Jason Silva
Encyclopedia
Jason Silva is a Venezuelan-American television personality, filmmaker, gonzo journalist and founding producer/host for Current TV
, the Emmy winning youth-oriented lifestyle cable network started by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore
, now the fastest growing network in TV history. He resides in Los Angeles, California.
Silva earned a degree in film and philosophy from the University of Miami
in Coral Gables, Florida
. He, along with Max Lugavere
, produced and starred in a
video documentary/performance piece entitled "Textures of Selfhood"—an experimental film about hedonism and spirituality. "The Party-Philosophers" and "Intellectual Hedonists", aptly named by Angeleno Magazine, borrowed the name for the film from the Hedonistic Imperative, a website promoting the end to suffering by philosopher David Pearce
.
. Their story on counterfeit IDs earned them a featured appearance and interview on Anderson Cooper 360. Their franchise, "Max and Jason Style" has become one of the hallmarks of their work on Current TV, denoting coverage of an issue in a voice that is distinctly unique- often juxtaposing telegenic images and a heightened filmmaking aesthetic with bold and intelligent content. The results are a compelling product, which as The Internet Examiner put it, is proof that "Current is getting it just right."
quote: "We are as gods and might as well get good at it," the film is a love letter to science and technology. The film generated buzz among transhumanist
circles for its impassioned exploration of the subject matter, and Silva has further explored Singularity
studies by interviewing American filmmaker Barry Ptolemy
on his recent film Transcendent Man .
Silva is expanding The Immortalists into a feature length documentary titled Turning into Gods, which he has described as "an unfolding of mystical and metaphysical sensations" , even though it’s a film that’s ultimately about scientists talking about science , and plans to publish piece-wise online until a complete release in 2012 .
, Lisa Ling
, and June Arunga
) hosted the first annual Pangea Day
on May 10, 2008, a live 4-hour program of film, music, and speakers broadcast worldwide to over 150 countries and with a projected audience of 500 million people. The goal of the event, created by filmmaker Jehane Noujaim
and TED curator Chris Anderson
, was to unite the people of the world through the power of film.
and WE: Women's Entertainment
, were featured in a full-page LA Times article about Current, and have co-hosted a panel on short-form film making at the 2006 South By Southwest
Festival in Austin, Texas.
The press has dubbed Max and Jason "Gore's Boys" (944 Magazine, November 2007) and "the stars of Current TV" (Nylon Guys, Fall 2007).
They were invited to lead panel discussions on Citizen Journalism at The Paley Center for Media in both New York and Los Angeles.
The duo were featured in the Fall 2008 Gap
campaign worldwide.
Current TV
Current TV, or Current, is a media company led by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and businessman Joel Hyatt. Comcast owns a ten percent stake of Current's parent company, Current Media LLC....
, the Emmy winning youth-oriented lifestyle cable network started by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
, now the fastest growing network in TV history. He resides in Los Angeles, California.
Silva earned a degree in film and philosophy from the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
in Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
. He, along with Max Lugavere
Max Lugavere
Max Lugavere is American television personality, filmmaker, gonzo journalist, musician, and founding producer/host for Current TV, the Emmy winning youth-oriented lifestyle cable network started by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, now the fastest growing network in TV history...
, produced and starred in a
video documentary/performance piece entitled "Textures of Selfhood"—an experimental film about hedonism and spirituality. "The Party-Philosophers" and "Intellectual Hedonists", aptly named by Angeleno Magazine, borrowed the name for the film from the Hedonistic Imperative, a website promoting the end to suffering by philosopher David Pearce
David Pearce
David Pearce or Dave Pearce may refer to:*David Pearce , Welsh former British heavyweight boxing champion*David Pearce British musician...
.
Current TV
"Max and Jason" have become a prolific hosting and producing duo on Current TV, with widely ranging stories- from illegal immigration and counterfeit IDs, to profiling a brave new singer songwriter right before signing a publishing deal, to a taped philosophical sit-down with director Darren AronofskyDarren Aronofsky
Darren Aronofsky is an American film director, screenwriter and film producer. He attended Harvard University to study film theory and the American Film Institute to study both live-action and animation filmmaking...
. Their story on counterfeit IDs earned them a featured appearance and interview on Anderson Cooper 360. Their franchise, "Max and Jason Style" has become one of the hallmarks of their work on Current TV, denoting coverage of an issue in a voice that is distinctly unique- often juxtaposing telegenic images and a heightened filmmaking aesthetic with bold and intelligent content. The results are a compelling product, which as The Internet Examiner put it, is proof that "Current is getting it just right."
The Immortalists and Turning into Gods
Silva produced and directed a short documentary film titled The Immortalists , profiling scientists and philosophers, including Ray Kurzweil, about the philosophical implications of tinkering with our biology, merging with our technologies and overcoming our biological limitations. Inspired by the Stewart BrandStewart Brand
Stewart Brand is an American writer, best known as editor of the Whole Earth Catalog. He founded a number of organizations including The WELL, the Global Business Network, and the Long Now Foundation...
quote: "We are as gods and might as well get good at it," the film is a love letter to science and technology. The film generated buzz among transhumanist
Transhumanism
Transhumanism, often abbreviated as H+ or h+, is an international intellectual and cultural movement that affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally transforming the human condition by developing and making widely available technologies to eliminate aging and to greatly enhance human...
circles for its impassioned exploration of the subject matter, and Silva has further explored Singularity
Technological singularity
Technological singularity refers to the hypothetical future emergence of greater-than-human intelligence through technological means. Since the capabilities of such an intelligence would be difficult for an unaided human mind to comprehend, the occurrence of a technological singularity is seen as...
studies by interviewing American filmmaker Barry Ptolemy
Barry Ptolemy
Robert Barry Ptolemy is an American film director, producer and writer. Ptolemy directed Transcendent Man a documentary film about futurist and inventor Ray Kurzweil.-Life:...
on his recent film Transcendent Man .
Silva is expanding The Immortalists into a feature length documentary titled Turning into Gods, which he has described as "an unfolding of mystical and metaphysical sensations" , even though it’s a film that’s ultimately about scientists talking about science , and plans to publish piece-wise online until a complete release in 2012 .
Pangea Day
Jason Silva (along with best friend and Current TV co-host Max LugavereMax Lugavere
Max Lugavere is American television personality, filmmaker, gonzo journalist, musician, and founding producer/host for Current TV, the Emmy winning youth-oriented lifestyle cable network started by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, now the fastest growing network in TV history...
, Lisa Ling
Lisa Ling
Lisa J. Ling is a Chinese American journalist, best known for her role as a co-host of ABC's The View , host of National Geographic Explorer, reporter on Channel One News, and special correspondent for the Oprah Winfrey Show and CNN. She is the older sister of journalist Laura Ling.-Early...
, and June Arunga
June Arunga
June Akinyi Arunga is the founder and CEO of Open Quest Media LLC. In 2010, she was named in the 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company. She is a founding partner, and for a period was Director of Corporate Affairs, of Black Star Line SA: a technology solution provider in the fields...
) hosted the first annual Pangea Day
Pangea Day
Pangea Day was an international multimedia event conducted on May 10, 2008. Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai and Rio de Janeiro were linked to produce a 4-hour program of films, music and speakers. The program was broadcast live across the globe from 1800 to 2200 UTC, culminating in a...
on May 10, 2008, a live 4-hour program of film, music, and speakers broadcast worldwide to over 150 countries and with a projected audience of 500 million people. The goal of the event, created by filmmaker Jehane Noujaim
Jehane Noujaim
Jehane Noujaim is an Egyptian American documentary film director best known for her films Control Room, Startup.com and Pangea Day.- Career :Jehane Noujaim is a filmmaker, born in Washington DC and raised in Kuwait and Cairo....
and TED curator Chris Anderson
Chris Anderson
Chris Anderson may refer to:* Chris Anderson , founder of Future Publishing and curator of the TED Conference* Chris Anderson , author, journalist, editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine, popularized "The Long Tail"* Chris Anderson , football player, educator, former Vice-Chairman of Aberdeen F.C.*...
, was to unite the people of the world through the power of film.
Other
They have been invited to guest host hit shows on E!E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
and WE: Women's Entertainment
WE: Women's Entertainment
WE tv is an American cable television channel that is marketed towards women. It features some original programming, such as non-fiction talk shows, as well as made-for-TV movies, older feature films, and reruns of TV shows, it also shows art and fashion documentaries and reality series....
, were featured in a full-page LA Times article about Current, and have co-hosted a panel on short-form film making at the 2006 South By Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
Festival in Austin, Texas.
The press has dubbed Max and Jason "Gore's Boys" (944 Magazine, November 2007) and "the stars of Current TV" (Nylon Guys, Fall 2007).
They were invited to lead panel discussions on Citizen Journalism at The Paley Center for Media in both New York and Los Angeles.
The duo were featured in the Fall 2008 Gap
Gap (clothing retailer)
The Gap, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. The company has five primary brands: the namesake Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. As of September 2008,...
campaign worldwide.