Today, I did something rare; I met a deadline. Okay, technically, it was a day late – but I was still the first, of six, to submit my nominations for titles that I’d like to see included in an upcoming collection of short films from the last Sundance Film Festival. These films will then be assembled into a package that will go on a tour through participating theaters nation-wide. Kudos to Lisa Ogdie and Todd Luoto (both from Sundance) for culling through over a hundred shorts to bring the number down to 32 – these then being spread over four DVD’s. From these 32 titles, I picked seven films whose total running time would account for a comfortable 95-minute program. 

It remains to  be seen what will happen with my list as democracy is a messy thing. But here’s what I can share with you right now: I immediately scrapped some of the films from this compendium – even though I favored them. Why? Because they were already being forwarded to me by friends on Facebook via YouTube. So, from my perspective, as a theater programmer, why on Earth would I want to charge people to see work they’re already familiar with (or, possibly, even bombarded by)? There’s no wrong-or-right to this; the exposure reaped from any viral video you manage to launch on the internet will far outdo the exposure you get via a limited theatrical run. On the other hand, we’re not talking about music-videos and treadmills here. We’re talking about serious filmmakers whose works, if showcased theatrically, will get a different kind of exposure. One that is more reverential and void of distractions. Also: it will be on the big screen, seen collectively and, ultimately, they will also get a paycheck commensurate with the number of eyeballs in the movie theater.

With the aforementioned in mind it seems only fair to skip past all conversation regarding the contenders for the package that is still being worked on for a limited theatrical run and, instead, share with readers those Sundance shorts that are already available on YouTube. It’ll give you a taste of the kind of variety, talent, and humor required to make the grade.

Let’s start with one that has plenty of movie references, not to mention a key role for the Moog synthesizer. Rodney Ascher came up with an impressive short that serves as both part documentary and part horror film with The S from Hell. The clever collage work is reminiscent of the tone you’d find in a vintage David Cronenberg film. Its subject? The Screen Gems logo. The trauma all begins in 1964:

Now let’s lighten the mood: Derek Waters has a clear winning formula with his collection of Drunk History stories. Each is told by an intoxicated narrator and delves into the life of a historical figure (Ben Franklin, Paul Revere, Abraham Lincoln, etc.) and usually features recognizable actors. The historical reenactments all use bad wigs and cheap beards to great comic effect while continuously using the voice of a blasted narrator (to even greater comic effect). It’s a simple formula that works beautifully. The caveat is that the word “beautifully” certainly does not apply at the inevitable moment when the drunken narrators  need to take a break from their story-telling to go barf. Regardless of these moments, the bigger picture is fun and (mostly) educational. Although screened at Sundance to a select few, now via YouTube it has been seen by millions. Here’s one episode that features John C. Reilly as Nikola Tesla, and Crispin Glover as Thomas Edison.

Next: let’s combine sports, animation, and LSD in Dock Ellis & the LSD No-No by James Blagden. It’s a biographical magic carpet ride that has already been seen by over a million, and given the fun ride, it’s sure to be seen by twice as many come the end of the year:

Okay, here’s a Sundance short that already hit Oscar trophy gold: Logorama. It makes an excellent companion piece to The S from Hell. This one requires you to hit YouTube twice for part one and two to see the whole thing:

I’ll top off this list with one that’s a tad off the beaten track by Kelly Sears called Voice on the Line. It hearkens back to a different time and fuses paranoia and erotica with plenty of retro-iconography. Strong colors and interesting backgrounds add to the visual kinetics but, sadly, the comments  posted below the video reveal the dangers of putting work with a more experimental bent out into the YouTube sphere – people watching videos on their computers are far more impatient than seasoned film-goers.  Voice on the Line does not go for the easy laughs that are the bread and butter of YouTube, but rather for a mood. To give it a chance, you’ll want to darken your room and let yourself be transported somewhere else. It’s not as easy to do at home as it is in a movie theater, but it’s worth remembering that how we watch something can be as important as what we are watching: