loaf.

It's nearly 1:20 and I need to get up at 7:30, so I should probably go to bed. However, this has got to be one of the most charming short films I've ever seen, and I just had to share it. It's completely surreal (there is a monkey with a balloon for a head, for instance) but just go with it and it'll make a unique kind of sense.

Things like these are why independent art, and the general DIY (do it yourself, in terms of art and media) spirit is so important. This never would've been made by a Hollywood studio, because it is a labour of love. Movie studios, record companies, publishing houses--once these get too big, the profit motive tends to take over, as people with no real interest in the art form join up, or buy the company out. There is no (or very little) potential for moneymaking with this film. It's only 5 1/2 minutes long, and not exactly conventional. When someone is in the business of profit, then conventional is pretty much all they do.

6 of the 10 top grossing films of 2007 were sequels (Spider-Man 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Shrek 3, The Bourne Ultimatum, Harry Potter 5, National Treasure 2) and 3 were remakes (I Am Legend) or based off established franchises (Transformers, Alvin and the Chipmunks). Oh yeah, and the last, 300, was based on a graphic novel. That is to say, none of them were actually original ideas. No Country for Old Men, which won best picture at the Oscars, which must count at least for a bit, came in 37th.

Now, I don't have a problem with people going to see sequels or big budget movies. I saw 6 of the top 10 myself, though I only really considered 3 of those worth my money (hint: none of them were Spider-Man 3). You want to see Matt Damon drive along with copious amounts of shaky cam, that's fine, I do too. Plus, I realize that many people who work for large artistic companies do it because the love that art form. A guy like Steve Spielburg would probably be making movies even if he didn't have multi-million dollar budgets, and there are many recording engineers, book editors, and screenwriters who are just happy to do what they love, regardless of who they're working for.

That being said, the 5 1/2 minutes of Marvellous, Keen Lonny Bin were more entertaining that the combined 6 hours or so of those 3 bottom movies on my list. And I saw it for free on the internet, and if the woman who made it were a local filmmaker, it would've cost me 5 or 10 dollars at a film festival, as opposed to the nearly 35 it cost me to see the other 3. It was smarter, funnier, and generally more interesting than the messy, sprawling plots or big budget special effects of many Hollywood movies. It's because someone did it solely because she wanted to. We often hold the profit motive up as some kind of lofty ideal, but I'll take artistic drive any day if it produces results like this.

DIY media is about subverting the normal channels. In the face of mediocrity, most people simply just shrug and accept it. Others decide that they could do better, and then do it simply because they want to. Often they have day jobs due to such a small community, but still persist. A good example is the hardcore punk movement, which is strongly DIY. Often the concerts are in community halls, and the entrance fee is going completely towards the rental. 100 people showing up is considered a fairly large crowd, but I can guarantee that if even a handful are there, they will be far more enthusiastic and appreciative (in terms of thanking the bands and making touring artists feel welcome) than an arena full of of Britney Spears fans. After the show numerous people pitch in to help clean up, violence is rare to the point of nonexistence (compared to numerous fights and possible stabbings that happen at your average Motley Crue concert), and everyone works their hardest to help that community thrive. DIY is not only about the product, but also the audience and everyone getting along.

There are literally a few hundred thousand people across Canada involved in this process, and the more people that come to the fold by supporting independent music and movies, or even creating them, the more we'll see more amazing movies like this, and generally push along the quality of art in this country.

Wow, it's now 2. This was supposed to be a paragraph and a link. Oh well, it's important. Culture is where we spend the majority of our time, and shifting the focus of mainstream art towards independent media and away from the profit motive is a fundamental step in the road to a more egalitarian and just society.