For my video interpretation, I will be looking at two videos about Project Meshnet, an activist group creating an ad-hoc internet.
Video #1:
Description key: [Bracketed words] appear visually on the
screen. Italicized words are spoken.
Regular text is commentary, description, or analysis.
Scene 1
[Beware he who would deny you access to information, for in
his heart he dreams himself your master.]
Beware he who would
deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master.
The
first scene begins with the above quote from video game creator Sid Meier, with
the words of the quote appearing on the screen sequentially, forming the shape
of a hexagon. The word ‘heart’ appears as black text on a red heart, and the
following ‘he’ begins with a red ‘h.’ The rest of the words are white on a
black background, in a sans serif font. As the quote ends, the words spiral clockwise
as the camera pulls out to reveal them situated within a gray hexagon. The
words fade as the hexagon assumes a position at the top of a triad of hexagons,
which is the Project Meshnet logo. The word ‘meshnet’ appears next to the logo.
Three lines, forming a triangle, fad in, connecting the centers of each of the
hexagons.
[meshnet]
Scene 2
Every time an internet
censorship bill [SOPA ACTA PIPA CISPA] like SOPA or ACTA is shot down by
protest, another takes its place.
The
scene begins with a white, mesh sphere (computer graphic, not photograph)
situated on a black background. The words SOPA, ACTA, PIPA, and CISPA slide
into frame one by one, and are each destroyed by a red line emanating from the
sphere, meant to represent a laser.
Scene 3
Many feel
disillusioned by this process and are pursuing alternative means of defending
internet freedom through technology itself.
The camera pans down as the mesh
sphere fades and a crowd of people graphics (think restroom sign men, again,
white on black) rises from the bottom of the frame. At the word ‘disillusioned,’
text bubbles appear over two of the members of the crowd, with one on the left
showing the icon for WiFi and the one on the right showing a skull and
crossbones icon. A third text bubble appears dimly in the background with an
image of a bomb. These fade as another person rises in the foreground, arm
extended to the left of the frame. A text bubble pops up containing one of the
hexagons from the Project Meshnet logo. This is followed by text bubbles with
hexagons appearing over two other figures, one to the left and one to the right
of the foregrounded figure.
Scene 4
This is the meshnet,
originally called the darknet, an alternative to the internet with no
centralized authority, making it impossible to censor or shut down.
The
hexagon in the speech bubble of the foregrounded figure slides to the center of
the frame as the rest of the elements on the frame fade to black. Immediately,
more hexagons form, encircling the first hexagon. Waves of hexagons appear in
quick succession until the screen is filled like a honeycomb. One of the
hexagons in the upper center area of the screen turns blue as the rest disappear.
It enlarges and appears to glow as human figures similar to those in the
earlier crowd pop up from the bottom of the screen. Six figures appear, three
to each side of the glowing blue hexagon. Their arms are extended toward the
center, and each appears to have their own blue hexagon hovering above where
their hands would be. A red X appears over one of the figures in middle right,
and the figure drops rapidly downwards, replaced by a new figure. The same then
happens to a figure in the upper left. The blue hexagon blinks and expands,
engulfing the screen in blue.
Scene 5
An unfiltered,
uninhibited flow of information and ideas all held in the hands of those who
use it.
The blue
screen shrinks back into a single hexagon held by a single white figure in the
center of the frame. Four more figures fade in, two on each side of the first
one, each holding a blue hexagon. Rapidly, more figures appear behind these,
filling the upper half of the frame, each holding a blue hexagon.
Scene 6
[How does it work?]
The
meshnet logo appears again, white on a black screen, with the text ‘How does it
work?’ to the right of it.
Scene 7
Imagine a room full of
people. They’re all standing and cannot move. However, they can use their hands
to pass notes to one another. If a person at one of the room wants to get a
message to someone at the opposite end, they will pass it to the person closest
to them who will then pass it to the person next to them, and so on until it
reaches its intended recipient. If one person along the way refuses to pass the
note, then the note will bypass them and be passed to someone else and still
reach its destination. This is how a meshnet works.
White
figures drop in from above. There are 18 this time, and they are placed in a
diagonal grid formation (top to bottom: 4, 3, 4, 3, 4). An icon of a letter appears
on the figure in the upper left corner. It moves haltingly from figure to
figure until it reaches the figure in the bottom right corner. It spirals and
shrinks into the figure in the lower left and disappears. Another letter icon
appears on the figure in the upper right corner. It moves twice, but when it
attempts to move to the third person, a red X appears. The letter icon moves
quickly back to the previous figure and takes another route through the grid of
figures. It encounters another person with an X and reroutes again. It reaches
the person in the lower left corner, spins, and disappears.
Scene 8
Multiple computers are
all connected to each other via a wireless connection spanning a large area and
all information, documents, messages, images, music—anything at all—is passed
from computer to computer until it reaches its destination. If a computer or
node is down, then an alternative route is found.
The
images of figures are replaced by blue hexagons with icons of computers in
them. A grid of gray circles appears behind the hexagons, corresponding to the
connections between the computers. A music note appears on the hexagon in the
middle right, and it appears to float along the lines of the circles to reach a
hexagon in the lower left. We also see a text bubbles and document icons
performing similar movements from hexagon to hexagon. Red Xs appear on two of
the hexagons, and a music note and document icon fly offscreen to the left.
Scene 9
All of this is done
automatically by the computer itself, allowing the user to browse the meshnet
as they would the regular internet. Likewise, all information sent and received
is secure, meaning only the intended recipient is capable of receiving it. This
means the architecture of the meshnet is owned by countless individuals instead
of a handful of corporate providers, which makes the oppression of free speech
impractical, bordering on impossible.
The
camera pans to the left, showing the icon of a figure seated at a desk with a
computer. A document, music note, and text bubble emerge from the right edge of
the screen and fly into the back of the computer. A padlock icon appears and
hovers over the image of the computer. A key appears above it and drops down to
mimic an unlocking motion. A document appears, and the key and lock do the same
unlocking animation. A blue hexagon appears around the figure and computer, and
the camera pans out to reveal numerous hexagons, all with the same icon,
situated in a spread out honeycomb pattern.
Scene 10
[Where can I find out more?]
The
screen fades to black, and the Project Meshnet logo fades in with the question ‘Where
can I find out more?’ written to the right of it. This fades to black.
Scene 11
There are multiple
sources to be found currently on the internet. The first is reddit,
[http://www.reddit.com/r/darknetplan] where the project first came into being.
From there, you can find many other sources, such as the official website
[http://projectmeshnet.org/], an online discussion, IRC [irc.subliminal.net
#darknetplan], and a wiki [https://wiki.projectmeshnet.org/]. The meshnet will
take a long time to develop into a perfect working system, and it will take
longer still to spread and set up on a large scale. So, until that time comes,
arm yourself with knowledge and information, and, whenever possible, lend a
hand. Anyone can help with or without computer skills. If you can help other
people understand and get them interested, you’re helping. If you can help
people test their homemade meshnetwork, you’re helping. If you can tell those
who are writing tutorials and FAQs how to make their work more accessible to
those without computer knowledge, you’re helping. Any contribution is welcome.
So get out there, and help us build a way to freedom.
As each
resource is mentioned a corresponding graphic and web address appear. The
reddit forum address is accompanied by the reddit logo in white, appearing in
the upper left hand corner of the screen. The Project Meshnet logo and address
appear in the upper right corner. The IRC channel is accompanied by the image
of two figures, one with a text bubble of unreadable text and the other with a
text bubble with a hexagon inside. The wiki’s logo features two hexagons aligned
diagonally, with the upper one on the left and the lower one on the right,
connected by a solid black line. Each of these logos and addresses shrink and
move to the corners. In the center, two figures appear with a hexagon in
between them. They take turns kicking the hexagon, and each time it changes
color, blue to pink to green to blue again. This fades, and another hexagon
appears with a line of four figures to the right. The one closest to the
hexagon appears to pick up a hexagon themselves, then moves offscreen to the
right. This animation fades, and another figure slide in from the bottom of the
screen. A question mark appears above its head, and it is then replaced by a
checkmark. A computer and desk slide in from the right of screen, and a red X
appears on the computer. It disappears, and a figures slides in from the left,
appearing to hold a question mark. The question mark fades and is replaced by a
blue hexagon. A lightbulb appears above the new figure’s head, and it slides
offscreen to the left. Another figures slides in from the right, holding a blue
hexagon. A text bubble appears above the central figure, which is followed by a
text bubble with a lightbulb appearing above the figure holding the hexagon.
This figure then disappears offscreen to the right. Another figure appears from
the left, this time holding a document. A red X appears on the document, and a
text bubble appears over the figure holding the document. A lightbulb fades in
above the central figure, the red X turns to a checkmark, and the figure with
the document leaves to the left. The screen fades to black.
Scene 12
The
Project Meshnet symbol appears in the center of the screen. It fades out.
Scene 13
[Animation: Nocholas Ferrar (reddit: ArcanisLupus)
Music: “Catnip Aloe” – Phillip Horger (reddit: Rainfly_X)
Narration: Josh Harkema (reddit: simeon4110)]
The
credits fade in, in white text, and then fade out.
Video #2
Scene 1
Don’t trust the
internet anymore? Well, some activists want to build a completely new one from
scratch. But is it possible?
This is
a news segment for Tech Feed, an online, YouTube-hosted news source about
technology news. The scene begins with a host standing in front of a grey brick
wall. There is a lamp on a table to the left of the host, and above the lamp is
a television screen. On the screen is the TechFeed logo. The host is a young
woman, likely in her 20s. She wears a black and white striped shirt with a
pocket and sleeves rolled to her elbows. She is also wearing a necklace and a
visible microphone.
Scene 2
The screen turns to a dark gray, and various icons of
technology appear in an orange, angled text box. It shows a laptop, a video
game controller, and a smartphone. The background turns white, and another
angled text box appears above the first, forming the logo for Tech Feed. The
word Tech is in the upper box, and the word Feed is in the lower box. Another
textbox appears to the right. It is blue with the word ‘news’ in white on it.
Scene 3
In response to
revelations about broad surveillance of mainstream internet services, a group
of privacy advocates wants your help in building an entirely new peer-supported
internet from the ground up.
The host
and screen are back. She introduces the story while looking directly at the
camera. She uses frequent hand gestures. A Tech Feed logo appears in the lower
left corner, and to the right of it is the Twitter handle of the host:
@AnnieGaus. The logo and Twitter title disappear.
Scene 4
The project called
meshnet has taken shape partly thanks to the reddit thread DarkNetPlan where
contributors have been hashing out the details of this ambitious goal. Although
advocates of Project Meshnet want to make it clear that it’s not a dark net
project, it’s an entirely new network that defines itself as a versatile,
decentralized network built on secure protocols for routing traffic over
private mesh or public internetworks. [Our objective is to create a versatile,
decentralized network built on secure protocols for routing traffic over
private mesh or public internetworks independent of a central supporting
infrastructure.] Here’s how they describe that private mesh.
The
camera shifts, placing the host in the center of the frame. At the mention of
reddit, the screen is filled with a screenshot of the reddit DarkNetPlan
subreddit. Titles of posts on the page include “Hacktivists Want to Free the
Net by Building a New One From Scratch,” “Just FYI, we’re publishing our
traffic stats now. The (active) mods all said yes a long time ago then no one
actually turned it on, but it’s on now,” “Project Byzantium,” “looking for a hyperboria
node,” and “Video: You broke the Internet. We’re making ourselves a GNU one.”
The screen reverts to the first shot of the host for a moment, before switching
to a screenshot of the Project Meshnet website. A selection of the Project
Meshnet whitepaper slides in from the right, with the section that the host
reads highlighted in light blue. The frame goes back to the closeup of the
host, where she introduces the Project Meshnet video.
Scene 5
Multiple computers are
all connected to each other via a wireless connection spanning a large area and
all information, documents, messages, images, music—anything at all—is passed
from computer to computer until it reaches its destination. If a computer or
node is down, then an alternative route is found.
The screen
is filled by blue hexagons with icons of computers in them. A grid of gray
circles appears behind the hexagons, corresponding to the connections between the
computers. A music note appears on the hexagon in the middle right, and it
appears to float along the lines of the circles to reach a hexagon in the lower
left. We also see a text bubbles and document icons performing similar
movements from hexagon to hexagon. Red Xs appear on two of the hexagons, and a music
note and document icon fly offscreen to the left.
All of this is done
automatically by the computer itself, allowing the user to browse the meshnet
as they would the regular internet. Likewise, all information sent and received
is secure, meaning only the intended recipient is capable of receiving it. This
means the architecture of the meshnet is owned by countless individuals instead
of a handful of corporate providers, which makes the oppression of free speech
impractical, bordering on impossible.
The
camera pans to the left, showing the icon of a figure seated at a desk with a
computer. A document, music note, and text bubble emerge from the right edge of
the screen and fly into the back of the computer. A padlock icon appears and
hovers over the image of the computer. A key appears above it and drops down to
mimic an unlocking motion. A document appears, and the key and lock do the same
unlocking animation. A blue hexagon appears around the figure and computer, and
the camera pans out to reveal numerous hexagons, all with the same icon,
situated in a spread out honeycomb pattern.
Scene 6
How does that all
work? Well, they’ve already established local networks in various cities,
including Seattle, San Francisco, New York, and others. You can support these
networks by getting a compatible router with CJdns, which is part of the
software component to the mesh network. Or you can install CJdns on your own
computer, but it takes a few steps and some technical know-how, which you can
find instructions to on their wiki.
After
the video clip stops, the frame returns to the initial shot of the host, but
quickly switches to a map of the US with red, blue, and green numbered markers
above a handful of cities. The camera switches to the close shot of the host as
she explains that users need to get routers or install CJdns. The camera
switches to the first shot for a moment before showing a screen capture of the
Meshnet wiki.
Scene 7
Once installed, you
can connect to a peer and then you can access a secure, peer-supported internet
wonderland called Hyperboria. Which, visualized, looks like this. But consists
at this point of a small list of known websites accessed only through CJdns,
including some private social networks, encrypted pastebins, a reddit clone,
and more. However, in spite of its limited size at this time, the fact that
Hyperboria is off the grid, so to speak, is enough to attract activists and
privacy-minded users to it regardless. Some calling it inspiring [Jean-Louis
Huynen, @gallypette, #hyperboria is inspiring] and a necessary project for humanity. [969 Movement, @969 Movement,
humanity needs a secure internet hyberboria.net]
The camera switches back to the
first shot. When the host mentions the visualization of Hyperboria, the frame
is filled by the image of a circle with lines crisscrossing it irregularly.
This switches back to the original shot of the host before showing a screenshot
of a list of websites available on Hyperboria. The shot goes back to the first
configuration of the host and the TV. When talking about how people find it
inspiring, the frame is changed to show a Tweet from Jean-Louis Huynen
Scene 8
You can read more
about the meshnet project at projectmeshnet.org. So, do you think this ambition
of building a new internet cooperative from scratch is possible, and is it a
good idea in your opinion? Let us know what you think in the comments. For TFN,
this is Annie.
The screen reverts to the
shot of the host and the television for the sentence about reading about the
project. Then it switches to the close-up of the host, while she asks
questions. Below her is a banner from Tech Feed, with the word “subscribe.”
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