Inside America's dead shopping malls | Dan Bell

TL;DR

Dan Bell has produced a series of short films called "The Dead Mall Series" about abandoned shopping malls.

Transcript

In the last couple of years, I have produced what I call "The Dead Mall Series," 32 short films and counting about dead malls. Now, for those of you who are not familiar with what a dead mall is, it's basically a shopping mall that has fallen into hard times. So it either has few shops and fewer shoppers, or it's abandoned and crumbling into ruin. ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🎥 The Dead Mall Series: The speaker has produced a series of short films about "dead malls," which are shopping malls that have declined in popularity or have been abandoned.
• 💔 Finding Inspiration: The speaker started the series in 2015 after going through a dark period in their life where they stopped creating films. Filming dead malls reignited their passion for filmmaking.
• 🏬 Memories of Owings Mills Mall: The speaker reminisces about their childhood experiences at Owings Mills Mall, which was once popular but is now ready for demolition.
• 🛍️ Love-Hate Relationship with Retail: The speaker reflects on their various retail jobs as a teenager, including getting fired and shoplifting, and also shares anecdotes about hanging out with friends at the mall.
• 🌎 Global Interest: The speaker's YouTube videos about dead malls garnered interest from people all over the world, sparking requests to film dead malls in different locations.
• 📷Creative Filming Techniques: To capture footage without mall security interfering, the speaker had to be sneaky and use hidden cameras, ultimately creating a first-person experience for viewers.
• 🎶 Vaporwave Collaboration: The speaker collaborated with vaporwave artists to create the series' music, which reflects the nihilistic and angsty nature of the dead mall aesthetic.
• 🏢 Embracing the Vintage Look: The speaker suggests that dead malls should embrace their retro aesthetic and transform into trendy spaces, attracting millennials and hipsters to revitalize the malls.
• 🎤 Rediscovering Inspiration: The speaker expresses gratitude and fulfillment for the positive response to their videos, which has reignited their passion as an artist and culminated in the honor of speaking at the event.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is a dead mall?

A dead mall is a shopping mall that has fallen into hard times, either with few shops and shoppers or abandoned and crumbling into ruin.

Q: How did the speaker start producing "The Dead Mall Series"?

The speaker started producing "The Dead Mall Series" in early 2015 after going through a dark period in his life where he didn't want to create films anymore. He put his camera away and stopped filming. However, in 2015, he decided to make a short film about the Owings Mills Mall, which led to the creation of the series.

Q: What kind of jobs did the speaker have in malls?

The speaker had various jobs in malls as a teenager, including working at a sporting goods store called Herman's World of Sports, a lady's shoe store, a leather goods store, and a video store. However, he mentioned that he was fired from every single job.

Q: How did the speaker film the episodes of "The Dead Mall Series" without getting caught?

Initially, the speaker filmed the episodes with an iPhone, but security in the malls would tell him to put the camera away. To continue filming, he had to get creative and sneaky, using a hidden camera and different techniques to capture the footage he needed. This allowed him to create a first-person experience for viewers.

Q: How did the speaker incorporate music into "The Dead Mall Series"?

The speaker collaborated with artists who create music called vaporwave to incorporate music into "The Dead Mall Series." Vaporwave is a music genre that emerged in the early 2010s and has a nihilistic and angsty aesthetic. The speaker used this music to enhance the overall experience and atmosphere of the videos.

Q: What is the speaker's idea for reviving dead malls?

The speaker suggested that dead malls should embrace their vintage look and transform into spaces that appeal to millennials and hipsters. He proposed adding bars, vegan food in the food court, and inviting these demographics to come and drink and eat. This, according to the speaker, would attract popular brands and potentially revive the malls.

Q: How did the speaker feel about the response to "The Dead Mall Series"?

The speaker was initially unsure if others would share the enthusiasm for the videos about dead malls. However, he received a lot of comments from people all over the country and the world expressing nostalgia or sharing information about other dead malls. This response inspired the speaker and made him appreciate the fulfillment of connecting with a global audience.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker discusses their series of short films called "The Dead Mall Series" which focuses on abandoned shopping malls that have fallen into disrepair.

• The series began in 2015 as a way for the speaker to reignite their passion for filmmaking after a period of creative stagnation.

• The series garnered unexpected popularity and the speaker began traveling to different malls to film, using creative techniques and collaborating with musicians to enhance the viewer's experience.