What Story Do You Hear?

"The American Way" is now and audio file. Hear it here!

In creating this audio file, I gathered some literal sound bites and some more abstract.

I wanted to gather sound bites that represented the various perspectives on WikiLeaks and the "American Way" pint of view. Below is a listing of the sounds and the reasons for them being there and in that order:

Gunshot: We begin with the sound of violence/freedom, protection/oppression

God Bless America: This old fashioned version of the song represents the old-fashioned American ideal and, in this context, carries an irony as it plays through most of the audio

Typing: This obviously represents technology and the power of the internet/WikiLeaks

Person speaks followed by "shhh": This represents the opposite of the freedom of speech and the typing on the internet

Baby crying: Represents the pain, confusion on both sides and also calls attention to what is at stake: the future. Layered on top of "God Bless America" it is meant to be haunting/disturbing and provide an alternative view point to the sweetness of the song.

Introduce Assange: This is a strictly utilitarian clip, introducing our "main character"

Assange's Voice: Although it is hard to hear, Assange is speaking (with an echo effect) about the power of WikiLeaks

O'reilly calls Assange a traitor: More conservative banter adding to the opposing view points

J. Robert Oppenheimer: Father of the atomic bomb, states that secrecy works against the wisdom of the government. He states men should be able to speak what they think is true and false; free and uncorrupted communication

Rush Limbaugh speaks: The "King of the Conservatives" makes a harsh and dramatic call for Assange to be killed, "no questions asked." He is the perfect person, and the sentiment is the perfect sentiment, to launch this audio into a more frenzied pace

"Hands off WikiLeaks" : Proof that large groups of people don't agree with the conservative view and want WikiLeaks to continue

O'Reilly calls Assange names: More conservative drama that helps to build the frenzy I am intentionally building

Funny Sarah Palin quote: Frankly, this sound bite accomplishes two things, 1) it's hilarious 2) it is an example of high profile people commenting on WikiLeaks and being commented on themselves. The layers go deep!

Simpson's song: This is a call back to "The American Way," the American Everyman is layered beneath the controversy and may or may not be paying attention. From an audio perspective, it also adds to the "frenzy."

Baby cries: In acting we call this a "callback." We are revisiting an element from early on in the experience but now that we have traveled further on the journey we will hear this symbol of "the future crying" with a different, deeper perspective

Vietnames song, "Help Me, Momma": This haunting tune brings in elements of the Vietnamese character in the text of "The American Way" but, more importantly, it asks the audience to think about the individual lives that are effected by the actions of our American Military, the primary focus of WikiLeaks.

Gunshot: This is an element like "baby crying": in acting we call this a "callback." We are revisiting an element from early on in the experience but now that we have traveled further on the journey we will hear this symbol of the violence/freedom, protection/oppression with a different, deeper perspective

Beginning to talk followed by "shhh": We are reminded of the issue at hand: to speak up or keep government secrets secret

Fade to Vietnames song and out: Leaving us with the last sound the sound of other nations and past pain from wrongs our government has allowed

So, what story do you hear?