Today desires are often confused with needs. As a result, we in the so-called highly developed countries cause ourselves unnecessary unhappiness by holding ourselves up to increasingly higher standards. These standards often seem inescapable, yet a thoughtful and deeper look would immediately identify them as mostly virtual. In what brand <are you?>, reconnoitering happiness, I explore personal happiness in today???s consumer society and our emotional relationship with objects, through an experimental documentary. This hybrid documentary uses classic elements of the interview driven genre such as contrasting vox pop with professional interviews to produce the story. At the same time it incorporates an aesthetic that crosses broadcast journalism and MTV music videos. By using this fast paced digital aesthetic based in motion-graphics, coupled with split as well as multiple screens, I reference the hyper-reality created by advertising and bestowed upon brands. In my video I raise, and sometimes provoke, questions such as: What is our 'brand' as people? Are we too, objects that can and should be branded? How do we feel about that? Why do we attach ourselves so strongly to certain things or brands? Do we believe it will make us happy? Where does happiness exist for us? What does happiness mean today on a personal level and in broader terms? what brand <are you?> is a moving portrait of today, whose value lies in the questions raised???prompting the viewer to reflect their significance on a personal level???and the meaning that can arise from the contemplation of their answers.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/258763 |
| Date | January 2005 |
| Creators | Bodzick, Marlo, Art, College of Fine Arts, UNSW |
| Publisher | Awarded by:University of New South Wales. Art |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | Copyright Marlo Bodzick, http://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/copyright |
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