2012 in 366 seconds

January 17, 2013 7:22 AM

James Bernal took one second clips every day of 2012 and created a 366 second video of context-free goodness. [a similar previously] [via]
posted by quin (28 comments total)

There's an app for that.
posted by Kabanos at 7:30 AM on January 17, 2013 [2 favorites]

Man this would take me like a whole year to do.
posted by Mister_A at 7:37 AM on January 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

I really enjoyed this reminder that it's fleeting moments of serendipity that make life sweet.
posted by kinnakeet at 7:39 AM on January 17, 2013

I only made it through March before I was too bored. Did anyone else find it banal and self absorbed?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 7:41 AM on January 17, 2013

Of course it's self-absorbed, it's a second of his life every day for a year. It's still kind of fun though, IMO.
posted by Mister_A at 7:42 AM on January 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

The most amazing thing about the video is how much information I took in from each single second of video. A second is a long time it seems!
posted by therubettes at 7:43 AM on January 17, 2013

Of course it's self-absorbed, it's a second of his life every day for a year. It's still kind of fun though, IMO.

But what makes him think anyone else would give a damn?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 7:57 AM on January 17, 2013

Certainly found it rather Bernal, at the very least.
posted by SomaSoda at 7:58 AM on January 17, 2013 [2 favorites]

But what makes him think anyone else would give a damn?

I don't know, but the fact that others have commented positively on it means that empirically, he is correct. Maybe further discussion of this post's irrelevance can go to MetaTalk?
posted by a snickering nuthatch at 8:09 AM on January 17, 2013 [2 favorites]

I thought it was pretty cool how you could tell

[SPOILER ALERT]









That he moved from Brooklyn to Chicago just watching these 1 sec clips.
posted by Mister_A at 8:16 AM on January 17, 2013

Time & money.
posted by Evernix at 8:18 AM on January 17, 2013

I saw at least one bike with a derailleur in this. FAKE.

(Seriously, this was rather gorgeous. Excellent choice of music, too.)
posted by maudlin at 8:31 AM on January 17, 2013

Maybe further discussion of this post's irrelevance can go to MetaTalk?

I didn't say anything about the post, just the content of the video, isn't that what the comments are for?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 8:35 AM on January 17, 2013

I loved this. And I understand, but can't really identify with, criticisms that work like this is self-indulgent, or self-absorbed. Yeah, this is work by a guy about himself, but he's giving it to you. He'll never know exactly what feelings you have, watching it. He did this, and now you get to indulge your self. When I watch something self-absorbed like this, it makes me more interested in the texture of my own life. And I think that's a wonderful thing.
posted by insteadofapricots at 8:35 AM on January 17, 2013 [3 favorites]

It's like a facebook feed.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 8:43 AM on January 17, 2013

God, that was beautiful. I want to be that guy. And I miss New York (cries).
Also, one could argue that all art is self-indulgent. Still really fucking important to have it, though.
posted by angrycat at 8:46 AM on January 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

You could certainly argue that, but in this case I'm just saying that specifically this video is. It could be that the presentation simply doesn't speak to me, but I'm not really seeing much of its point. I think, insteadofapricots may be touching on something there, perhaps it says that tiny, seemingly incidental moments (as opposed to cotton) are what makes up the fabric of our lives?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 8:59 AM on January 17, 2013

Meh. I'm also in the "what's the point?" category.
posted by Curious Artificer at 9:06 AM on January 17, 2013

I really like these videos, I remember this one being the first one of the kind I had seen (in fact, the posted video seems to be inspired by this one). I think it was linked here in MeFi too but I can't find the post.

They are like a very small snapshot of other people lives and environments.
posted by Memo at 9:22 AM on January 17, 2013

I'm taking one second of my life and making a 366 year long video from it. Please fund my kickstarter.

(Also: I enjoyed this video)
posted by moonmilk at 9:27 AM on January 17, 2013

After a few seconds more thought, I think I'd love to see something like this where the creator has no choice about what second is featured each day. I suppose you could do that by having a GoPro-style recorder running nonstop, and you'd let the computer choose the second from each day.
posted by moonmilk at 9:29 AM on January 17, 2013 [2 favorites]

I think I'd love to see something like this where the creator has no choice about what second is featured each day.

I imagine that would be like 360 seconds of really boring computer screens, cats sleeping, and driving in traffic, interspersed with like 5 one second clips of fire, mayhem, explosions, and weird cabalistic rituals.

Or, maybe that'd just be mine.
posted by quin at 10:53 AM on January 17, 2013

Fun to watch, but I was exhausted and had to bail by the end of the third minute. Each snapshot triggers associations and forces you to try to make sense. You capture one and think about it while a load more go by unnoticed, then another yanks you. Exhausting. When I saw the woman peeing on the tracks, I'm pretty sure I missed the next twenty seconds while I digested that.
posted by stonepharisee at 12:31 PM on January 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

Did anyone else find it banal and self absorbed?

Stuff like this was quirky and innovative around 2006-7 when Youtube was going mainstream, but now it's just kind of blase. I expect something with more work put into it or some more creativity.
posted by FJT at 3:39 PM on January 17, 2013

> I really like these videos, I remember this one being the first one of the kind I had seen (in fact, the posted video seems to be inspired by this one). I think it was linked here in MeFi too but I can't find the post.

Yep, it was posted to MeFi. It was the first of the kind that I'd seen, too, and I decided on the spot that I was going to make one myself. I kept it going for a while, but ultimately, "January 18-20, 2012 in three seconds" wasn't worth uploading.
posted by yuwtze at 5:52 PM on January 17, 2013 [2 favorites]

Got to April and got depressed about how much interesting stuff and travel he had. My go-to-work-and-back Monday–Friday existence is somewhat more boring.
posted by TheDonF at 7:07 PM on January 17, 2013

This was great. I want more. Everyone should make one! You're right, stonepharisee, but that's what makes it compelling.

Excellent choice of music, too.
Yeah!
posted by Rash at 7:30 PM on January 17, 2013

This didn't do anything for me. What would have been far more interesting imho, would have been TWO people doing this, just for each other.

Like a conversation between two people, each response to the other 1 second long for a year.

(Please don't steal this idea and make it into a movie starring Drew Barrymore. Please.)
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 7:40 PM on January 17, 2013