RaNSom NoTE vIde0
No one expects that if you give a person a typewriter, they will be empowered to become the next Mark Twain. But in the technology industry, there is a hope, more or less in the background, that if you give people the tools, that’s all they need in order to make great cultural productions. Sometimes that’s true, but rarely.
Just as the development of desktop publishing software in the 1980s caused a wave of rAnSOme NoTE DEsigNs (i.e. many people felt compelled to use every available font), the availability of powerful video editing tools is tempting many first time film makers to that really cool effect a little bit too much.
After sitting through an otherwise good documentary that was partially spoiled by too many swooshes and such, it’s clear that this is a trend that must be stopped. Don’t try to contact the police. Just leave your special FX unused until the narrative calls for them, or we’ll kill the bunny.