I recently helped the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) re-dub Royal Bank of Canada’s new Olympic Flame Trail commercial. The new and improved voiceover better represents the bank’s dirty investments: since 2007, RBC has given about $17 billion dollars in loans to companies operating in the Alberta tar sands – more than any other bank. Not only is it one of the most environmentally destructive energy projects on the planet but expansion of the tar sands is trampling the rights of Indigenous peoples, destroying North American water systems and significantly increasing Canada’s carbon emissions.

Category: tv commercial
Topic Tags: advertising, banks, corporations, energy, environment, identity correction, oil

This remix is somewhat unique because it comes to us from a non-profit organization rather than from an individual artist. The speeches, press conferences, news clips and ads of US political figures, both left and right, are edited to make an official event trailer for Power Shift 09 and their lobby day on March 2nd. The video also represents an example of how political remix video is being used to harness real, on-the-ground grassroots action for policy change. It’s exciting to see organizations using appropriated footage in their campaign videos. It wasn’t too long ago when the fear of using such copyrighted material kept most non-profits from making interesting remixed media. Hopefully the fair-use trend will continue and encourage others to transform corporate media into tools of social change.

The Power Shift 09 website says they “will bring 10,000 young people to Washington to hold our elected officials accountable for rebuilding our economy and reclaiming our future through bold climate and clean energy policy”. The organization advocates for green jobs and investments in solar and wind energy rather than the polluting and dangerous options of oil, coal or nuclear. The event is happening from FEB 27th to MAR 2nd. You can also see their other event promos on the Power Shift youtube channel and regester for the event here. I might just have to find my way to DC myself for this one!

Category: political speech
Topic Tags: activism, al gore, energy, environment, government, mccain, obama, ralph nader, schwarzenegger

A political mash-up video combing McCain, Bush and Obama speeches on energy policy created by the stimulator over at submedia. The video shows all three politicians saying exactly the same positive things about polluting, dangerous and unworkable energy alternatives. Basically all the US presidential candidates have been “drinking the Kool-ad” on nuclear, ethanol and the ridiculous lie of “clean-coal”.

You can also see and remix this video on RemixAmerica.org, a project which invites you to make your own remixes right on their website.

Category: short film
Topic Tags: bush, coal, energy, environment, mccain, obama, oil