It seems like every time that I think the whole raver trend is dead something happens to prove me wrong and demonstrate that there is indeed still an adult customer base for glow sticks, pacifiers and Blow-Pops. Between Michael Jackson, SARS and ravers the heir to whoever invented those white mask things is rolling in some serious money. The most recent rave indicator “Vinyl is a Girls Best Friend” is a 22-minute nonfiction short that plays more like a promotional video than a true documentary.
The general idea is that electronic music isn’t just for boys and if you don’t believe it just ask DJ Shortee, DJ Keri, DJ June or even DJ Debbie D (to name a few). The true audience for the documentary seems to be those who are already familiar with the electronic music/rave scene, specifically the scene in South Florida. The female DJ interviewees featured in the documentary very briefly touch on how they got started in the DJ world and who and what has influenced them. They also quickly give their opinions on issues such as drugs and audio technology. The short is aesthetically impressive, as it should be considering the list of sponsors (including Adidas) displayed at its end. Included is a visit to Stanton Magnetics, a Florida based manufacturer and distributor of audio equipment and, you guessed it, a sponsor of the documentary. The editing is so impetuous that it makes MTV programming seem as if it were comprised of long takes. There is very little actual substance though almost a dozen web addresses are provided for those driven to find out more.
The deficiencies of “Vinyl is a Girls Best Friend” are truly a shame as the subject matter does have potential and, though a bit stylized (no surprise there), the image quality and direction is exceptional. A warning, the short contains lines like “bump in your trunk”, “funky breaks” and “there are so many haters out there”. One final thing for all filmmakers to consider, when shooting exteriors in an extremely humid climate (such as South Florida) avoid extreme close-ups.
