Video-a-Go-Go: The local video roundup

When it comes to capturing local culture on video, it’s hard to find a more dedicated effort than that of AskAsheville. Here’s their first-person take on Downtown After 5, also presented by AskAsheville. It’s not quite as good as actually being there, of course, but it’s still a nice glimpse at the event.

Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre is on the business of presenting new, innovative forms of dance and movement theater to local audiences. But it’s hard to expose someone to new ideas if they’ve already decided dance just isn’t their thing, perhaps because they went to a ballet once and it was boring. To reach those people, you’ve got to give them a little taste of what they’re missing. Like this video does, for instance.

Last week, we brought you the Skylab Group’s four-hour practice video they created in advance of their first contribution to Asheville’s 48 Hour Film Project. That event now behind us, it’s only fitting that we show you what that practice helped to create. In following the rules of the 48 Hour Film project, they had to work in a character (Lefty or Leanne Lobber, a ball player), a prop (glue) and a line of dialogue (“I wish I had an answer for you”). Their randomly determined genre was “horror.” Allow me to present “The School.”

Other local 48 Hour films include “Wicket Intentions”, “Stuck”, “That’s The Junk” and “The Ball Player”.

The local-food movement has been getting a lot of attention of late, largely because of the many environmental and economic benefits. But what about local volunteer gardening as a means to support local nonprofits? That’s just the idea that the ABCCM’s Victory Garden at The Vets Quarters on Tunnel Road is exploring.

Next, we have something that’s just perfect for people who like to go to parties, sit in the corner and stare and not listen to any of the conversation, but who, for some reason, never get invited to parties anymore. It’s a time-lapse video of a party presented by doubleeeeeee. It’s like going to a whole party in less time than it takes to watch three commercials! And if that’s not enough, you can even check out another video capturing the later hours of the party.

Let’s end on a song, shall we? Here’s UNC-Asheville’s all-female a cappella group All Girl Staff performing a medley of Sara Bareilles’ “Love Song,” Pink’s “Who Knew” and M.I.A.‘s “Paper Planes” at their spring concert.

Of course, this is a mere handful of the dozens of interesting local videos uploaded just this week to YouTube, and a mere fraction of the Asheville-related videos available on the internet. Did we miss a particularly interesting, recently uploaded local video? Share it by leaving the videos URL (but not the embed code) in the comment fields below. Also, please mark it Not Work Safe if there’s any controversial content to the video.

— Steve Shanafelt