On Cultural Authority

story © Michael Betancourt | published April 14, 2015 | permalink |  |  

“Cultural authority” seems a nebulous concept. At the same time it is easily understood—we recognize it immediately when reading the program for any festival, screening, exhibition—even though the force it exerts remains hidden within the curatorial choices on display—as the specific form these choices present.

read more

story © Michael Betancourt | published April 12, 2015 | permalink |  |  

This article is a revision of my article from Vague Terrain published several years ago.

The technical capabilities of computer technology obscure the nexus of capital, human agency, social reproduction, and physical production; thus, the denial of physicality that is specific to the aura of the digital, and apparent in the evolution from hand-labor to the automation characteristic of ‘digital capitalism,’ is inherent in how this technology has been deployed. The nineteenth century “protestant work ethic” is the conceptual starting point for this development, merging the ‘ideology of autonomous achievement’ with digital technology to create a new ‘ideology of automation.’

read more

story © Michael Betancourt | published April 11, 2015 | permalink |  |  

The 10th Anniversay book from the Experiments in Cinema festival Un-Dependently Yours: Imagining a World Beyond the Red Carpet is out.

read more

story © Michael Betancourt | published April 9, 2015 | permalink |  |  

My new book that explains the basics of what research is for and how to use it when writing critical examinations of motion pictures that do not tell stories. Explained using clear examples taken from published writing, this book shows how to approach a writing assignment from beginning to completion, covering such topics as "The Purpose of Research," "How to Create and Use a Close Reading," "The Relationship Between Writing and Revision," and "Common Problems and Their Solutions." This book is an essential guide for any student writing about motion graphics. The process it presents has one simple goal: writing clearly for publication.

story © Michael Betancourt | published April 7, 2015 | permalink |  |  

forward reverse read write: conjectures about the animal

Victoria Theatre
4pm
$5 - $10

In Person: Michael Betancourt; Karissa Hahn; Jeremy Moss and Deborah Stratman

read more