If every (person) had a (video) diary...

I really really enjoyed this week's theme of personal statements presented on video. Although I would classify myself as someone who prefers editting over actually taping, if I did make videos, this would be the medium that I would choose. If you have something to say, anything, you can say it and make a video that somebody somewhere can relate to. I just finished watching the Screen Dump V-Log festival videos on YouTube and thought they were all really fascinating. Some videos focused on events such as a train stop or a highway during rush hour, but others were just people talking about their lives. Or people representing something other than themselves and talking to the camera (i.e. sadlonelyanimeeye girl or whatever her name was). The one girl, lonelygirl15, had a bunch of posts about one of her friends coming to her play and one of her videos was just her, being excited about him coming to her play. Posts like that make a person think about are there really any limits on "art" or "video art?" Or is a "diary" on screen relevant enough to culture that we all leave with something more when we're done watching? Or is personal statements through video cultivating an entirely new facet of entertainment culture where just like online blogger and myspace captivated the technologically saavy, we're now speaking through video and posting for the world to see?

Regardless, I think this genre of video is the most relevant and accessible because we can all relate to it. As Lisa Steele was introducing the audience to her scars and defects, I couldn't help but think of my own. In Vito Acconci's piece, I felt like I was right there with him in his living room with his striped couch as he confided in me. And I think that's the desired effect of this kind of video and the magic that's contained within it.

Maybe sometime soon, I'll get around to making my own personal statement video because after watching not only the class screenings, but the YouTube videos, I realize that maybe I'm left out of a cultural phenomenon that could make my life a lot more interesting and most likely rewarding.