(via claytoncubitt)

Nice article by Alex Leavitt (mentioned here before) relating to the potential value and archival possibilities of ARGs (alternative reality games); an often key part of television promotion/online content provision.  He discusses the demarcation relating to the purposes of these properties, between promotion, grassroots fan-work and education, whilst also pondering the intended (and potential) shelf-life for these narrative-extending creations (and how the importance of this is perceived by both its creators and users).

New exhibit at the Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery featuring Mark Ryden, Greg “Craola” Simkins, Dave Kinsey, Ron English, Gary Baseman, Luke Cheuh, Camille Rose Garcia and a Buff Monster installation = my attendance on the opening day.  DREAMY.

Extremely interesting Kickstarter project, initially brought to my attention via Wired.  Essentially created in reaction to Facebook’s increasingly disturbing privacy policies/commercialist bent, it will operate as a personalised social networking hub, where individual users control their own spaces (an evolution of Ning perhaps?).  Despite this amusing Oatmeal post relating to the explosion of sites that all perform similar functions and are only differentiated by their names, this development is a relief and perhaps part of the cycle that sees social networking sites supplanted by newer, better or shinier models after a few years (See also: Friendster, Faceparty, Myspace).

D-Pad Hero = Guitar Hero being fed through the chiptune/homebrew software scene and dusted with some 8-bit spackle.  This is the direction the franchise should have gone in.  OH WELL.

(Found via Boing Boing)

(Skins: Love Me Back by Dark Persian on DA)

Because I’m a sucker for Skins and romance.  But mostly Skins.  Yes.

(Above: Casual Fridays by TV Carnage)

Not Coming to a Theatre Near You has a very interesting piece that outlines the history/origin of the original, pre-internet (read: Youtube) video mash-ups/video mixtapes (they list some of the most important/notorious here), which seemingly delighted in collating televisual detritus together to form surreal, obscene, often unwatchable and occasionally amusing “experiences” that both mocked television, and paid homage to its excesses.

(Via Laughing Squid)

Intriguing (if somewhat self-explanatory) premise behind 48 Hour Magazine - essentially what equates to flash-mob journalism.  A deadline is announced, a theme for the magazine is set, submissions are taken in and the scribblings are published (hard copy) all within the course of a two day period. 

Nice to see that somebody is endeavouring to combine the instantaneousness/spontaneity/collaborative elements of the web/new media with old media’s love of physical artifacts.  As with all things media though, the quality of the content and design will be key in producing something memorable and that extends beyond a mere gimmick or unwieldy hybrid.  Given the quality of some of the contributors though, it looks promising.

Gloriously 50’s noir-style promo for Fringe’s upcoming musical episode “Brown Betty” (not the first time the show has ventured into retro territory this season.  See also: the 80’s graphics within the opening credits for “Peter”).

Only just noticed this article at io9, that highlights the forthcoming “slate” of commissioned programming for Cartoon Network.  One thing: when did CN start growing some balls and producing worthwhile, interesting and edgy/surreal animation again (and why now)?  To go along with the pre-existing Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Adventure Time, we have Secret Mountain Fort Awesome (by Pete Browngardt, looking like a toned-down Ugly Americans), Sym-Bionic Titan (by Genndy Tartakovsky of Samurai Jack fame), Regular Show (looking like the kind of bad acid-trip content featured on Adult Swim) and Robotomy (aka. “The Bender-from-Futurama-as-a-angsty-teen show”).  Oh, and Young Justice (aka. “Teen Titans: the new batch”).  Nice.