Jim Duffy and the Incredible Streaming Memorial

I'm not sure whether this post has anything to do with what we discuss as a class; at best, it's a stretch.  However, this is something close to me and I say that's good enough.

I learned of the passing of a friend and mentor last Saturday afternoon as the posts began popping up on an animation group page on Facebook of which I'm a member.  Jim Duffy, whom I worked with for several years at Hollywood animation studio Klasky Csupo, died of a prolonged illness at 74.  He was a great guy, hard working, good-natured (understatement), experienced and talented, kind and generous and willing to explain how to do it, witty, whip-smart.  If it wasn't for him and a number of artists and technicians who did not fit the stereotypical cut-throat entertainment industry jerks, I wouldn't know nothing about animation or storytelling.  Jim had a hand in the production of animation that anyone 45 and under grew up on, from happy little blue people to adventurous babies.  His passing shocked and saddened the animation community and I was really disappointed that I wouldn't be able to attend the memorial service in Los Angeles.  But there was a fix: his daughter, as equally amazing as her dad, sent me a link to a service that makes it possible to virtually attend funerals.

It sounds kind of crazy but why not, right? What if the funeral of the future included the option of remote viewing and combined that with interactive postings of readings, images, or eulogies to be shared with the attendees?  What if--thanks to internet technology--this wasn't in the future but actually happening now? You can't always hop on a plane and fly thousands of miles to pay your last respects to your dearly departed but you can always open the stream to the memorial service thanks to Event by Wire.  By no means am I trying to pitch them but I really am delighted that they exist.  You can send flowers to the family and even sign the guest book.  I realized that this isn't too far from our discussion about podcasting and streaming with live chat updates.  In addition to facilitating memorial streaming they can also create an online video tribute that can be updated and downloaded for DVD burning.

Bringing this back to our podcast and streaming conversation, this implementation of technology to fill needs is not only innovative, it's inevitable.  Whereas before, when our involvement with the news or radio shows was only as an audience member or occasional call-in listener we are now participants in all of these events.  It's almost as if the spotlight that once only shined on the stage has been replaced by lights that can be directed throughout the theater and at any time any one of use can be in that spotlight. I think this will have a profound effect on global cultures since, as participants, we are imbued with responsibility for the content of programs; apathy and powerlessness has to dissipate.