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Voting Schmoting (4:50)
Chris Metzler + Josh Kurz - San Francisco, CA
An artistic and impressionistic pictorial of an unordinary life in an ordinary environment.
For many years, economists have thought about the logic of voting and many have concluded, why bother? At the heart of this story is one of the world's greatest living economists, Public Choice theorist, Gordon Tullock.
This loveable curmudgeon just doesn't believe a rational person would vote - and vote Tullock does not. At the same time he believes that democracy is the best form of government. How can it be then, that voting, the very thing without which there would be no democracy, is merely an irrational exercise to him?
So, what is behind Tullock's thinking? Through pixilated animations, arcane historical footage, and disembodied interviews, this piece puts into pictures, the reasoning in Tullock's mind. The point at which the sheer mathematics of rational abstention meets real life, is where this surreal tale begins.
This 3-minute piece explores the public choice branch of economics that focuses on the choices that people make in the political marketplace. But more importantly, it'll be an offbeat portrait of this unknown man and his breakdown of why it makes sense that people decide not to vote.
By utilizing a fresh and unseen approach to documentary we will provide a brief, but substantive depiction of the surreal in an ordinary environment. Following in the tradition of the Errol Morris documentary - "Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control" and Todd Haynes' "Superstar," but with a stylized aesthetic similar to Terry Gilliam's "Monty Python" animations, this project will be based around faux-cinema verite technique alongside strong visuals. Going beyond just a sociological investigation, the film will be characterized by a funny and intriguing human pictorial of Gordon Tullock, fully realized by interweaving historical footage, interviews, pixilated animations, and personal observations. One big collage with a keen eye and an unexpected point-of-view.
TILAPIA FILM consists of filmmakers, Chris Metzler and Josh Kurz who in traveling the USA, are attempting to capture the unseen corners of America. Exploring what others have determined to be failures and finding out what happens when they’re wrong.
Chris Metzler - (co-director)
After graduating from USC with a degree in business and cinema, Chris’ film career has taken him from the depths of agency work, to coordinating post-production for awful American movies seen late at night in Belgium. His film directing and producing work has resulted in frequent partnerships with Jeff Springer, where together they've criss-crossed the country with the aid of caffeinated beverages and made their way in the Nashville country and Christian music video industries, before finally forsaking their souls to commercial LA rock n’ roll. These misadventures eventually culminated in their winning a Billboard Magazine Music Video Award. Chris recently completed traveling the film festival and theatrical circuit promoting his John Waters’ narrated documentary, PLAGUES & PLEASURES ON THE SALTON SEA, which premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival and later won both the HBO Producer’s Award and the Robert Altman Award.
He now finds himself pursuing docs on gay truckers, evangelical Christian backpackers, and the Black punk band, Fishbone.
Josh Kurz - (co-director)
Josh Kurz was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. His attempts at an early age to fuse the abstract concepts of comedy and science through home video led to many nights filming in the basement.
Eventually this passion drew him out to sunny California where he became educated at USC Film School. However, living in the City of Angels for four long years without a car turned out to be hell. Soon after graduation, with a longing for the subway and tired of perpetual sunshine, Josh returned to New York and began directing offbeat interstitial segments for Comedy Central, ABC, Fox, and Noggin. The segments ranged from an explanation of cloning using large balls of Jell-O to an infomercial that explained how the ancient pyramids were built. Determined to reinvent children’s television programming, he has returned to the West Coast (with car) and currently lives in the megalopolis that he now loves, Los Angeles.
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Comments
voting
Sometimes, i feel like sticking my tongue out too. We are a weary nation.
election 2008
This is clearly a nationwide problem. look at the candidates that we have to pick from in this election! There must be millions of Gordons in this country and we need to look at the reason why especially when people have been jailed for their right to vote and worse.
Unexpected Cinema
Informative and entertaining. Lighthearted information on a heavy subject. Enjoyed the editing style.
apathy
apathy is the core issue of voting and elections and prevents a true picture as far as the subject of electionis concerned, voting schmoting has my vote
why and why not? is the question that can be carried thru every election on every level worldwide
film flow
Great concept and implementation of the ideas being conveyed.
Tulock's Fantasy
Gordon Tullock's attitude confirms my suspicion about bean counters in American Industry. The video really demonstrates a hidden message about the importance of doing something for the greater good whether it be the simple act of one person, one vote for democracy or one good deed for for the benefit of mankind. With Tullock's reasoning, why do a good deed for one person when waiting until one good deed benefits mankind. Bean counters, bah humbug! Good job.
Tullock's Fantasy
Great Video! Great Subject! Great Treatment!
Great Message! Best reason I have ever seen to exercise your priviledge.
Tullock assumes that If everyone thought like him and didn't vote, he wouldn't have to deal with the divsion factor. Wrong! He wouldn't have total control of the election outcome for the simple reason, there would not be an election. He would be living in an oligarchy.
If everyone could see this video, I'm sure they would think twice about their role in an election.
Tullock was apparently to busy crunching numbers to witness the 2000 election coverage.
Had he watched, he would have realized that it was a squeeker. Only a few folks got to decide the outcome.
Gordon Tullock's mockery of our voting priviledge, and those that gave their lives to protect it, is dishonorable, cruel, and selfish.
So much for Economics!