I woke up this morning, and realised I'd been dreaming
in html. "Interesting", I thought, as I headed for the computer. "Now, what did that
site layout look like again?" When questioned by my flatmate as to what I was up to, I
told her about my dream. She just shook her head and said (and I quote) "You need to get
a life." Something I've found increasingly more annoying as each
news report goes out (and each comment about my work escapes my flatmate's lips), is the
media myth that the Internet is a damaging, socially unacceptable, unhealthy landscape. I happen to think that it's quite the opposite --
that it promotes creativity, original thinking and sharing of ideas. What about the
sites produced and maintained by artists, writers, filmmakers and other creative types?
The Internet is only a reflection of the "real" world. Doesn't the web have it's own
network of artisans and cultural contributors? Yes it does. Can't the Internet facilitate
artistic excellence in web site and graphic design? Yes it can. Would people have "tsk, tsked" Michelangelo when he
woke up from dreaming about a masterpiece in oils? Or if Mozart awakened with a symphony
in his head? Or if Einstein arose with the theory of relativity on the tip of his
tongue? Okay, so maybe some people did at the time, but my point is what is created on
the Internet now will hopefully be held up as examples of great imagination and useful
contribution to the world later. I'm not saying that I'm a Michelangelo or a Mozart,
and I'm definitely not an Einstein, but I like to think that I am developing interesting,
informative and creative places to visit in the virtual world. I'm a filmmaker as well
as a web designer, and I don't see that my work on the web is any different to my work
with celluloid. Both worlds exist outside the "real" one -- so why is one more
acceptable than the other in some people's eyes? Do I pick on my flatmate just because she's a
hairdresser? No, actually I don't. Even when she has pink hair. Get my point? Sally McLean is an independent film producer and
screenwriter, and the Creative Director of Australian independent film company,
Salmac Productions. As well as producing the films A Little Rain Must
Fall, Losing Heart and Forever for Salmac, and currently co-producing
the feature film Losing Heart with BOOMBA Productions, Sally also wrote and
co-produced the youth television magazine program, Streetworks, for MPTV, and Youth
On Radio for 3RPP-FM. After many years working in the media, she has now
extended her talents to web, graphic and CD-ROM design, specifically for the media and
entertainment industries. Internet Brothers thanks Sally and encourages you
to visit Salmac Productions, web home to this young
and energetic dynamo.
11th of August 2000
net.weblogs.com
...an experiment in freeform discourse
