Alumni Update: Jason Rossi

SS: You're from Warwick but you came to RIC by way of Arizona. Briefly, how did you find your way into the Media Studies program?

JR: I came to RIC by way of Arizona, then Connecticut, then, to come full circle, back home to Rhode Island again. In Arizona, I was first introduced to digital media as a form of communication and expression when I had my first experience with Photoshop. I don't remember what version it was, but it was probably Photoshop 4 or 5. I was using an Apple G3 in the photo department of the independently run student paper at my school, Northern Arizona University, where I earned my bachelors in Photography. The paper was The Lumberjack, and we shot 35mm color and black and white film in those days, scanning the negatives into the computer as we prepared our images for publication. I was hooked by my first contact with Photoshop, I remember being in awe as I slid the color adjustment from red to cyan. That was my first photo adjustment ever.

Anyhow, that's where it started. Eventually, I went on to become a staff photographer at the Middletown Press in Connecticut, followed by some studio work and some wedding work in RI. Sure, I had been shooting digitally as a photojournalist, but after leaving photojournalism for a little while, I was provided an external view of the rapid changes that were shaking the industry. There was some relief that I no longer felt the pressure of working in an unstable, changing field- but I always stayed very interested in what was happening. Eventually, I realized that I still loved photojournalism, I was still very interested in digital media, and I was ready to make a move.

I opted to apply in the Media Studies program to augment my photojournalism background with advanced knowledge of new media. I've blended my RIC education with my photojournalism education and experience. Instead of stepping out of the journalism industry, I'm hoping to stay onboard to contribute to the ongoing changes. For now it feels right, and if I decide to take a detour from that path, it'd be great to use my Media Studies degree from RIC to open other doors.

SS: It's a little unusual, during a recession and what some consider the death rattle of print media, to have landed a job at a newspaper. How did you find the job? What hoops did you have to jump through to get it and what do you think of the current state of the newspaper business in America?

As a National Press Photographer Association member, I found the position in the NPPA job bank. Unfortunately, however, in support of your recession and “death rattle” mentions, I’ll add that the number of jobs posted there has been noticeably receding in recent years. In speaking with several editors and contacts throughout my search, many of them have made the same observation.

The job I now have was actually applied for via email, which is atypical. In their job posting, they provided an email address. Since I was already spending a lot of cash on sending packages, I opted to take them up on the email option. I sent my cover letter, résumé, list of references, and a .pdf slideshow version of my photojournalism portfolio. In the email, I also directed the employer to my website to view the After-Effects version of my portfolio as well as my other work.

Ok, now for the hoops... I had to drive out to Utica, NY, where the Observer-Dispatch, my current employer, is located and have a 2-day interview. They put me up in a hotel for a night for the process. I had to meet with several folks at the paper, including editors, reporters, the other staff photographer, and human resources. In addition, I had to shoot 2 test assignments for the paper. On the second day, they actually had me shoot a third assignment as well. After that, I waited for a few weeks until they called and offered the job.

The current state of the newspaper business in America? I’m not too sure about when everything might settle down, but I can say that many folks are nervous about their jobs. I’ve spoken with two different multi-media/photo editors at large, well-known papers in the recent past who were legitimately concerned about whether or not their jobs would disappear due to the current state of the business. One of them was, in fact, laid off shortly after I talked to him. Their photo department was also downsized. Many great veteran shooters have been losing their jobs, and they continue to do so. It’s sad and sobering.

Currently, I see the business end of print journalism trimming the fat and, like so many businesses these days, the workforce and product quality are suffering. I don’t think all is dismal, however. I actually apply a Darwinian view to the situation. I believe that those who have the creativity and wit to adapt will survive to become the new species of the digital landscape. I just hope it doesn’t become a homogenized, corporate formula that might compromise and water down the quality of the information that needs to keep flowing. I’m hoping and leaning on my Media Studies M.A. as a tool to help keep me in good standing through the changes.

SS: As a photojournalist now, you had many of the skills required for your job before you entered RIC. What did the Media Studies coursework add to your resume/skill set that informs your current work?

JR: Well, I’m hoping my Media Studies degree will provide an edge and advanced vision so I can contribute to the digital evolution the industry is undergoing, instead of being left behind in the wake of change.

I think the video components to the degree were absolutely essential. The theory/culture-based courses provided a great foundation as well. Overall, the entire program actually assists in my ability to contribute to some dialogue and conversations that I otherwise might not have previously weighed in on. As a networking professional, that is a definite plus. It also helped me to think in more analytical, observant ways while broadening my awareness of how we communicate in today’s society.

SS: I've heard more than one professor mention your thesis project. I know there's some documentation on your site but could you explain it for those of us who weren't present for its "premiere?"

JR: The project was a commentary on the ever-expanding amount of photographic content being uploaded to the Internet by amateur enthusiasts every day. It was a projection-based installation involving three projectors and it brought the viewer into the piece.

The project analyzed and organized the found photographic content by age group. I started with slow-motion video of a pregnant couple, shot in a style similar to a still portrait, and they were buried underneath an accumulating quilt-like stockpile of images I found online that were reflective of that particular age group. This correlating scenario was consistent throughout 8 different segments of a typical American’s life: pregnancy through senior citizen.

The viewer became part of the piece as their “digital reflection” was cast on the surface of a “digital reflecting pool” that stood on the floor before the imagery mentioned above. The reflecting pool was a large rectangle with a raging river projected on a white surface within. Viewers stood at its edge, under the glow from a photo umbrella, as their reflection was secretly cast from a camera embedded in the wall of the pool. I reversed the image of the viewer in the projector’s settings to make it appear as a true reflection. The reflection was projected on top of the other projection for the effect of it being cast onto the surface of the water.

As the river rushed from the viewers’ stand point toward the wall projection, I was trying to provoke self-reflection as almost everyone in one way or another is involved in the growing collection of photographic content online. Whether you were a direct contributor, an intentional or unintentional photo subject, or have viewed photos online, you’re involved. I was also interested in the nature of the content posted by each age group. I hoped that viewers would, in response, also contemplate their own experience of being born, living, and ultimately dying, in our culture. Hopefully it was successful in these goals!

SS: Every day, you probably have to compete with people who can capture compelling images with very little money, time or effort. I'm not trying to force you to brag about your photography, but I think people would like to know what separates your work from the amateur photographer who is simply in the right place at the right time.

JR: It’s true, I suppose photojournalists do have to compete with these folks now. It’s a muddy area. At my own paper and other news organizations all over the world, we’re all taking advantage of social networking to allow readers to contribute to news reporting. Sure, it might affect the job market to some degree, but it’s not all a bad thing. This whole industry is in a massive transitional period, and this is only one part of the evolution. I believe it empowers the ordinary citizen and increases our ability, as human beings, to witness so many important events that may have been otherwise missed.

Of course, a huge negative side effect that comes to mind is the desensitization of ordinary folks to serious situations. Instead of helping a fellow human being, many folks are now feeling compelled to take a photo or shoot video of the victims instead. This is a very dangerous trend. We really need to help one another, now more than ever. As photojournalists, it’s our job to cover these events so the world can hopefully learn from them. But if I’m ever the first on a scene and there’s no one else to help someone in dire need- I’d be a compassionate person first, photojournalist second. It’s our duty as people to help one another. I like to think that that’s what I’m doing in this profession. Helping.

I feel as if many news organizations value and understand the importance of having a staff of professional, seasoned “photojournalists” who can take on the constant challenges that inevitably come up. Fires, shootings, funerals, sports, war, and on and on…so many issues require consistently tactful thought, behavior, ethics, and accurate, responsible, unbiased information gathering. You also need to be able to adapt to an endlessly unpredictable variety of environments, lighting scenarios, stresses, and you even need to adapt the mundane. Some assignments are so stale or repetitive, that you need to tap into a constant reserve of creativity to try to find the freshest, most effective way to tell the story. The benefit of having a true photojournalist performing these tasks is that they’re consistent, passionate, reactive, and dedicated to the social responsibility that comes with being a journalist.

You can’t safely, consistently depend on folks with iPhones or hobby backpack digital SLRs to accurately and ethically tell the stories. So, there will probably always be a need for photojournalists. Much of it comes down to not only quality, but also to credibility. However, I’m curious to see how everything pans out over the next 10 years or so…

Steampunk

Hello! The RIC Media Studies Blog would like to offer you, the reader(s), our sincerest apologies for the long absence. This month, we bring you a brief chat with Bruce Rosenbaum of Massachusetts-based SteamPuffin who was generous enough to let us in on a few events in the area that will certainly be of interest to the RIC Media Studies community and beyond.


SS: What is Steampunk?
Steampunk can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people and is difficult to describe. However, my take on it is this: Steampunk is a re-imagining of two (or more) distinct time periods and the fanciful and functional inventions that are produced. For example, imagine (or re-imagine) if the Victorian or Industrial age happened at the same time as the modern or information age what would have been produced in inventions, innovations, gadgets, art, dress and jewelry.

What do Victorian or Industrial Age aesthetics have to offer modern technology and so-called "new media?"
In the age of sleek, modern design, anonymous technology and short shelf life, Steampunk creations provide us with a tangible way to 'feel' and experience the world around us more immediately. New technology and digital devices such as the iPad are not handmade and the typical user cannot figure out how it actually works (without voiding the warranty). It’s human nature to create, be entrepreneurial and figure out how things work. Just as small children need to touch everything around them to learn, we all like to know how an object works by picking it up and holding it in our hands.

SS: To the uninitiated, what are some obvious points of entry in film, music, theatre, visual art, etc.?
Books like Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1869) and H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine (1895). Georges Melies’ Trip to the Moon (1902) and his film version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1907). The Disney film version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea that won an Academy Award. Victorian science fantasy role-playing games such as Castle Frankenstein Final Fantasy IX, World of WarCraft and Bioshock and MYST. Authors such H.G. Wells, H. Rider Haggard, George Griffith, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Garrett P. Serviss, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain and Edgar Rice Burroughs along with inventors like Charles Babbage, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. Recent Authors such as K.W. Jeter, James Blaylock, Tim Powers, Cherie Priest, Christoper Priest and Michael Chabon. Recent movies such as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Wild Wild West and Sherlock Holmes.

SS: What is SteamPuffin?
Steampuffin offers unique ‘Steampunk’-inspired architectural salvage and antique items and modified Steampunk Victorian modern appliances and inventions to Steampunk enthusiasts, home restorers and designers around the world.

SS: Please tell me about the two exhibits you're involved with at the moment.
Steampuffin’s Steampunk Form & Function – An Exhibition of Innovation, Invention and Gadgetry brings together outstanding Steampunk design innovations, details the design process and promotes the role of the Steampunk designer/craftsman. Along with recycled items, all Steampunk design solutions are primarily built using authentic Victorian (1850s to early 1900s) objects, salvage items, clothing and antiques that incorporate modern technology and have specific functions for modern day, practical uses. Sponsored by, Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation (www.crmi.org), ModVic LLC (www.modvic.com) and Steampuffin (www.steampuffin.com), the selections in Steampuffin’s Annual Competition represents the best work across the world in creative Steampunk design for housing modern day technology and conveniences, as chosen by a distinguished jury of design peers. All Steampunk design projects, along with other examples of Steampunk art and design will be exhibited at the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation in Waltham MA from October 22, 2010 to May 10, 2011.

Nemo’s Steampunk Art & Invention Gallery curated by Steampuffin (www.steampuffin.com) and sponsored by 5 Wits (www.5-wits.com) have come to together to show you what kind of technology and art could have been on the Nautilus if Nemo was piloting his submarine today. The 1000-square-foot Nemo's Steampunk Art & Invention Gallery will feature primarily museum quality 3D artwork/inventions from 30 Steampunk artists across the country. The artwork will be for sale and can also be customized for clients. The Gallery will be open from February 12, 2011 (OPENING NIGHT) through May 30, 2011. Also it will be the premier of – 20,000 Leagues –the interactive walk-through adventure that will transport guests into fantastic worlds using Disney-caliber set design and special effects. Guests must work in groups to complete a series of puzzles, riddles and tasks. Each decision made by the group affects the storyline and outcome, making the experience different with each visit.There will also be live entertainment --The Gypsy Nomads and light refreshments. Award-winning Imperial Pizzas will be supplied by The British Beer Company and local, great tasting beer from sponsored by the Blue Hills Brewery.

Bruce also told us about some SteamPuffin projects in the works including an American drivable version of Dr Who’s Tardis, a mechanical potion making machine for the Official Witch Shop in Salem and the conversion of an 1894 firehouse into a Steampunk bar and tavern.

Alumni Update: Derek Dubois

The premiere of Derek Dubois' new film, The Kiss, opens an evening with the Ocean State Film Society this Wednesday in Alger 110. The RIC Media Studies Blog talked to Dubois as he was finishing the film.
SS: Tell me a little bit about your new film, The Kiss.

DD: The Kiss began as a short screenplay I wrote this past summer. The original inspiration came from a story on NPR’s This American Life in which a woman attempted to woo a man she’d never met by pretending they had known each other many, many years ago. I had written a script called Little White Lies but found that I couldn’t reconcile a decent climax to the material. So, nearly abandoning it entirely, I invested an afternoon trying to retool the idea and eventually came up with the film as it is now.

The Kiss tells the whimsical story of Olivia Adams, a female film student who has developed a mad crush on her nebbish professor. By casting him in her student film as (unbeknownst to him) her love interest, she aspires to generate sparks in reality. The final result doesn’t resemble the NPR story in the slightest but the shape and tone of it are there under the surface.

I’ve worked with a larger cast and crew on this film than ever before. We shot in real locations including a classroom at RIC and on the streets of Providence as well as designed and built proper sets.

SS: Some of the content of your site highlights your interest in the theoretical side of media and, more specifically, film. In what ways has your writing been informed directly by the RIC Media Studies coursework?

DD: I came up through RIC with an undergrad in Film Studies. My goal was always to pursue film further so I decided to go to grad school. At the time, I had quite a lot going on in my life with work, an upcoming wedding, etc. so I decided it would be easiest for me to simply continue at RIC. However, since RIC doesn’t have an M.A. in Film Studies, I hopped into Media Studies (which I’ve always held an interest in) and concentrated on film.

Through both my B.A. and M.A. I encountered tons of theory. I’ve found that the film program at RIC, unlike some other schools, is more organized around the principles of film analysis then filmmaking. Frankly, I find that far more interesting. To truly be a great filmmaker I believe that one needs to deconstruct films as well as examine how cinema functions within culture, ideology, society. That’s not to denigrate the importance of learning how to handle cameras, lighting, editing (RIC’s film program does have a wonderful workshop in filmmaking) but I think if you study enough film and you have the drive for it…the rest comes naturally.

Theory has a huge impact on my filmmaking. I tend to enjoy playing with genre conventions as well as placing my films (deliberately) under various theoretical lenses during the writing/shoot phase rather than just analyzing the text in such a way afterwards. That is, I try and construct my films in layers to be pulled apart and read by those familiar with theory.

For example: the last film I’d completed before working on The Kiss was a dramatic short entitled Curiosity Delay. Curiosity Delay focuses on a young woman in an abusive relationship who finds herself at a literal and metaphorical crossroads when her car breaks down on a road trip. During the writing of this film I’d been working for nearly a year on my Media Studies thesis, which focused on applications of feminist film theory. So few films rebel against the patriarchal order (in an entertaining way) and I wanted to give it a shot myself. So I wrote a film that centers on an active female character making a choice in which she rejects domesticity. I shot the film in such a way so as not to fetishize the female lead, not to eroticize her movements, and not to break her into pieces. I left the ending ambiguous so as to not force her back into domestic servitude at the end of the narrative. You can be the judge as to how successful I was in accomplishing these tasks and whether it’s even possible to shoot a feminist film in the system that was developed under patriarchy in the first place!

SS: You're currently a teacher here at RIC and you continue to write, produce and direct your own films. To what extent, if any, do you feel that theory and practice are at odds and even competing for your time and attention?

DD: When I was lucky enough to begin teaching at RIC I did not enter the task lightly. My extracurricular filming always comes second to my responsibilities to both RIC and, more importantly, my students. That said, per my earlier response, I don’t feel that theory and practice are at odds in my work. Rather, I feel that my theoretical base only enhances both my teaching and filmmaking abilities. That’s not to say every single film I write attempts to function within a theoretical framework! Sometimes for my own sanity (and the sake of the films) I need to ignore that [theoretical] half of my brain and focus on good storytelling. I find that immensely exciting too because then you can analyze your own work after the fact and try to see how this now autonomous being (independent from its creator once it enters society) reads as a text for analyzing…it’s an interesting form of therapy, of cracking open your own skull and seeing how your creative instincts cohere to, or rebel against, that which you’ve studied and whether this is due to, or regardless of, that knowledge….if that makes sense?

SS: Tell me a little bit about your early interest in Media and Film Studies.

DD: Funny enough when I began my college career it was in Computer Science. I’d never had a family that was really interested in the arts. I can’t remember my parents ever reading for pleasure, attending museums, even just walking the streets of a city to take in the sights and sounds. Therefore college was just something I had to do for a stable and fruitful future and that’s what I assumed Computer Science would offer. It wasn’t until I stumbled into Film Studies (through an elective course: Eng. 116) that I realized how in love with the humanities I really was. My interests do not simply extend to cinema but to literature, psychology, sociology, history, and art. For some reason though, and I can’t explain why, film had this crazy gravitational pull on me and ever since that 116 course (the course I teach today!) I’ve never looked back.

SS: Other than shopping your new screenplay, Old Town, what's next for you creatively?

DD: As I’ve noted ad-nauseam The Kiss is almost completed! I wrote it in June so now that we approach the end of the year it’s really exciting to be bringing this thing into fruition. I know that Woody Allen has stated he judges the success of his films by how close the end result meets the original feeling and tone he’d had in his head when writing his screenplay. I feel that with this film we haven’t had to sacrifice anything and I cannot wait to show it to the world. And, of course, by the world I mean the very small and local community…All kidding aside, The Kiss will be submitted to as many festivals as I can afford. As for what’s next? Well, while shooting The Kiss I wrote two new short screenplays: Murder My Sweet-Pea (a burlesque-musical-murder-mystery) and Fallout (a psychological horror film). The former seems a bit resource heavy right now but the latter will enter preproduction shortly after this picture is wrapped.

SS: Are you planning on more school? If so, whereabouts?

DD: I love teaching at the college level. More than anything I’ve ever done, it just feels right. But the time commitments are so intense for attaining Ph.Ds that I don’t find it conceivable for me to embark on that leg of a journey right now. I’ve just recently picked up teaching a second course at RWU. They currently don’t have a film program but wanted to add a history of film survey course to their art history program. I designed the course from the ground up and can’t wait to get started on that. That’s excitement enough for me at this time.

SS: In a blog post entitled "The Paradox of 'Making It'" you discuss the ever-moving goal post of your own aspirations. What does "making it" look like to you these days?

DD: The blog post I’d written entitled “Making It” was always a little bit tongue in cheek. I mean, ideally (in an If I Won the Lottery kind of way) I’d love to write and direct my own films at a comfortable indie level. I’d love to have the career of Paul Thomas Anderson (my favorite contemporary filmmaker) or Christopher Nolan in his Following days. Small movies that allow for more creative control because the financial burden is so limited is what appeals to me the most. I would love to sell a screenplay as well. I wrote a full length this summer that I think with some tweaking could be a real contender. However, it’s breaking through, developing contacts, etc. that proves to be the toughest. I don’t think I’d want the life of a writer though. I couldn’t bear to watch my kids raised by other parents if the metaphor makes sense. I’m an egomaniac when it comes to my artistic projects.

Going forward I’ll write and I’ll shoot. Other than that I’d love to keep a strong relationship with RIC as I try to lure those English 116 students into the Film Studies program full time.

Alumni Update: Ricardo Rebelo

Between teaching in Bristol and collecting awards for his Lizzie Borden documentary, Lizbeth: A Victorian Nightmare, Ricardo Rebelo set aside some time to answer a few questions about his career and his plans for the future. Lizbeth airs this weekend, on the 30^th and 31^st, on Rhode Island Public Television.

SS: Your film was your RIC Media Studies thesis but now, with PBS and festival screenings and awards from the Alliance for Community Media and the Rock and Shock Film Festival, it's taken on a life of it's own. When did the idea to make this film come to you?

RR: When I applied for grad school at Rhode Island College I knew I wanted to do something that I was passionate about for a project. I grew up in Fall River and have heard the tale of Lizzie Borden my entire life and felt strongly that there were aspects of the story that had not been covered. My hope was to look at her life and the fascination surrounding her as well as what she is as a pop culture icon. I knew that the story would be compelling and have very strong visual elements so I felt it would be a perfect fit for my project.

SS: The PBS promo for the film advertises "The Untold Story." Without giving too much away, what unique information do you think your film contributes to the Lizzie Borden narrative?

RR: Like I said before we look much more closely at her personal life as well as her family to get a better sense of Lizzie Borden as a person. You also get to delve into what I call "the culture of Lizzie Borden," which is this huge phenomenon which has grown around he mythology.

SS: When you entered the Media Studies program, how much did you already know about what you wanted to accomplish artistically and professionally? I know you're a teacher so I'm interested in hearing about your decision to explore production rather than theory for your thesis.

RR: I had worked in television for 20 years and taught for 3 years prior to beginning grad school but I felt that there were still aspects of my knowledge that needed work and I had never done a piece of work as polished as this documentary. Grad school also helped me better conceptualize the project and get some very good constructive criticism.

SS: In this Internet age of bottomless information about everything, it seems strange that a quick search of the name, "Lizzie Borden," leads mostly to camp, kitsch and a heavy metal band. Why do you suppose this is? Do you think the fact that Lizzie was female has anything to do with the silliness surrounding some of the historical treatment of the event?

RR: That is actually something we look at in great depth in the documentary. Lizzie means different things to different people. Her femininity is actually a large part of her fame. I feel that if a man had done the crime or in this case been accused of the crime that it would not have endured the test of time.

SS: What do you make of, Ghost Hunters (Sci-Fi) and MonsterQuest (History) and the idea that the Borden Bed & Breakfast/Museum in Fall River might be haunted? During the making of this film, did you have an opportunity to spend some time there?

RR: I am not a fan of the whole Ghost Hunter culture but it has definitely become a huge part of the mythology and the house itself. I have spent quite a bit of time in the house and as of yet not encountered anything Paranormal.

SS: What courses are you teaching Bristol Community College? Barack Obama recently called community colleges "one of America's best-kept secrets" and their instructors the "unsung heroes of American education." What do you make of the Obama administration's recent focus on community colleges?

RR: I teach Mass communications and digital film making, I feel that community colleges play an integral role in offering an opportunity of education for those students who are not ready or do not have the finances to go to a four year institution just yet. I am very happy that President Obama understands the value of community colleges and how they can help America going forward.

SS: How did you get into teaching and how has the RIC Media Studies M.A. helped you in that pursuit?

RR: I think like most teachers I always felt a desire to help others and empower them with knowledge, The Master's at Rhode Island College helped me become a more analytical thinker and not just a technician. I feel a masters degree affords one an opportunity to take a serious look at their discipline

SS: With the success of Lizbeth, do you think you'll continue to make documentaries? If so, what subjects are of current interest?

RR: I received a grant from the University of the Azores to do a documentary about Azorean immigrants of which I am one. This film is a very personal one for me as it allows me to look at my heritage. It is called Island of My Dreams. Once that is completed, I am doing a film based on a short story by Stephen King. I was able to obtain the rights from Mr. King this Spring and plan on shooting it next winter. It is a Sequel to the vampire novel Salem's Lot.

Women's Film Festival in October

Brown University is sponsoring a Women's Film Festival at the Cable Car Cinema this October 12-17. Admission is free, and the schedule includes a wide variety of films, from such early work as Lea Gunchi's 1913 Lea and the Ball of Wool and Alice Guy's La Glu (1907) through to Laura Mulvey's influential (but hard to find) Riddles of the Sphinx (1977). Contemporary women filmmakers will also be featured, including Samira Makmalbhaf, Sonya Goddy, Paige Sarlin, and Jocelyne Saab, an image from whose Kiss Me Not on the Eyes (2006) is shown above. There will also be a related symposium, at which some of the filmmakers, as well as Brown faculty and other film historians will be present; keep an eye on the site for details.

Set Yourself Free

On September 13, 2010, Britain’s Index on Censorship published Set Yourself Free, an essay written by Radiohead guitarist, Colin Greenwood. Regardless of one’s individual opinion of Radiohead’s music, the artists’ contributions, both theoretical and practical, to the potential of popular music’s present and future, cannot be overstated. The most obvious example of the latter, of course, is the release of their last proper full-length (CD, LP, album or your preferred proxy), In Rainbows. On October 10, 2007 Radiohead made In Rainbows available, initially in digital download format only, to the world. During that same year, having split from EMI, the label who released their first six full-lengths, the band successfully protected the unfinished work from significant leaks or other piracy. This, quite a feat in and of itself, combined with the complete absence of advance copies for radio stations, music publications and brick and mortar music retailers, would have certainly been news enough to the world of media culture and theory, if not for the mold-shattering sale price of “pay what you think it’s worth.”

While Radiohead were not the first group of artists to imagine a “download only” future in popular music, in could be argued that were, at the time, the highest profile act to ever take the idea past inception. Physical copies of In Rainbows were eventually issued but the initial release was available only as a download. However, it can be said confidently that the release’s “pay what you think it’s worth” price, an idea attributed by Greenwood to “a friend of our manager,” might be the more unique and revolutionary of these innovations. In some circles, it was imagined that Radiohead had perhaps found their model of choice. Though sales are hard to nail down for a release such as this one, and the band hasn’t released any data, it is said that Radiohead made around $10 million in initial sales (Wired). With sales like this — the band sold upwards of 25 million copies of their first six releases for EMI before the end of 2007 — why not continue with the In Rainbows model?

While Greenwood doesn’t give an answer in the Index essay, he states that the band has “started to think and talk about how” they will release these new recordings. The piece in its entirety can be found here. Again, regardless of how you feel about the band’s music, no other musical act has utilized the ever-expanding tools of new media to the extent that these artists have. For this reason alone, the release of Radiohead’s next full-length might be worth our attention.