In order to make a difference in the world, one does not have to work at a non-profit organization.That?s what Stephen Marshall, founder of the Guerilla News Network, told students on Dec. 2 when he came to speak as part of End Transmission, the three day media event that also included the Renegade Art Project and the Lost Film Festival.
GNN?s Web site features many of the videos that the company has created over the course of the four years since it was launched. During the approximately two-hour presentation, Marshall talked about the history of the site. He started with the first video they did for AdRock, which featured a Ralph Nader speech with a musical backing.
The site started by having 300 hits a day, but has since grown and now has 200,000 hits per day. Marshall stated that the core audience for the site is 70 percent male and “political junkies who want more than the evening news.”
Many of the videos on the Web site use interviews and clips that they got directly from television. A question was asked as to whether there was any kind of copyright issues with using the images.
Marshall explained about the fair use clause that allowed for political statements and parody.
However, he said if some did have a problem with the use of their images he wouldn?t be affected by a lawsuit.”They?d help us more than they?d hurt us,” he said, before adding. “[I tell] young filmmakers to steal as much as you can.”
GNN has also expanded from just being a Web site. In 2001 Marshall won an award at the Sundance Film Festival for directing the short documentary, “Crack the CIA.” They haveprogressed into working with other musicians and have even helped Eminem with two of his most controversial videos, “White America” and “Mosh.” “White America” was an interesting experience for Marshall. He had to produce a treatment for the video without knowing what the song was about, which song it was or even seeing the lyrics. All he knew was that the record label had a small budget for the video. The video was created and instantly created an outcry and was banned from TV.
“[The video] was banned from the mainstream media because they said it was exploiting Columbine,” Marshall explained. Marshall didn?t agree; however, he does admit to exploiting Eminem. “We exploited Eminem as a way to get our message out.”
More recently, GNN has just finished making a feature film, entitled “This Revolution,” starring Rosario Dawson. It was shot in New York this summer during the Republican National Convention. The film will be premiering at the Sundance Film Festival next month.