Culture Hacking and Video Remixing: A Discussion with Jonathan McIntosh

Jonathan McIntosh is a pop culture hacker. His remixes and transforms fragments of mass media and pop culture to re-imagine alternative political, social and cultural narratives and stories. Most recently his remix video entitled "Buffy vs Edward: Twilight Remixed" went viral online, gathering over 2 million views on YouTube and blip.tv in only two months. You can see & read about more of Jonathan's work on his site at rebelliouspixels.com.

He will present two shorts. The first, BUFFY VS. EDWARD: TWILIGHT REMIXED (6:03) is a remixed narrative Edward Cullen from the Twilight Series meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer at Sunnydale High. It’s an example of transformative storytelling serving as a pro-feminist visual critique of Edward’s character and generally creepy behavior. Seen through Buffy’s eyes, some of the more sexist gender roles and patriarchal Hollywood themes embedded in the Twilight saga are exposed in hilarious ways. The second, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN BE PRESIDENT? (8:49 mins) is a re-imagined reality television show where candidates compete for American votes. Presidential hopefuls must present their positions on major issues in front of a live studio audience then face hard-hitting critiques from our panel of judges from the hit Fox show "So You Think You Can Dance". Viewers at home will delight in the spectacle as candidates Obama and McCain are challenged on their positions in ways never before seen in mainstream media.

There will be a Q&A about remixing mass media and hacking pop culture for political reasons after his presentation.