All in Culture

Real Bespoke Television: the Absurd Zenith of Nature Webcams

We've entered a new era of television. Shows develop layered characters and complex story lines against a backdrop of stylish visuals. Television writers grapple with contemporary issues and break boundaries. All in vain. They will never exceed this: a tiny, birdseed filled replica of a coffee shop left in the woods with a 24 hour camera broadcasting it live over the web.

Let me start right off the bat by saying no – I am not going to talk about actual trailers. And not about movie trailers either. I am going to talk about book trailers. What are they? Oh, I am so delighted that you asked, dear reader...

By the time this article is published, the 86th Academy Awards will have already aired... You will know the winners by the time you are reading this, so we should rather focus on a more underlying question regarding the Best Picture category: how are the best films of the year actually selected?

The stage was set, the musicians fiddled nervously with their instruments, heads bobbed up and down, hands were waved, seats were saved, and occasionally I spotted a feathered hairpiece or a sequined dress, reassuring signs that if nothing else, I could enjoy the costume artistry. The fading of the lights hushed the chatter and so began a night of magic and mischief.