Educational Media Reviews Online

Produced by Ben Sheppee who was also responsible for the Lightrhythm Visuals Notations series, this compilation of various styles and experiments in media and techniques by illustrator/VJ/fashion designer Shantell Martin is essentially a portfolio of some of the work Martin has produced. But because it has Sheppee’s producer’s mark on it, the DVD also contains unnecessary remixes of her work. Sheppee is consumed with the notion of work sharing, uploading, downloading and transforming existing work. It is certainly a legitimate concern of contemporary culture and this remix process worked successfully in the sort of planned and curated environment that was Notations, but it adds nothing to highlight Shantell Martin’s work on this disc even though she had been included on Notations 02 with a remix. In fact, many of the remixes on this DVD exude a kind of formulaic and facile standard of image manipulation that suggests the abuse of prepackaged software application processes rather than creativity. These derivative remixes could easily have been reduced in number and included as a small aside in a Bonus Features section. Such is not the case however with the original work produced by Shantell Martin and her concerns are prominently showcased in her most notable piece called Koob’s.

“Koob’s” is a reverse spelling of the word “books.” Martin plays around with the notion of back “words” and back “wards” in terms if the notion of reversing. The video interlaces people walking backwards and forwards within the same frame as well as words spelled in reverse. Movements, the passage of time, and the changing populated urban landscape are all subject to scrutiny in this thought-provoking video. The all-too-brief interview with Shantell Martin touches on her description of herself and her work and helps to shed light on her approach to creativity. This DVD is recommended for showcasing Martin’s work only and would be most appropriate for academic areas in design arts.