Web of Change

The Meatrix captured a lot of people’s attention when it was released in the fall of 2003. It ‘went viral’ in a way not seen before for an advocacy film. Since its launch, the animation has been viewed millions of times and won numerous awards at film and online festivals.

The film has now become the reference point for activists who want their issue to ‘go viral’, inspiring a word-of-mouse buzz that puts an issue in front of millions of people.

Every web content creator has heard a variation of the question “How can we make our film/animation/feature/report/press release the next ‘Meatrix”? I have always wanted to ask the people behind the Meatrix a few questions, so at the end of lunch Friday I asked Jonah Sachs three questions.

Less than three weeks to go until Web of Change, and I am really looking forward to meeting everyone and re-connecting with returning folk. This will be my fourth time at WoC and Hollyhock in as many years.

One aphorism keeps coming up when I think of how WoC re-energizes me each fall. "When you are knee deep in alligators, it's hard to remember that the goal was to drain the swamp." Not the eco-friendliest of metaphors, but work with me.

Spending a few days with dozens of inspiring people doing similar work to mine forces me to step back and re-evaluate what I am doing and why. It also gives me an opportunity to see how other people are draining their swamps - what works, what doesn't and what to try next.