Master the Video Art of Cracking People Up

Dan Murphy reinvented the political cartoon for The Province newspaper by adding sound and animation that sent his jibes rocketing around the Web. The wildly popular result was sort of like Monty Python takes on political culture, week in and week out poking wicked fun at just about every power that be in B.C. and beyond. Until, ahem, The Province and Murphy parted ways a few months ago.

Now you can learn directly from Dan Murphy how to piece together your own simple but high impact viral videos, in the Tyee Master Class he's co-teaching with Kai Nagata this weekend, June 1 and 2 (more about that further down).

Murphy being Murphy, he threw together the hilarious teaser for the class you can view at the top of this story. Don't miss giving it a look!

Last week we talked to Kai Nagata about the increasing ease and power of do-it-yourself viral videos. You can read that interview here. This week we posed a few questions to Dan:

You mix a lot of damn funny jokes with devastating critique. What's the power of humour?

"Usually heads of government want to look serious. There's a whole pomp industry within governments working to make that happen. And I think all that often springs from insecurity, because from their side of it some of them have to know they're only in control because they're the best con man in a pack of con men.

"So seriousness is part of their armour. Refusing to take them serious, lampooning them, robs them of some of their power."

Tell us about one of your more successfully viral vids.

"I did one that put a bunch of federal ministers on the covers of swimsuit issues of concocted magazines -- it was done around Sports Illustrated's swimsuit season -- and it was all graphics and music and gentle transitions. That one's powerful for me because it still makes me crack up. And it includes Rob Nicholson in a Speedo."

Do you think this medium is becoming more important to the way we carry on our democratic conversation?

"Yeah, it's a nice quick way to turn a government promo, political or corporate advert from word-from-on-high into a dialogue. It's like Moses comes down with the tablets and, instead of just saying okay, we send him back up with our own tablet of demands and conditions.

"And it can be as simple as taking one of their ads and switching their narration with your own. When you can subvert their message by means of their message -- well, along with being effective, it must drive them nuts."

Hurry and register

There are still a few seats left for the Kai and Dan show this weekend. By the time you are done you'll have made some great creative friends, enjoyed excellent food and wine and, oh yes, you'll go home having produced a short video.

Along the way, as the class information page explains, "In this two-day hands-on video workshop, you'll become equipped with techniques to make your visual content move through the often-thick molasses of the Internet. Whether you've got a political message to advocate, a creative skill to promote or a cause you need people to back, Nagata will lead you through the unpredictable world of online video distribution, from slick (but cheap!) production to stellar editing to social sharing. Murphy will address the lure of the non-slick, creative borrowing, letting cartoons do the heavy lifting and animation-free animations."

So you don't have to be an aspiring filmmaker to belong in this class. Everyone from fundraisers, to organizers to public relations pros and punk musicians are good fits. Bring "ideas, pitches, half-finished projects. We'll workshop ideas as a group, consult on real projects you've been working on.... As for equipment, bring any laptops, software, gear you have -- or just yourself. We'll be forming groups and peer mentoring. Your software is less important than your story."

For more information on "Guerrilla Video Production", including how to register, click here.