Hey gang, Valkor here. Back when TOV first went live, back in
2003, the whole “blogging” thing had just started getting its
wing. And anyone, if they so choose, could put one out with whatever
content they wanted (and it was usually on the depressing side,
from the pieces I've read). It had gotten to be so popular that
journalists, writers, news and entertainment organizations were
putting their stuff online. And I had thought with the coming
of such a medium that physical newspapers and magazines would
be on their way out. Well, physical media is still here to stay,
though digital media might eventually take over. And this is the
subject matter that is featured in this next short film – Dirty
Books.
“Dirty Books” centers on a high school journalist David (Noah Bailey), who has been given the bad news from his principal, Dr. Bradley (Timothy J. Cox – Night Job, Here Lies Joe), that his school paper is switching from physical media to a digital blog. David attempts to argue the point that the school needs a physical paper and he’ll do his best to make sure things pick up so that he might keep his things from going blog. However, there’s no stopping this digital train they’re on and it looks as though plans are moving forward. But David has one more trick up his sleeve, and it just might be the paper’s saving grace. Rather than looking for news, he decides to make stuff up, play a few pranks, and report it as news. Things look well for the failing newspaper. That is until he’s caught. And where David goes from there… well, that’s for either a future short or feature film to decide.
Whether we like it or not, digital media is here to stay; gaming, books, newspapers, just to name a few, have all crossed that threshold. And just like David, I was actually against such things. But unlike David, I knew there was a point that I simply had to “let go”.
The Good:
“Dirty Books” is a simple yet fun and entertaining little film. But what I truly love about it is its charm of how someone will go to whatever lengths to keep that which he holds dear. That’s something I can get behind. I also like how it reflects our current media in how it creates and sensationalizes news just for the sake of an increased readership. I think David would do well with a digital blog, because even though he makes up news, it’s all about gaining eyes, and with a clever headline/story, he can easily achieve that in a digital spectrum. The acting is fun and I think everyone performs well. But I gotta give props to Noah Bailey and Timothy Cox, who give off something of a classic 80s “student vs. Principal” vibe (only not as campy). And while I wish there was more of the two butting heads, what you get is just the right amount to enjoy this wonderful piece.
The Bad:
It’s not really a negative towards the film, but am I wrong for wanting to know what was in the journal that busted David of his antics? It just sounds like it could be something serious, yet hilarious to see.
The Ugly:
N/A
You can view “Dirty Books” right here, and click the logo to the right to learn more about the company that produced the film and see what else they have in store. Though it was a short ride, I had a lot of fun with “Dirty Books” and I’m sure you guys will enjoy as well. I highly recommend it. And out of TOV 5 stars, I’m giving “Dirty Books” a 4.5.