ALL YOUR NORTH COAST ENTERTAINMENT | LIVE MUSIC...P40 | CULTURE...P43 | CINEMA...P44 | GIG GUIDE...P45
ISSUE# 33.13
SEVEN ENTERTAINMENT
SEPTEMBER 5 – 11, 2018 Editor : Mandy Nolan Editorial/gigs : gigs@echo.net.au Copy deadline: 5pm each Friday Advertising : adcopy@echo.net.au P : 02 6684 1777 W : echo.net.au/entertainment
W HA A T IS TH H E PR R IC C E OF INT T ERN N ET T FAME? THIS IS THE Q UEE S TIO O N ASKED D BY AW W A RDW IN N NING G T HEAT T R E SH H OW VIR R A L. IT T ’S THE ST T ORY Y OFF A RT T AND ZA A NE, T WO O BOY Y S W HO T RY Y TO G ET M O R E PO O PULA A R A T S C HOO O L AN N D M AKEE M ON N EY BY U SING G SO O CIALL MEDII A. H AY Y DEN JO O NES A ND S AM FOSS T ER R A RE T HE P ERFO O RM M ER R S W HO O TELL L TH H E ST T ORY Y. S AM M SPO O KEE W ITH THEE ECH H O A B O UT THE IDEE AS B EHIND D T H IS A WA A RD-W W INN N IN N G SHO OW. What does it mean to go viral? How does it happen? A viral video is a clip that becomes popular online through sharing, mainly on social media sites. As recently as 2011 a video could be considered ‘viral’ if it hit a million views; however, these days it’s more like five million views, over a short time (3–7 days) to be considered ‘viral’. It happens through online videos being shared, reposted and tagged on sites. Mainstream media our now using social media and user uploaded footage to fill their news content. This adds to the spreading of these clips and increases their popularity; it can also provide revenue for the original creator of the clip as they will often be paid for the use of the footage. How important are social media in young people’s lives? Social media are a central part of any young person, or in fact persons of any ages these days. The value and focus we place on the phenomenon can vary depending our values, upbringing, or sense of self-confidence. I think for many young people these days it’s just a way to stay connected to your friends and the world around you. I don’t think many people stop to question how we use or engage with social media. I guess that’s one of the main reasons we made this show. We want people of all ages to reflect on the way we use technology and social media for both positive connection and negative or malicious outcomes. What was the inspiration for creating Viral? How did you work the story up? The starting point for the show was the story of the old fella on the Gold Coast bus who got bashed by two young girls. The attack was filmed by a 13-year-old passenger and the footage was posted to YouTube; as a result the perpetrators were tracked down and charged. We are based on the Gold Coast so this story was of particular interest to us. It touched on a number of issues and we originally planned to make a whole show based on this event. As we started researching we realised it was not an isolated incident and there were hundreds of examples of horrific events captured on phone cameras and posted on the internet. In some cases the fact that the footage was shared on
the internet had a positive outcome but in other cases it was more harmful than good and only caused more pain and suffering for the people involved. As we looked at all these different examples we became fascinated with the idea of our social responsibility, morals, and ethics in how we engage with and use social media. How do you weave the narrative through the story? The central narrative of the show is of two mates, Art and Zane, who want to start their own YouTube channel in an attempt to be more popular at school. As they scroll through the internet looking at different clips in an attempt to get inspiration for their channel they realise that ‘shock value’ is often an effective way to gain popularity. The show explores these different stories, but continues to return to the boys as their own moral codes come into question. The show follows their story, their friendship, their questionable actions, and the repercussions of their choices. What aren’t we prepared for with social media? I don’t think we are fully prepared for the impact social media will have on how news is shared
and reported. They are already the main way in which we hear about breaking news stories but I think that brings up a lot of potential issues in terms of credibility. Everyone has a soapbox to stand on now and can say whatever they want and it can be taken as fact. It’s not; it’s only opinion, and there is a very big difference, but I don’t think people really stop to think about that. They just say, ‘I read this thing online that said…’ I think it can be quite dangerous and the more information that we have access to the harder it can be to find truth in that. What should we expect for your show in Lismore? Viral is thought provoking, dynamic and entertaining. It’s a show that asks some important questions about society and our humanity. It’s suitable for teenagers and adults alike as this is an issue that we are all grappling with at the moment in our modern world. Wednesday at Lismore City Hall for NORPA. Tix are $25–36. 7.30pm. Bookings at www. norpa.org.au.
GETTING LUCKY: A PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION BY DAN CORDERO Daniel Cordero is a Byron-based, Los Angelesborn photographer. Inspired by the beauty of Byron Bay, Dan began to explore the creative potential of landscape photography. Dan is a lover of natural beauty and his works are on show in his new exhibition. Dan’s pathway to photography is not what you’d expect. It was his career in the US Navy that got him started. ‘As a helicopter search-and-rescue swimmer part of my job was to fly around and take photos during our various missions. I loved playing around with cameras but it wasn’t until a few years later that it became a hobby, a lifestyle, and then a career. After the navy I decided to chase my dreams in becoming an artist and study music. I studied at SAE Hollywood and graduated with straight As. After graduating my diploma course I took a scholarship to finish my Bachelor degree in Australia.’ Dan has now lived in Australia for four years and he credits it as being one of the best decisions of his life. ‘I hit the jackpot moving here. It was everything I hoped for and more. When I got here I explored the rainforests, waterfalls, and beaches. Life is so vibrant here. Byron is a direct contrast from the lifestyle that I was used to.’ That became the impetus for Dan to take photos: so he could share the experience with his friends and family back home. ‘It was fun sharing what I was experiencing here,’ says Dan. ‘I had fun taking photos with my phone but I quickly grew out of it and wanted to see what I could capture with a real camera.’ It wasn’t long before Dan found himself the proud owner of a DSLR. ‘I became obsessed,’ he says, ‘and haven’t stopped taking photos. Photography is something I see myself doing for the rest of my life. I love it so much I’m pretty much married to it now.’ It’s clear from Dan’s body of work that he spends a lot of time photographing nature, and sometimes things just line up perfectly or sometimes an animal pops by to say Hi. You get lucky sometimes!’ Dan’s work is on show at the Byron Brewery with an exhibition opening on Friday at 7pm. Dan’s mates Fergo and the Burden and Blac Karnivale will be providing live music on the night. All welcome!
coming soon WED 5 JAZZ IN THE RESTAURANT, MATTY ROGER THU 6 FRIEND ZONE SAT 8 STAINED DAISIES, PEACH FUR, THIS FRIDAY GARAGE SALES, GARDEN PSYCHEDELIC POR SUN 9 HOBO PONCHOS CRUMPETS, ELIZA N THE DELUSIONALS& MON 10 OLI FALCOR SQUIDLICKERS TUES 11 MARSHALL OKELL
13 SEP THE SWAMPS 14 SEP MINI SKIRT 15 SEP THE VIOLENT MONKS 21 SEP JACK TULLY & THE SEERS 22 SEP NICE BISCUIT 28 SEP CARAVANA SUN 29 SEP COCO REPUBLIC
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The Byron Shire Echo September 5, 2018 39