Scott Thrift and Ari Kushnir run an online video production company called
m ss ng p eces. The video series they produce for Cool Hunting won a Webby this year in the music/variety category.

This is part 2 of the interview with Scott Thrift. Read part 1 here.

Settlement Heart: What’s the wave of the future for internet video? Will people ever have the attention span to handle more than five minute blocks of video on their PC?

Scott Thrift: I find that it is difficult to speculate on the future of anything these days because every possibility you can imagine is just a few heavy doses of intention and a matter of time away. In regards to the ADHD question, every time I make a piece it's because I want to see it again and again so people's attention spans or lack thereof never really distress what I am doing professionally. I believe that works of art in general present an opportunity for the viewer to refine his or her ability to know what they like, whether that happens in 2 seconds or 27 years is irrelevant.

SH: Who would you have nominated for a Webby in video?

ST: I don't think I could name two video shows online. I am always caught up in shooting, editing or processing what I am learning so that I can be more effective. I love listening to This American Life and I find Claire L. Evans' unqualified science writing terribly fascinating at Universe, but for the most part I try to stay away from computers and desks.

SH: What’s the rest of 2007 look like for Scott and Ari?

ST: I am going to Korea at the end of the month to document the world championship breakdancing competition in Seoul and Ari and I are going to Mexico together in mid June for another shoot. After that we have some more things to shoot and then after that edit them.

SH: Any narrative projects on the horizon?

ST: Yes, but only if you squint your eyes really hard.

SH: Do you cover all of your subjects as a team?

ST: I usually shoot and direct and I also enjoy doing the first hard edit of whatever I shoot. Ari is a great editor and a diplomatic producer who loves to meet new people and also knows how to operate a video camera very well. m ss ng p eces is a partnership and we often blur the lines on who does what by simply following creative passion.

8th Annual Wired Rave Awards shot by m ss ng p eces. Watch the video.

SH: If film were uninvented tomorrow, what palette would you use to focus your creative energy?

ST: I like to spread ink on paper. It's usually in the form of diagrams, plans and writing but I also like to draw and paint. To answer your question, ”˜if film were disappear tomorrow' I would probably just keep shooting in high definition. I always think it's funny to discuss the nature of the moving image now - is High Definition video…video? To me, video is 29.97 frames per second and for the most part looks like shit. When I am shooting at 24 frames per second I feel much closer to the heavy 16mm Arriflex S cameras I learned on than the SVHS video camcorders I also worked with in the past. I was hoping you would ask if the meaning of the word ”˜film' will dissolve all together in the very near future? My answer would have been; as long as twenty-four images are being captured in one second and the photographer is doing his or her best to tell a story I don't think so.

SH: 3 people you admire creating art today in any genre.

ST: Flint Jamison - Soon to be releasing the first issue of Veneer Magazine
Paul Thomas Anderson - New film There Will Be Blood, Nov 21st release
Ricky Gervais