[September 28, 2015, Toronto, ON] – Make Web Not War Studios present “Open” – a short film from OGT Productions, a new startup whose aim is to create Civic Engagement as Art. The film suggests that most people are not aware of how the Open movement is drastically changing the way things get done, and asks if these changes can be applied to government.
The “Open World” is built on collaboration and uses freedom of information to bring about innovation and efficiency. Whereas the prototypical 9-to-5 “Closed World” relies on hierarchies, control, and only provides knowledge on a need-to-know basis.
on Make Web Not War’s own YouTube channel.
“I call myself an Open Government and Open Data Fanboy,” says first-time director Richard Pietro. “And I wanted to make a short film that drew on familiar themes to make it easier for people to understand these movements. The film explains the Open ethos and invites its audience to ask ‘If this is really happening, how will it affect my life? My work?” The 10-minute-long Open pays homage to film favourites with nods to The Matrix, Office Space, Star Trek, Monty Python, The Simpsons and others.
Pietro along with Producer, Rick Weiss; Cinematographers Gord Poon & Mike Donis; and Technical Lead, Brian Wong; cast Toronto talent in “Open.” Mish Tam stepped into the role of “New School,” a messenger spreading the word of O3 – Open Government, Open Data and Open Source. Julian Frid took on the role of “Old School”, a beleaguered bureaucrat who is torn between his predictable environment and the opportunities presented by the Open World.
OGT Productions is a startup dedicated to creating Civic Engagement as Art. Its purpose is to encourage people to explore new and creative ways to be active and engaged members in their communities.
Make Web Not War (@webnotwar) is the Canadian Open Source and Open Government community founded by Microsoft. Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) is the leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
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If you have any questions or need more information about the short film, Open Government, Open Data, and Open Source, or would like to schedule an interview with anyone from the production, please call Richard Pietro at 647-760-1540 or email at richard@citizenbridge.org.