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With today’s advancing technology, new ways of artistic expression are being discovered. Musicians and artists especially, have found solace in the popular website MySpace for demonstrating their talent.The website itself was founded in 2003 by Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe. It was a networking site developed for people to form online communities and blogs. Nowadays artists in every sense of the word are free to design their pages and publicize their music, films and visual artwork at no cost.

In early July of this year MySpace launched its MySpace Video to compete with video sharing honcho YouTube. Members are free to upload art slides, music videos, low budget student films and just about everything else.

Artists in abstract, oil, watercolor and photography art are now showcasing their artwork in the forms of slideshows, and have developed communities within a specific interest in the area. PCC student Laarni Lorenzo showcases her artwork on her MySpace page.

“I show off my oil paintings, it’s a great way to share your art with others,” said Lorenzo. “I’ve added a lot of ‘friends’ who share the same interest. There is even Video available made by fellow artists who help you with brush strokes and shadowing techniques.”

With the new video uploading feature, prospective filmmakers are given the chance to display and publicize their independent films. MySpace Films, as they are called, include filmmaker forums where fellow directors can critique and discuss each other’s films and have the opportunity to schedule private screenings. Also available are filmmaker classifieds, a call to aspiring actors for roles in upcoming movies and musicians to use their music for film.

PCC film student Tanya Kevorkian uses her MySpace page to share short films she produces.

“I like the fact that i can screen my films online to a community of filmmakers, or just people my age. I get feedback from a lot of people on my ‘friends’ list. I’ve met a lot of student filmmakers like me. We compare notes and camera techniques,” said Kevorkian.

Musical expression is also turning MySpace into the massive empire it’s become. Musical groups from around the globe are uploading their songs and gaining notoriety. Last year saw the breakthrough of several small bands that started their fan base on MySpace. Indies rock groups like The Fray and Snow Patrol, showcased their music on MySpace long before their 2007 Grammy nominations.

Edith Martinez, an intern at ABC television network, says that MySpace is used by several talent agencies and music supervisors to find music for network TV shows.

“Before websites like MySpace, music supervisors would rely on going to shows and submitted demos to find music. Now with MySpace music, it’s like they have an unlimited supply of talent to choose from. When an artist is chosen to have a song featured on a TV series episode, there is a process for which it happens. But it can sometimes lead to them getting signed by a record label,” said Martinez.

Professor of Film and communications at PCC William Foster admits its a good form of reaching people, “i know sites like MySpace and facebook reach a vast amount of youths. I have family who use it to showcase films and reach people from musical bands of the past.”

According to U.S.A. Today, MySpace in the United States makes up about 38% of the online video market; it reaches 15 countries in 7 languages and is continuing to grow in size and strength with an estimated 48 million members to date.

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