Vidcon 2012

We just got back from Vidcon and I found it to be such an inspiring experience that I wanted to share it with you.

Vidcon 2012 Photobooth - Lan Bui, Lauren Haroutunian, Elle, and Joe

Elle spoke on a cinematography panel:

Answering questions with co-panelists Jared Hoy, Joe Nation (JoeNationTV), and Lan Bui (The Bui Brothers).

To a full room:

I went to NFFTY 2012 not long ago, and the quality of the work created by people under 20 blew my mind. At Vidcon I got a chance to hear about how many independent content creators are making their living and I think I walked away with a better understanding of the scale of this. The thing that was really great for me to see was the community they have created there. Most cons I go to seem like many dis-engaged individuals who come together to understand or celebrate a specific subject. Here, because of the nature of youtube, people felt more connected. There was one moment, during the Vidcon concert on the last day, when the Gregory Brothers played their “Double Rainbow Song” that everyone around me pulled out their phones(including me) to capture the moment. There was something that felt momentous about the occasion. I’ve seen a lot of Double Rainbow parodies, but this one felt sincere. The moment had moved past an internet meme to become something else, something kinda beautiful…

I’m very interested in the future of how we merge movies, VOD, and youtube to make something amazing for independent filmmakers and audiences that are interested in things maybe a little bit outside of the mainstream. I know that it has something to do with community and the sense that we have moved beyond the joke, beyond the parody. I don’t know what it is I experienced at Vidcon yet, but I think it’s a piece of that puzzle.

We were honored that Elle got to speak on a cinematography panel and I hope next year we can be more involved, I highly recommend attending if you are interested in this format.

- Joseph Rubinstein