history. ;) #uncleweed #fbombs #sxsw

Catchin' a buzz with Elvis by Michael Barnes

Photos

Do you have photos from F@ck Stats, Make Art at SXSW 2009? Please tag them “uncleweed” and “fsma” “sxsw09″ or something and i’ll pick ‘em up.

Kris Krug – Dave Olson – Fuck Stats Make Art – SXSW 2009 – photoset – see above for samples

James Chutter – Dave Olson Read Thoreau

John Biehler – SXSW09

Love these annotations by So Misguided, Monique Trottier

+

Joey Zornes – Dave Olsen at SXSW

Remix

Mojo makes a slide about Transluscency

Mojo Remixes Art Make the Future or a slide deck

Special Thanks

To John Biehler, Peter Andersen, Jeremy Crowle for helping me bring it all together – and to all of you who took the time to show up and/or rate the prezo.

Stats?! Fuck em'... Ratings on the other hand...

Hero/Project/Metaphor cards

Make your own from the attached .pdf (attribution, non-commercial use only – note: while I took most of the photos, some photos’ origins are unknown or undocumented but presumed to be in public domain-ish).

{coming}

What Else? You tell me @uncleweed

Rock n’ Roll Photo w/ Bev Davies + Kris Krug at Northern Voice 09

Building A Scene – Rock & Roll Photography Panel Re-cap

Blurb:

Photography isn’t always clean, in a studio with great lighting, patient models, or beautiful subjects.

Iggy Pop decades apart by Kk and Bev Davies at NV09

In a panel with two noted Vancouver photographers Bev Davies and Kris Krug, host Dave O will explore how they find inspiration, develop a differentiating style, capture atmosphere, and form relationships with the artists, plus technical tips to make a great rock shot.

They’ll also discuss sharing your work to build a common experience and a “scene” for fans to self-identify with and participate in as well as compare and contrast favourite shots.

Video:

Thanks to Bruce Sharpe – 25 Hour Day via Blip.Tv, who sets up the clip in Rock N Roll Photo:

Using several well-chosen photos of rock ‘n’ roll stars as a backdrop, Dave Olson finds out from noted Vancouver photographers Bev Davies and Kris Krüg how they are permitted access (or not), how they work with the musicians (or not) and what it takes to get that iconic, memorable photo. From Northern Voice 2009.

It takes a minute or two for the video to settle down. Stick with it, it’s worth it!

Slides:

Complete Rock N Roll Photography slidedeck (Google) by Dave Olson featuring photos of Kris Krug and Bev Davies.

Live blog:

Northern Voice 2009 Rock and Roll Photography Kris Krug Dave Olson Bev Davies by Miss 604 Rebecca Bollwitt

Excerpt: I first started delving into the works of the legendary Bev Davies only just over a year ago but after discovering what I have (which is simply scratching the surface) I realized what an important person she is to rock and roll history, along with Vancouver history.

Along with Kris Krug, whose rock photography is recent yet not any less inspiring and captivating, Dave Olson will guide these two through a journey of their craft both on and offline.

Reviews:

Northern Voice – Dean H (SubPop New Media)

I also saw a great talk moderated by Dave Olson on rock ‘n roll photography featuring Kris Krug and Bev Davies. Both of Kris and Bev take fantastic pictures (that you should really take a look at) but, in particular, some of Dev Davies’ early pictures (there are some in a Flickr set here) are must see if you’re a fan of early ‘80’s punk and hardcore. Bev was basically the only one taking pictures at these shows in Vancouver in the early ‘80’s and her collection of shots of DOA, The Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, The Adolescents, Gang of Four, Duff McKagan-era Fastbacks (and on and on and on) are amazing. You may have seen her photography in the punk rock calendar that Nardwuar put together a couple years ago—all the photos in the calendar are her work.

Randy Stewart at Stewtopia: Northern Voice 2009 – Vancouver’s Finest

Dave Olson’s interview with Kris Krug and Bev Davies about rock and roll photography was fantastic. I had met Bev the day before after an intro by Peter Andersen and I had a lovely conversation, but had no idea she was so punk rock. Her pictures speak volumes.

Maryam ghaemmagha​mi Scoble says:

Finally, I especially enjoyed watching Dave Olson interview Bev Davies and Kris Krug about taking photographs from Rock and Roll bands and watching all the historic and amazing photos reel on stage.

Speakers:

KK + Bev Davies in Rock N Roll Photo by Penmachine

Moderator Dave Thorvald Olson is a writer, podcaster and documentarian who frequently appears in media from High Times to CBC to BBC discussing counter-culture, art, hockey, and public policy. He’s seen hundreds of rock shows, published punk rock fanzines, followed the Grateful Dead plus Elvis died on his 7th birthday. (DaveO’s Library)

Bev Davies photographed most every punk rock band in, or through, Vancouver in the 1980’s from DOA to The Clash. Her intimate and distinctive B&Ws, which appeared regularly in the alternative press, captured both the sweat of the band and the excitement of the audience and together form a compelling chronicle of Vancouver’s music history. (Bev on Flickr)

Kris Krug shot dozens of bands at the last 3 SXSW Music fests along shooting everything from fashion shows to tech conferences. Known for his x-processed style, at SXSW he captured evocative, gritty shots from well-known artists like REM and Flaming Lips to emerging acts and shares his shots with Creative Commons licensing to help bands and fans enjoy the experience. (KK on Flickr)

Podcast Workflow, Editing Tips and Episode Preview

A few podcasts in process and notes on production workflow and podcast making:

Podcasts in Process

Choogle montage – handful of clips which never got a finish (or a beginning), or were too loud, or too without context – i think they could be remixed into a unique show with some music and loops and sound bites from the clips – it’s kinda a mess and a vague idea but there’s something decent there – kinda of a LSD mop-up tray

Clayoquot series – a bunch of audio clips which are disorganized and possibly out of sequence. need to sort em out into episodes length chunks – there are a few show length chunks i.e. the logging/fishing interview, reservation spiel, and some other poetry and essay bits for Postcards from Gravelly Beach – literature show – UNDERWAY

Last voter in Canada – this is the old election show mentioned in the new election show – my experience voting and then a post-vote party with noise and commentary – a bunch of clips to sort, levelate and arrange but could be a gooder

HempenRoad – While on a mountain ramble, Uncle Weed recounts the HempenRoad film project, a mixed media travel documentary about the commercial industrial hemp industry in Cascadia in 1996.

SXSW – 3 flase starts on this preview and recap of 2009 sxsw and my F@ck Stats, Make  Art lecture

Lt Magnum – interview with US Navy officer back from Iraq and Philipines taking military life, seabees and beer

Tribute to the Fonz – My pal Gazoo died last April – i recorded my thoughts on the dock of Harrison lake

Keys to a solid episode

1) Tell a story (often requires rearranging clips to create a narrative – add some music to give the folks time to reflect and chill as needed)
2) Remove douche-baggery (yeah sometimes there are false starts, stupid comments, missteps, self-indulgent crap and people calling “dave” – all that goes)
3) Sonically comfortable (export as AIFF, normalize/compress using Levelator, then convert to .mp3, listen and re-export til it sounds sweetopian)
Download this: http://www.conversationsnetwork.org/levelator

Complete show pack

Includes:

* Episode – 128K stereo mp3, levelated
* ID3 tags (title, description, lyrics, art)
* Album art (photo edited in PS or flickr/picnik)
* Blog post with show notes/links with footer

Workflow Summary

1. Record mucho audio on M-Audio Microtrak or iPhone >

2. Import raw files to iTunes and listen to raw clips while riding transit >

3. Ferment for 6 months to 3 years for “seasoning” >

4. Either a) talk someone into editing it based on my cuts, or b) use Garage Band to build the episode by adding themes, music, anecdotes and such

5. Export/listen/fix-it-up/export/listen – happy? Export as AIFF> Levelate > Convert to mp3 > Add Meta ID3 Data (title, descrip, album art)

6. Upload via to a web dir via FTP

7. Create blog post (free wordpress.com blog) with description, links, album art, etc. >

8. Publish and flow feed to Feedburner > iTunes etc. Announce to folks, have a toke >

9. Repeat over and over For the People!

Toolbox

M-Audio Microtrak – record almost everything on this – battery life is the weak point, otherwise very nice

Sony stereo mic – Same as Father Roderick – gives great stereo separtation for sound-seeing

Koss Sterophones – You are gonna have cans on a lot, get good one, I prefer Koss over any other i’ve tried

M-Audio Solo Firewire Interface and desk mic for home recording

Breaking the Trailer Park Boys – Step 1, bribe with liquor money

Social Media dude Jess Sloss breaks down a blogger outreach campaign launched to drum up attn for a Trailer Park Boys contest to promote a new movie and release of TV series on DVD.

Check the whole “mini case study” at: 3 Tips for Buying Social Media Attention by Jess Sloss on  June 26, 2009.

First, he outlines the gist of the outreach tactics, saying:

The long and short of it is this, they will give me $50, as long as I plop that banner you see in the side bar and send out a tweet.

There’s more too it though. Here’s how they outlined the offer:

The MovieSet gang lifted 4 bags full of Trailer Park Boys DVDs but we can’t hold onto the stash so are giving the booty away with a sweepstakes. We gotta let all of Sunnyvale know about the goods so we’re offering you a bribe to spread the rumors.

Whatcha get:

1. Bottle of Ray’s liquor – $20

2. Bag of Nova Scotia’s finest – $20

3. Kitty – free + $10 for shots

Then comes the money shot:

We’ve done enough law breaking to know we can’t just mail all this contraband so instead we’ll send you a cheque for $50. You gotta be in USA or Canada to get the payola and be invited by MovieSet.com specifically. No hanger-ons and groupies.

Then, he outlines the reasons he bought into the pitch:

1) Money isn’t the value proposition
2) The story is more than the sum of it’s parts
3) Humor goes a long way

And wraps up by distilling a few tips (which i heartily endorse):

a) Tell a Story
b) Answer the “why” Question
c) Be Real

Be sure to follow @thattallguy on Twitter – he doesn’t miss a thing!

Consider a Digg: 3 Tips for Buying Social Media Attention

Tilsons get Canned – 800lbs of fruit in an apartment (with video)

My friends and eco-health-lifestyle-advocates Justin and Lisa were featured on Food TV on a massive canning project.

As described in Preserving Summer: Preparing for an Uncertain Future, they canned 800 lbs of fruits in their apartment with a little help from friends. They are both really solid, confident and natural in this video clip and clearly have a great time manifesting their life together.

You may recall my podcast about Justin’s (successful) project to give away 10,000 cedar seedings and Lisa’s great coverage for happyfrog calling the “green” event at BC Place on their green-washing.

Adopt Justin’s Cedars – Urban Vancouver podcast #3

Be sure to follow along at their blog as these talented folks doing it proper in their quest to develop an intentional community.

Finally, here’s their motivations for epic project:

1. Preserve enough staple fruits and veggies to make it through to next season
2. Eat local, healthy, organic food that directly supports local farmers
3. Develop skills that make us increasingly self-reliant
4. Develop a deeper sensitivity to the seasons and the availability of local food
5. Have an abundant supply of food in case we have to weather any supply problems
6. Challenge ourselves
7. Save $$$
8. Have fun
9. Inspire change
10. Have an abundance of goods to give away during the Christmas season
11. Have a stash to trade with other canners.
12. Prepare for the inevitable demise of global agribusiness and the reverting to localized food systems as result of peak oil

Vancouver Sun article about fan-centric MovieSet action (cross-post)

Note: Cross posted from: Vancouver Sun Article helps spread the fan-centric MovieSet Vision

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Gillian Shaw of the Vancouver Sun newspaper shared the MovieSet story with her readers in an article called “Online and on the set” on June 9, 2009.

The article ran as a full page on the Entertainment section and you can explore two versions online in both the Technology and Entertainment sections. The print edition includes a screenshot of the Behind the Scenes vidcast show with Shaun and Eric, while the online version features a video with Director of Fan Communities Dave Olson giving a tour of MovieSet.com (including Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus).

The article kicks off by asking: Care to wander onto the set of a movie shoot, chat with the actors, see the inside story on the stunts?

Well, do you?

This kind of set access has been the goal of MovieSet CEO Colleen Nystedt since 2005 and she continues to educate and push her industry forward with the belief that there is a universal interest in how movies are made and that the action on-set is something fans care about. MovieSet seeks to satisfy that hunger by delivering value to both the film industry, with the suite of production tools, and to all passionate movie fans, by providing exclusive access to great content.

{snip}

The article quotes the erstwhile leader of the “social media renegades,” Dave Olson, who relates the focus on fan participation as the key to traffic growth and enthusiasm for the site, using our recent Death Warrior campaign as an example (links added):

For small very specialized films, such as Death Warrior, a mixed martial arts film that included livestream video among its offerings for fans, Movieset allowed it to find a core audience that shared a passion for the action film.

“We found out where fans of that genre hang out, we communicated with them in their language and we invited them to take part,” said Olson. “We even gave away the bloody sweatshirt that Georges St-Pierre was killed in to a fan at the end of it.”

Finally, Ms. Shaw’s article outlines some of the other tactics we’ve used to bring movie fans behind the scenes and a call to action for movie makers of all kinds ~ from indies to majors ~ to hop aboard the MovieSet cluetrain:

“The site’s front page is refreshed daily and we’re outreaching to fans through Twitter, a Facebook trivia application and a behind-the-scenes vid cast,” said Olson.

While it still goes against the grain to loosen their grip on content, traditional studios are stepping aboard.

“Studios one by one are starting to realize there is some value here,” said Olson. “They see it is a conversation that is going on and it will go on without them.

“They are saying ‘we should start to participate whether we want to or not.’”

Dave Olson gives a tour of MovieSet.com

Indeed, there are now excellent examples which demonstrate the power of MovieSet’s two-headed monster. Cast and Crew members are employing our tools to streamline their daily workflow, they deliver content directly to their movies page including still photos, videos, news, or blog posts.

Once uploaded, the rich content gives the social media conversationalists an opportunity to reach out to an engaged community of fans interested in the film. Fans then become active contributors by following, supporting and commenting throughout each phase of production. And so on, and so on …

Read the full article: Online and on the set by Gillian Shaw (@gillianshaw on Twitter) in the Vancouver Sun, June 9, 2009 – please consider leaving a comment or sharing with your movie fan and filmmaker friends.

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Online and on the set Attached as .pdf

Business in Vancouver tells the True North Media House story

From Business in Vancouver on, Friday, 12 June 2009 in 2010 Gold Rush by Bob Mackin, comes a  discussion about the True North Media House including quotes from Kris Krug and comments about the “Open Letters to VANOC” i published via Raincity Studios in November 2008.

Posted here for archival purposes. Grab Print version as needed.

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Countdown: 35 weeks until the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

VANOC slow to get into new media game

Kris Krug is among a small group of Vancouver new media trailblazers aiming to revolutionize how the Olympic Games are covered in this wild Web 2.0 world.

They have devised the True North Media House, and they say it will also be strong and free.

It’s going to be a Downtown Eastside-based alternative for outlets big and small that don’t qualify to be inside the fence at the main media centre in the Vancouver Convention Centre or in the non-accredited provincial facility at Robson Square.

“With the explosive growth of online journalism, citizen journalism and new forms of journalism, we’re going to have huge demand for the services we’re offering there,” Krug said.

The concept was borne out of meetings last fall among disaffected members of the local new media community. Early on, VANOC was wide-eyed about the new media. Krug and others briefed VANOC executives and staff on a new media day back in 2005. But as the Games approached, things changed.

I remember Krug sitting crestfallen outside the Pan Pacific Hotel last November, ruing the fact that VANOC didn’t let him join in the world press briefing. That week, his Raincity Studios’ colleague Dave Olson extended a hand with his famous “Hello VANOC, we’re nice, local and invite you for a coffee and a talk” open letter.

Any VANOC forays into the virtual world have been on the coattails of telecommunications sponsor Bell. The Cultural Olympiad’s intriguing Canada CODE digital collage is the best example. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are used by many individuals at VANOC, but not VANOC itself.

The reluctance apparently comes from top-down. The IOC has tiptoed around the Internet, not fully embracing the new media. To its credit, it opened its own YouTube channel during the Beijing Games while liberalizing its rules to allow athlete blogs. Krug said the IOC’s top Canadian, Dick Pound, told him that the Internet is the second-biggest threat to the Olympics movement, after performance-enhancing drugs.

“They haven’t figured out how to harness the Internet, so they view it as a cannibalization of their broadcast revenues,” he said. “By not figuring out ways to engage the media, particularly the new media, they’re missing out on a whole generation.”

So Krug is intent on showing the IOC the potential.

“We have lots of people who are stoked abut it. You might have a Swedish ski blogger, and we’ll have the Christians blogging about Christians in the Olympics,” he said. “We’ll have other people who are probably anti-Olympics there, too. It’s like a big house, and everyone’s welcome in. It’s about open access for all these locked out, independent new media.”

Letters from Russia preso video from Northern Voice

Bruce Sharpe (who co-created an essential bit of software for audio production called Levelator and is an all around nice guy) shepherded a project to crowd-source and prepare quality video of Northern Voice 09 including Letters from Russia.

Here’s Bruce’s intro the Letters from Russia post at 25 Hour Day:

Dave Olson talks about the sources of inspiration, the creative process and publishing your work in this lively mixed-media presentation. Watch this and you’ll understand why Dave has been dubbed a “local cultural artifact”. From Northern Voice 2009. Note: Contains adult language.

For more about the spiel and project, visit: Letters from Russia Recap from Northern Voice 09

And from @brucesharpe on Twitter:

Uncle Weed is in fine form as he illuminates the creative process behind Letters from Russia. From #northernvoice09

He and others – including my buddy Dale – made sure to mic up the presenters and set up a good angle for the shots. As the guy on the other end of the lens, i truly appreciate their work to provide a cool artifact from the preso (although i must admit my shock at seeing my decreasing hair follicles!) – my Mom will likely enjoy it as well ;-).

Canucks Outsider in L’Express du Pacifique talking fan culture

A few weeks back i was interviewed by Camille Pesnel, a reporter from France working for L’Express du Pacifique. L’Express is a French language newspaper here in Vancouver and Ms. Pesnel interviewed me about Canucks history and fan culture. I think – while the interview is in French, i spoke in English and don’t know what the article says. Someone want to do a translation?

The article also includes comments from Jamie Olivier from the Canucks Fanzone and  Richard Loat of The Crazy Canucks Facebook group. A few days later, Ms. Pesnel and I shot some cheesy pose photos of me at Burrard St. Stn Skytrain in front of a Canucks Fanzone ad  – for more photos of the ads, check out the Crazy Canucks Flickr group.

Here’s the cover of the L’express du Pacifique issue #24 (.pdf) and article “Fans sur la toile” (.pdf).

“Rolling to the End of the Line” Transit mixed-media essay on the Buzzer

As part of Translink (the greater Vancouver area transit authority)’s “I Love Transit” week, i was invited by Jhenifer Pabliano to contribute an article about why i love transit. I assembled a mixed-media package to tell my story a few different ways – words, photos, poems, twitters and a podcast (some video coming soon for extra fun).

Here it is for your convenience, here’s: I Love Transit Week essay: Dave Olson

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For I Love Transit Week, I’m happy to share a contribution from Dave Olson, who is a prolific and talented local writer, podcaster, poet, Canucks superfan, and much more. You can find all of his work at uncleweed.net — and here’s some direct links to his blog, notebook, Twitter, and three podcasts: Postcard from Gravelly Beach, Choogle On, and Canucks Outsider.

So without further ado, here is “Rolling to the End of the Line,” an essay about transit by Dave Thorvald Olson.

Escape

Dave’s 4th Grade Sciene Fair Exhibit

Brother Bob and I would mimic the airhorns on the way to elementary school – same as we’d do for truckers and fire trucks, pulling the string down, hoping the bus driver would notice and honk. Seemed like a blast to me, tooling along in those big buses, filled with interesting people coming and going. I’d trace routes around Vancouver maps, then memorized provinces, states and countries – imagining myself at the wheel of some kind of bus. My 4th grade science fair exhibit extolled the wonders of Trolley Transit, complete with the proposed ALRT route traced off in felt pen on a GVRD map plus a stack of Buzzers to give away.

Later, transit became my escape. In the early 80s Vancouver was growing up – so much newness everywhere it seemed, except in my neighbourhood. So buddy Brad and I would skip out errr … wait until after … school and hop the 312 or 316. We’d roll down Kingsway, over an hour all told, to tromp down Granville to Odyssey Imports for records or Black Market for t-shirts. Then maybe skateboard over to that crazy new domed stadium place and hang out on the steps, trying to imagine would Vancouver would look like in 20 years. Then warm up in the law courts or the Vancouver Art Gallery before hopping a bus back home to the ‘burbs.

Exploration

My forays stretched later into night and ventured further afield – wherever there was an all-ages punk show or a sweet girl with busy parents, I’d find a bus route – navigating to shows at the York Theater on Commercial Drive or tracking down some old church or community hall on some route I’d never heard of charted out in a battered paper schedule. I remember missing the last bus to Surrey from downtown and hoofing all the way down Hastings to the PNE to catch another – a long walk in the cold Chuck Taylors before ending up at Whalley Exchange in the wee hours.

Dave’s beloved VW Microbus

In 1986, Vancouver changed. A lot. The SkyTrain (or Airbus as I preferred) was running for a few years to New West. We’d hop a #319 and whisk downtown on the ALRT in 22 scant minutes for the barrage of international events in shiny teal buildings. Suddenly Vancouver was modern and everyone came to watch. I’d seen most all of Vancouver from Ambleside to Crescent Beach by then, so I got my own bus – a VW camper bus – and set off travelling.

Creation

Twenty-two countries later and countless bus, trains, trolley and trams rides later, I returned and moved high up Lynn Valley – “Just ride the 210 ‘til the driver turns off the engine,” are the instructions to visiting friends. Living on the Baden-Powell trail also means I ride transit – a lot. Currently to Kitsilano – that’s two bridges of patience. But now, I am more prepared – I strap on oversized headphones, grab iPhone for live Twitter updates, snacks in pocket, and travel mug with tasty bevvie. Importantly, a Moleskine notebook, inky pens and an audio recorder in my lunch sack allow me use transit as a creative space.

The Crazy Canucks podcast crew, on the back of a bus! (Dave

Creation works best aboard the Seabus – the views stunning, you always get a seat, and if you are waiting, its your fault as the Seabus boasts punctuality the Germans would envy – indeed, “Otto and the Beav” rarely stumble whither windstorms or traffic jams (digression: i was hoping for “Sockeye” rather than “Breeze” for the third vessel’s name).

On my commute and weekend excursions, I mix up the routes for exploration and documenting the curious. I look to old-timers who rode routes toting heavy film cameras just to document the ordinary goings-on on 1930s Vancouver for inspiration. What I see goes into notebooks, snapshots, video clips and audio podcasts – sometime in the back seat recording a Canucks Outsider podcast, riding the SkyTrain end to end for a Choogle on podcast or documenting the SeaBus on Car-free day. Maybe writing freeverse and Twitter updates describing the scenes of life from the transit journey then co-mingling the spectacular and mundane of metropolitan Vangroovy into literary dim sum.

I love you, you’re perfect, now change

change my route to think about the neighbourhoods March 30, 2007 – Dave Olsoni change my route from time to time to think about the neighbourhoods switched Cambie 15 for Main Number 3 or Fraser if i don’t mind cutting across Kingsway skirted schoolgirls Xavier-bound headphones, sweaters in rows downtown exchanges spake in broken halts sometime gleaming often rain occasionally sleet, hail or ice Here are two more transit poems from Dave: The Ferry Changes Tack, and Waiting Only Twice a Day

Aboard these cooperative transport pods are keys to a civil society – you mingle with strangers, you guess their stories, you accidentally eavesdrop on conversations, or hope for the character who amuses you to come on board. Tolerance and translucency abound onboard. For me, I roll with a load of billeted foreign exchange student chattering away in Portuguese, Japanese or practicing English. You begin to notice the same people and sometimes recognize your bus buddies at a store or a bar as “ahhh it’s that guy from the 228″. At least I do.

I tell myself I am helping reduce greenhouse gases and getting one more car of the road, but it ain’t always easy keeping it that way. Like any relationship, me and transit have rifts and differences – ask me about my issues another time. Despite my policy conundrums, I ride because efficient transportation is key to a pleasing living experience for more of us. So the escape, exploration, creative space, collective experience and chance encounters still get me running down the block – with a warm beverage, giant headphones and notebook – to hop aboard, flash my two-zone pass, and say “hello” to the driver while heading for the good seat in the back.