Buzz Episode 01 Segment 01

Buzz is a long forgotten MTV experiment from 1990

In 1988, Mark Pellington developed an idea for a non-linear collage program he called "Buzz".

Created in partnership with MTV Europe producer/director Jon Klein, Buzz was an ambitious 13-part global series commissioned by MTV and channel 4 (UK).

It was hailed by critics as ground-breaking, adventurous television.

This is episode 1 of the 4 episodes that have managed to survive on an old VHS tape to be digitized for your edification in this modern, digital age.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• MTV
• Series
• TV
• avantegarde
• experimental

[TheSecretChannel]

Wow! This is great to see this again. It was a show that inspired me what I do today. When I was growing up in Northern Ireland, miles from anywhere with nothing to do it tuned me into the rest of the world. With only 4 channels in those days it was the only thing worth watching. Apart from maybe Network 7.

I recorded some of these episodes and still have some on VHS. Maybe I'll upload?

[BlackFlagParty]

@TheSecretChannel Thanks for the view! I still have three or four episodes to convert to digital if I can break free from working long enough to do it. I believe that Buzz was one of the single most ground-breaking video productions in recent history, It's a shame more people do not know about it. I was teaching vid production at the time and also have worked extensively in the video prod. field.

[nocastus]

(part 3) As far as I know it's the only TV show ever to have been made that way, with the creation of the sound track coming first and then the pictures added back in afterwards. It's nice to see some of it again!

[BlackFlagParty]

@nocastus Dude... THANKS for the insight! Wish we could hear more about this groundbreaking, underappreciated show.

[dudezillasf]

Please upload the rest of your VHS! I love this how. It was a huge influence on me and my video art.

[terebi916]

Wow, is that RuPaul in the opening segment?

[itsmrfungible]

Hi. Just thought you'd like to know, I've started uploading all the episodes I have on my channel. Hope you guys can check it out.

[pyrogyra72]

This is the MTV I remember. Not the Empty V now. Creative video, good music, animation.

Not the crap they have now. I'll take this show over some teen moms, obnoxious jersey people and their Snookie monster, and I'll take this over whiny spoiled brats on "My super Sweet sixteen."

[jeffcool78]

rip dennis hopper/

[Gonzoroy]

This show saved my life!

[perkinss]

Thanks for sharing -it's always great to be reminded that the idea of the 'remix' is not a new thing i.e. that it has a heritage, and that this heritage is analogue -not digital!

[nocastus]

@SecretFilms

Oh, that's brilliant to hear! We really got to grips with the production style of Buzz when we made the 'Appropriation' segment which I think is in segment 3 of this first episode, so it's wonderfully appropriate that you re-sampled it to make something new! Hope life is treating you well, all the best, gerard