Anexperimentalviralvlog: The Movie Remix (Video 2016) Poster

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Communication is more about the way something is communicated, than what is being communicated
hlc-cicff13 November 2017
As an artist, do you experience for the sake of experimenting, or do you experiment for the sake of experiencing? And considering the massive scope, the art of being an artist has, who says you can't do both? By experimenting you experience new things and by experiencing new things you become able to experiment in new and different ways.

"Anexperimentalviralvlog" by the Lisbon-based director and artist Vasco Diogo is a remix, combination or maybe even a movie inside a movie. It explores the vastness of human communication and the ever so thin line between the artist and the viewer. Because indeed; to understand the full scope of a certain film, the viewers need to be artists. Actually, sometimes that only suffices to understand the starting point of artist's creative trail. In the end, the viewers are left in disappointment because they know they will never be able to find out what lies beyond the starting point.

And that's exactly why we need clear communication. If we ever hope to find out what lies in the deepest corners of other people's minds, we need communication. Vasco Diogo explores the process of communication through monotone and lifeless phrases; almost like mantras. This approach makes it clear that communication is more about the way something is communicated, than what is being communicated. Because if you say something in a monotone and lifeless way, how can you ever hope for someone to experience your message? No matter how many times you repeat it, the only response you can hope to receive is the one of a deaf and cold wall.

On the other hand, a clear and meaningful presentation creates a bridge between the artist and the viewer. And by crossing the bridge, the audience doesn't have to try to understand the message; they simply do understand. You don't have to explain what your art is about if it's clear and meaningful, they simply will. I challenge you to observe the correlation between a quality art piece and the length of its description. It can be any piece of art, and it can come in any form. Let me know what your observations are.

And that's what you'll feel if you watch Diogo's "Anexperimentalviralvlog". There's no story, and there are even no actors. The only thing that reminds the audience that this is a piece of filmmaking is the fact it uses a visual medium to present its message. And this is something you need to do if you want to get to the core of any form of art. You need to strip down all the layers until there's only the last layer left. The layer that truly defines what something is; and for filmmaking that's the visual medium.

With everything said, what's the point of communication? Even with this film review? Exploring the message and the reasons for the message can be fun, but if we're completely honest, most of the time it's boring as hell. What's the point of exploring, experimenting, and experiencing if we don't know what we're trying to explore, experience, or experiment? And I'm not talking on the general level, but knowing what you're aiming for on that foundational level, where there's nothing left to remove.

"Anexperimentalviralvlog" asks these questions, and you as the viewer might get surprised if you ask them as well.

Antonio Rozich/Cult Critic/CICFF
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7/10
A unique experimental short film that makes the audience feel trapped inside someone's head and emotions
ishortsawards21 March 2018
As a reflection on identity and other cultural and social standards, the Portuguese artist Vasco Diogo combines 15 vlog episodes originally posted on YouTube into a unique experimental short film that explores various editing and sound mixing techniques. Anexperimentalviralvlog - the movie remix # ! is an artistic statement whose effects cause a sensation of dream logic, or perhaps even a nightmare, that makes the audience feel trapped inside someone's head and emotions.

The sound mixing in the short film is extraordinary. The robotic voices and constant echoes create an uneasy atmosphere. At some point, there are juxtapositions of the voice and it becomes hard to understand what is being said. However, it is not necessary to understand. With this piece, Diogo makes the viewers feel and reflect not only on what is being shown on screen but on their minds as well. In fact, the robotic voices create a state of meditation and a stronger experience that goes beyond the screen.

As the title says, this is an experimental vlog and it is hard not to compare it with the new Internet trend - YouTube vlogs. Most YouTubers "vlog" their day and post it online, inviting the viewers to their daily lives. Usually, YouTubers talk to the camera as if they were talking with someone specific - as if the viewer was living the moment with them. In Diogo's vlog, there is a moment where he looks directly at the camera and repeats, "I'm talking with you," reminding the so-called vlogs. Indeed, Diogo also invites the viewer to see something. Instead of following Diogo's life, it follows the mind, and it is an invitation to reflect along with him.

In addition to the level of meditation accomplished with this vlog, the choice to not have any other characters just exaggerates the lonely experience and relationship between the art piece and the viewer. It even creates a sense of proximity, impacting, even more, the experience.

Even though the "movie remix" are 15 different videos, the monotonous voice, echoes, and editing effects create uniformity and harmony between the different videos. It could easily be considered just a single video than 15 different ones. In fact, the techniques used in this vlog are what make it so unique. It explores how technology can be used to edit and manipulate videos and image, while the sound explores how this manipulation can also impact the way things are perceived and the sensations it can cause to the audience.

The entire vlog evolves a lot around manipulation, not only visual and auditory but also regarding feelings and emotions. Diogo creates a visually particular piece that during the 12 minutes, it makes the viewer wonder what kind of editing effect comes next and look forward to keeping being involved in Diogo's universe.

SE/Independent Shorts Awards
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