Just found out that our surreal musical web TV show and web comic Odd Noggin Land won 2009 Best of NH: Web Series. Congrats to the cast and crew! A new episode should be up next week. In the meantime, ketchup with old episodes!

Here is the video I created to convince Ford to lend me the car:

And here is Scott Monty, Ford’s head of Social Media, breaking down the parameters of the Fiesta Movement (in an interview by Center Networks):

“They are New Hampshire Media Makers: bloggers, film enthusiasts, web designers, writers, directors, producers, cartoonists, businesspeople, YouTubers — artists who represent every face of new media. And, hosted by fellow artist-of-all-trades John Herman, they meet at Crackskulls, a Newmarket coffee shop, to share, learn and collaborate.”

Julia really captured the essence of the meeting and what we are trying to accomplish. Our next gathering is September 14th! Check out photos, videos, and more in the meeting reports at http://nhmediamakers.wordpress.com

Today there is an update in The Spotlight about Gravityland! The column is aptly named “Gossip: What’s new with John Herman today?” I must say it was a little surreal happening upon it. Yes, this IS what is new with me today. I like that I sound a little bit like the Robin Hood of New Media.

John Herman and his band of merry men and womenfolk are at it again. This time he and collaborators are working on “Gravityland,” “it is a Web-serial episodic story. …; I’m using every single artist and actor I know,” says Herman. “I call it the ‘super interactive media project-soap opera.’”

Photo:

The Sunday Herald features an article by Jeanné McCartin called Triple threats: Multitalented local artists lead the RenGen about the next generation of artists deemed the Renaissance Generation because of their propensity for multi-talents. The term also refers to the cultural movement created by the confluence of art, education, entertainment and business. I am not only mentioned as a triple threat artist, but I am called a monster (in a good way!).

John Herman of Newmarket is a writer (which he feels is his truest art), actor, director, filmmaker (traditional and video), emcee/host for television and a concept and performance artist. In the words of Billy Butler “he’s a monster!”

The energy conservation reality TV pilot I am hosting will begin streaming online at The Energy Smackdown site and on Myspace. The Boston Herald printed an article entitled Cameras roll as Medford residents strive to conserve ‘Energy’ today covering the documentary series.

It’s citizen journalism at its best – though learning how to vlog still takes a little know-how. That part’s been left to Exeter and Epping High School teacher and new-media guru John Herman.
“The first stage was teaching residents – young and old . . . some very, very old – how to shoot video and upload it to the Internet,” said Herman, who’s volunteering his services to NPR. “The philosophy is that if New Hampshire is to retain the first-in-the-nation primary, then the residents need to earn it. But it is really paving the way for future elections and how people will communicate their opinions.”

From New Hampshire Public Radio hosts presidential forum in Exeter

“It’s really neat to see that people, community members, will actually get to voice their opinions about a presidential primary in a whole new way. Four years ago no one had this opportunity and four years from now, every state will be doing this,” (John) Herman said. “It’s a once in a lifetime thing, from a historical perspective in technology. It’s not exactly Alexander Graham Bell using the phone, but it’s a milestone seeing people use technology that can affect real things.”

From a Letter to the Editor from Jon Greenberg:

Exeter resident John Herman deserves special thanks for single-handedly coordinating the video portion of the program.