Happy Decade everybody!

 

Well, technically it’s not really a new decade. The new decade is supposed to be starting on the 1st of January 2011. Year One, plus 2010 or so years since the last time a man who could walk on water was allegedly born. There is no such thing as “Year Zero”.

“Ground Zero” maybe, but that’s only a remnant of what was perhaps the single most influencial event of the ending decade. Which ends here after all, since the turn of a whole new millenium was officially celebrated exactly ten years ago. So, maybe it wouldn’t be such a great idea to prolong the time-span of the ’00s for an eleventh year. Enough is enough.

And in other words:

Best wishes to everybody for a happy new year!

And also for an even happier new decade, whenever you feel like it to start.

 

Brave New Media

During this year’s IDFA, there were endless discussions going on about the invasion of the so-called New Media in the realm of documentary filmmaking. Cross media platforms, interactive content, digital rights, viral broadcasting and many even stranger geek terms have been lobbying all over the Rembrandtplein venues, demanding to be permanently incorporated in the dictionary of film financing. They claim they represent the shape of things to come. They claim to be the future. To a certain extent, they are probably right. However, the gurus and experts promoting this brave new world usually avoid mentioning that most of them still haven’t got a clue how to make any real money out of all this.