by Jen Scoville
Substance lies in surprising places. For instance, would you figure that Andrew
Shue, the heartthrob actor who plays boy- next-door-with-a-vengeance Billy
Campbell on Melrose Place taught high school math to students in
Zimbabwe the year before he hit Hollywood? He also co-founded Do Something, a
pretty respectable national non-profit organization that actively encourages
young people of all backgrounds to come forward as leaders in their
communities. Though the notion of mixing entertainment and activism isn’t
exactly a new one, access to the Internet now offers possibilities for human
connection and communication that are practically limitless. With the intention
of inspiring people to experience this newfound global community, Do Something
is sponsoring Webstock ’96, a four-day, international “Web happening” attached
to live entertainment events in specific localities everywhere. Scheduled on
Nov. 1-4, it’s no coincidence the festival ends on election day since part of
Webstock’s mission, in keeping with the traditions of its sponsor, is to create
forums for discussion about the elections, to encourage voters to voice their
opinions to a national audience, and ultimately to turn out at the polls and
vote. And here’s the entertainment part: Concerts at the cyberspace
amphitheater; chat rooms where you can talk live to the likes of Michael Stipe,
Ken Griffey, Jr., President Clinton, Sheryl Crow, and wonderboy Shue;
collective mural painting, a virtual court to shoot some hoops or get together
a pick-up game, and lots more. And here in Austin realspace, a totally free
Webstock Concert will be held Saturday at the Backyard from 5-9pm
featuring Jerry Jeff Walker, 81/2 Souvenirs, and a projection screen
computer with the Web event running in the background. In addition, 25
computers will be set up in the restaurant part of the venue, allowing
participants to interact with the Webstock Web site. Webstock opens officially
Nov. 1, but the site is already set up and early visitors can download all the
software needed to experience the advanced technologies of live sound and
video. As star-struck as it appears, this looks to be a well-organized and
heartfelt effort to test the limits of global communication. Mingle with your
neighbors this weekend at http://www. Webstock96.com… The ever-undaunted
Austin Film Society has orch-estrated yet another special event, an evening
with San Francisco independent filmmaker Craig Baldwin. On Sat., Nov. 3 at the
Dobie Theatre, two of Baldwin’s films will be shown followed by a Q&A
session with the filmmaker: Tribulation 99 (1991), a factual chronicle
of U.S. intervention in Latin America that takes the form of a combination of
conspiracy theories (space aliens, cattle mutilations, killer bees, and the
like), and �Oh No Coronado! (`92), wherein Baldwin adds original,
dramatic footage to a mix of found materials to recount the story of failed
conquistador Francisco Coronado (7:30pm; admission $5). And don’t forget the
regulars: The Film Noir series (Wed., 7:30pm, Dobie, $5) progresses with
Double Indemnity (1944), the definitive film noir of the `40s directed
by Billy Wilder and introduced by actress/screenwriter Kim Krizan;
Powell/Pressburger (Tue., 8pm, Union, admission free) has The Small Back
Room (1949), a perfectly-crafted character study of a crippled munitions
expert during WWII.
This article appears in November 1 • 1996 and November 1 • 1996 (Cover).