An experienced filmmaker who recently finished a stint as a visiting lecturer at the Beijing Film Academy, Siok Siok’s credits also include being an executive producer for Discovery Channel programming as well as directing Boomtown Beijing, a fantastic documentary that followed the lives of four common Chinese during the leadup to the 2008 Olympics (see my interview with Siok Siok from last year).

Much like Boomtown Beijing, Twittamentary wont be focusing on its subject directly, but rather intends to break the topic down to its fundamental human elements. In a recent interview with WebProNews, Siok Siok explained: “The film explores the idea that Twitter accelerates serendipity. When lives intersect at an ever-increasing speed, great stories happen at an astonishing rate. We want to tell these wonderful stories. All the rest of it, the themes and the topics are just part of the great backdrop.”

The documentary’s Web site has issued a general call for submissions (whether written, videoed, recorded or otherwise) that tell “the most fascinating thing that happened to you because of Twitter”. The gathering of submissions will culminate in a 24-hour global event this September in which all Twitter users can submit new stories, as well as vote and comment on those Twitter stories (twories?) contributed by others. The best submissions will be weaved into the fabric of the film.

Though no official release date has been set for the film, it is expected to be available, online (and with a Creative Commons license), in the first half of 2010. Be sure to check out Twittamentary.com for the latest information. You can also follow Siok Siok on Twitter @sioksiok

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I mean, we’ve got an Irish Pub that serves Guinness on tap, we’ve got one, two, three places that I can get a taco, we’ve a cafe/bookshop/lending library loaded to the rafters with English-language books, we’ve got an English-language movie cinema playing Iron Man, and now… well, now..

We’ve got a frigin’ MUSIC FESTIVAL!

This weekend, May 10-11, the aforementioned Bookworm is hosting the East & West Music Fest (has got a nice ring to it eh?). The event will host more than 150 musicians and 25 different sets. Multi-diciplined and multi-culture doesn’t cover it, the festival is going to have everything from Chinese punk to a children’s recorder ensemble will be performing.

The Line Up

Saturday 10th – 2pm to 9pm

• Charlie bringing some good old American folk to Suzhou (America)
• Suzhou’s own Tom Waits: William on guitar, piano, harmonica (America)
• The Mysterious Weapons: Rock/pop/punk (China)
• The Doctors Rock/pop: (Indonesia)
• Rico: rock (Phillipines)
• Jimmy and Robert: Rock (Phillipines)
• Too Match Rock/pop (Phillipines)
• Joe and Mike- Rock (America)
• As Is: Jazz/Funk (band members from all over the world)
• Sim: Blues (Korea)

Sunday 11th – 2pm to 9pm

• Eton House Recorder ensemble and choir – Pop and Classical, (from all over)
• Dulwich College Orchestra – classical (all over)
• SSIS Orchestra -classical (all over)
• Suzhou University Music Union – traditional Chinese instruments (China)
• The Doctors – pop/rock (Indonesia)
• Sonja and Mira on violin and piano – Classical ( Germany and Bulgaria)
• Misha and Lupkieva – accordian and piano (Russia)
• Joe unplugged – folk/rock (America)
• Suzie and Boyd – guitar vocals duet- folk/rock (China/America)
• 张云鹏 (Zhang Yun Peng) Chinese rock/pop

What’s more, the festival comes complete with a BBQ. Now if it’d only stop raining.

All this snow and craptastic weather has left Suzhou a pretty uninviting place for anyone not willing to wait 45 minutes for a taxi, risk the slushy slippery roads on bike or invade the personal space of the unbathed masses on the bus.

As such, I’ve been watching a higher-than-usual amount of TVonDVD – the only “real” TV for us expats without a south-western sky view from their apartment. This rapid consumption of season upon season of boobtube brain number has made me reflect on just how many shows I’ve watched since coming to China.

So, here we go:

Watched

South Park (10 seasons)
Family Guy (3 seasons)
Friends (10 seasons x 2)
The Shield (5 seasons)
The Sopranos (4 seasons)
24 (4 seasons)
House (3 seasons)
Lost (3 seasons)
Arrested Development (3 seasons)
Oz (6 seasons)
The Office [uk] (2 seasons)
The Office [us] (2 seasons)
Prison Break (2 seasons)
My Name Is Earl (2 seasons)
Scrubs (5 seasons)
Tru Calling (2 seasons)
Medium (2 seasons)
Rome (2 seasons)
Firefly (1 season)
Desperate Housewives (3 seasons)
Carnivàle (1 season)
Journeyman (1 season)
Band of Brothers (series)
Taken (series)

Currently Watching

Battlestar Galactica (on season 3)
Grey’s Anatomy (on season 2 or 3 – discs are fucked)
Two and a Half Men (on season 1)
Dexter (on season 2)

I think that’s all of them – at least all I can think of. But anyway you cut it, that’s a lot of TV. It’s weird that I’m likely more “up” on my popular TV (alright, I realize “popular” is a stretch for some of those) than many of the folks back home.

The best/worst part about TVonDVD is there’s no wait time. When Mags and I hit the end of a show and it’s a huge cliff-hanger, we just look at each other with that “another?” look in our eyes, only to come out of a trance a few hours later feeling a bit dirty and like we’ve abused some cosmic law.

There’s just nothing holding you back. TV binging can be a bit painful too, as it causes you to get overly wrapped up in the plot – as when there’s no week-long lag-time, you are essentially watching one LONG movie. This is particularly a pain when we hit the end of a season just as the new season’s starting in the US, forcing us to wait a whole year before it’s on DVD in its entirety (Prison Break) – or when you find a show you just love only to discover they only made (and will ever make) one season (Firefly).

So, with a few more months before regular programming wraps up and a fresh batch of seasons from our favourite shows hit the shelves – anyone got any suggestions for series I should watch?