We asked Motif’s resident video production supervisor to recommend some locally grown vids that made his year:
1. Dawn the Duck
You may think you have a robust social life, but just know that there’s a duck living larger than you. Sporting a gold medallion fit (and sometimes a tiny leopard fur coat or a sports jersey), Dawn attends everything from a swanky red carpet gala alongside former mayor/congressperson David Cicilline, to protest rallies, music concerts, podcasts appearances, and more than a few strip clubs. She recently ruffled a few feathers at the Amica Pavillion, getting banned from future basketball games, citing health concerns and Dawn’s well-being, but if past is prologue, you can’t keep a good duck down for long. With an average duck lifespan of approximately 5-10 years and Dawn being a spry one-and-a-half-year-old, now is the perfect time to get down with Dawn while she’s in her celeb era.
2. Assistant Attorney General’s Arrest Video
Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Flanagan had a very, very bad night in Newport this year, and the internet was here for it. Charges of willful trespass, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest were all on the menu outside of The Clarke Cooke House restaurant, for Flanagan and her friend Veronica Hannan, resulting in squad car rides for both.
Flanagan was placed on a six-month unpaid leave for some much-needed reflection time. In a political universe increasingly starved for justice and accountability, it’s refreshing to see that phrases like, “I’m an AG,” and “You’re going to regret it,” are not always automatic get-out-of-jail free cards.
3. Washington Bridge
While the bridge troubles aren’t exactly new news, the extensive analysis by notable structural engineers on YouTube has only been gaining traction this year. On channels such as Casey Jones and Practical Engineering, every facet of the saga is considered, including the bridge’s history, fault detection, political missteps, and ongoing demolition/reconstruction efforts, garnering millions of views. Of course, if exhausting structural engineering analysis isn’t your thing, you can always tune in to RI DOT’s live feed of the bridge itself.
4. Buns and Bites
One of the more cheeky Rhode Island food & drink bloggers on the scene, Buns and Bites’ Laura Afonso has broken past 100K followers on Instagram in 2025, and continues to (virtually) take you to all of the local trendy hotspots that might not be on your culinary radar. Lighthearted, body-positive, and appetite inducing content are served up perfectly cooked.
5. Twenty-Foot Shark
We’re gonna need a bigger column. In a stroke of impeccable timing with the 50th anniversary of the movie Jaws, this 20-foot shark made a Memorial Day appearance in the Great Salt Pond of Block Island this year, scaring the bejesus out of many. While not actually a great white, this harmless basking shark did briefly give locals pause before they tested out their swimsuits on the island this summer.