Reed Kavner

"The passion for digital storytelling among young students today is there, and growing. As..."

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:36:15 -0700

“The passion for digital storytelling among young students today is there, and growing. As journalists, we should be thrilled not only by that, but also by the fact that children today are embracing primary sources. It’s not enough for them to hear or read about someone doing something. They want to go on YouTube, or Facebook, or the Web, and see it for themselves. They want to see the original video, a copy of the original e-mail, or of the original text message. They’re natural reporters!”

- Kids and digital storytelling: Who will teach them? (via schlomo)

This is a great piece. It describes the natural inclination to tell stories and affinity for technology that we’re trying to foster in some of California’s most under-served student populations at the Media Center for Art, Education, and Technology.

mikehudack: viiv: I’m amused. Me too. It’s nice to have real...

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:06:27 -0700

mikehudack:

viiv:

I’m amused.

Me too. It’s nice to have real people in the White House.

The “obscure” comic strip from the “early...

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:38:47 -0700

The “obscure” comic strip from the “early 1960s” that Mad Men is “based on.”

They do sell it pretty well. Three more at Vanity Fair.

Vulture ran a great interview with Community star (and former 30...

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:59:00 -0700

Vulture ran a great interview with Community star (and former 30 Rock writer) Donald Glover about the new album from his rapping alter ego, Childish Gambino.

From the last track on the album, “The Last”:

This next part sounds like nonsense
But I swear to God Tina Fey gave me confidence
Taught me everything good comes from honesty
Everybody’s got a voice, you just gotta follow it
She on her role model shit
From the day that I shook her hand
I knew that I’d never die a broke man
So I could try this rappin’ shit out again
The game need change, I’m a part of it
People tell me I should spit under Donald Glover
But I try to keep my real name undercover
Cause if you hear my name, then you think it’s jokes…
I rap about my life not “I’m on a boat”
‘Cause this joke rap shit’s gotten outta hand
Only one’s who do it well is Lonely Island

So, yeah, this ain’t joke rap. But he does manage to slip in a few other comedy references, including how he “makes paper like Dunder Mifflin” and how the audiences at his “shows are more mixed than Rasida Jones.”

It’s good, brainy rap and it’s free to download at http://www.culdesac-album.com/

Not likely when embedding is disabled. Collegehumor’s...

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:57:10 -0700

Not likely when embedding is disabled.

Collegehumor’s “You Became a Meme”

Weekend farmers market dish: Iacopi Farms English shelling peas...

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:08:00 -0700

Weekend farmers market dish:

Iacopi Farms English shelling peas and Achadinha Cheese Company feta with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper.

caitlinhill: Vincent Laforet

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 09:12:10 -0700

caitlinhill:

Vincent Laforet

BYU students take a page from the W+K Old Spice playbook to...

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:02:58 -0700

BYU students take a page from the W+K Old Spice playbook to promote their library.

Nice work, Harold B. Lee Library Multimedia Lab.

Showing my 97-year-old aunt her house on Google Streetview on an...

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 21:47:19 -0700

Showing my 97-year-old aunt her house on Google Streetview on an iPad.

Party Down: Some Amateur Accounting

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:03:00 -0700

“Party Down” got canceled yesterday and that’s a huge bummer for me and at least 17 other people.

In July of 2008, I was working on a piece for Tilzy.tv (now Tubefilter) about the economics of “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” and I reached out to Rob Thomas, creator and executive producer of the also canceled-too-soon “Veronica Mars” (and subsequently of “Party Down”) for comments. His response wasn’t really relevant to the post I was writing (which I never finished), but it’s interesting, if a little sad, to read now:

As we speak, I’m downloading Dr. Horrible. I’m curious about how it turned out.

I suspect that Joss has the resources to back this sort of venture that I don’t have. I’ll be curious to see whether he’s able to make money doing it.

I did just shoot a self-financed half-hour comedy [Party Down] in my house. I made it for $150,000, but everyone was doing it at “favor rate.” We’ve put together the numbers, and it would cost $500,000 in real wages if it were to go to series. At the $150,000 cost per episode, I might be tempted to make episodes and sell them on iTunes. At a half-million, the risk is too great, and I simply don’t have the resources to be my own studio. (And, incidentally, those figures are with me making zero dollars.)

We have a cable network offer to put ten episodes on the air, though there are a few more hurdles to cross.

Even if 1) Thomas had been able to sustainably produce “Party Down” at $150k/episode and 2) the 74,000 people (according to Nielsen) who watched it on TV, plus another 25,000 (unfounded assumption) Netflix streaming viewers each payed $1.99 for each episode on iTunes… that’s only $199,000 gross. If iTunes takes 30%, now we’re at $139,000…

A Soup ‘R Crackers franchise would be a better investment.

So, lesson learned (again). Next time an awesome show hits the air (or the web for that matter) let’s not wait ‘till it gets canceled to start evangelizing, k?

awesomeosity: This is just wonderful. Ukelele Orchestra cover...

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:36:59 -0700

awesomeosity:

This is just wonderful.

Ukelele Orchestra cover of “Teenage Dirtbag”

Lady Gaga performs a “You and I,” which she calls a...

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:25:15 -0700

Lady Gaga performs a “You and I,” which she calls a “rock and roll tune, which means it will most likely never get used as one of my singles.” It would be very cool if she started a parallel career, a parallel identity, recording and touring with this kind of material.

Now I get it. It’s really, really fun to do....

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:31:27 -0700

Now I get it. It’s really, really fun to do. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Pandora’s Tim Westergren on Colbert 6/23. Word has it...

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:46:02 -0700

Pandora’s Tim Westergren on Colbert 6/23. Word has it he’ll be on Charlie Rose next week.

tanya77: Chipotle Restaurants turning your junk mail into...

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:57:32 -0700

tanya77:

Chipotle Restaurants turning your junk mail into lunches for kids.

The program –- called “No Junk” –- encourages people to forward their spam to nojunk@chipotlejunk.com. For every 100,000 messages received at that address, Chipotle plans to donate $10,000 to The Lunch Box, a non-profit organization that provides resources to schools to help them make their food programs healthier. (via)

I guess then they have your e-mail address for future blasts——

Sounds worth it to me.

maxsilvestri: I am once again recapping the new season of Top...

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:00:37 -0700

maxsilvestri:

I am once again recapping the new season of Top Chef for Eater. Check it out if you like reality cooking shows!

yourmonkeycalled: Really, Supercuts? A “great idea”? Reminds me...

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:44:36 -0700

yourmonkeycalled:

Really, Supercuts?

A “great idea”?

Reminds me of another great moment in social media marketing.

This is, for them, almost as embarrassing as a Supercuts haircut I got once.

15 Things Larry King Doesn't Know

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:20:11 -0700

15 Things Larry King Doesn't Know:

thedeadline:

mattchew03:

I emailed Matt yesterday and basically forced him to do some sort of list featuring Larry King’s tweets, and this is what he came up with.

I couldn’t be happier.

Best thing I’ve read today.

Magnificent.

I watched season one of Royal Pains. It was fun. But this promo...

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 09:11:40 -0700

I watched season one of Royal Pains. It was fun. But this promo is truly spectacular and deserves multiple viewings.

lizlet:

headphonesnotrequired:

ubiquitousamericana:

I hadn’t ever seen Royal Pains until the other day. It’s because this is the best commercial for a TV show in the history of ever.

I watched season 1 of Royal Pains and really enjoyed it — and I’m really looking forward this new season.

Mostly, though, this was a mandatory reblog because this IS the best commercial for a TV show ever. No, seriously. This is epic.

What is this feeling inside me? Oh, I think it’s JOY. WTF, rapping Campbell Scott?!?

Thomas Kinkade was arrested for suspected DUI in Carmel. I...

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 22:52:56 -0700

Thomas Kinkade was arrested for suspected DUI in Carmel. I cannot wait for this to show up in the Pine Cone’s Police Log.