On my perfect planet, Jeffrey Lewis would be mandatory listening, reading, watching in all high schools. He would be our biggest media star. I consider the night I first head him (at Joe’s Pub with Vanessa) one of my favorite music experiences.
Category: These Are Those Things
That inspire, that I like, and that I hope you feel the same about
If we didn’t have the Indie Film support organizations, you wouldn’t have indie films in the theater. Cinereach, IFP, Film Independent, SxSW, Tribeca, Sundance, and yes, my new home, the San Francisco Film Society — it takes more than a village; it takes a freakin’ army.
The proof is in the pudding. Look at all the films in theaters this week. All these films were discovered at Sundance and supported by these various organizations. Where would they be without them? And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. And just the start. If you don’t go see them — and soon — our very culture will be threatened!
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD written by Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Alibar and directed by Benh Zeitlin
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/beastsofthesouthernwild/
HELLO I MUST BE GOING written by Sarah Koskoff and directed by Todd Louiso
http://hello.oscilloscope.net/
KEEP THE LIGHTS ON written by Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias and directed by Ira Sachs
http://keepthelightsonfilm.com/
LITTLE BIRDS written and directed by Elgin James
SLEEPWALK WITH ME written by Mike Birbiglia, Seth Barrish, and Joe Birbiglia and directed by Mike Birbiglia and Seth Barrish
http://www.sleepwalkmovie.com/
COMPLIANCE written and directed by Craig Zobel
http://www.magpictures.com/compliance/
THE WORDS written and directed by Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal
Categories
The Seven Social Sins
Gandhi was a wise man. I think he got this right:
Seven social sins:
- politics without principles
- wealth without work
- pleasure without conscience
- knowledge without character
- commerce without morality
- science without humanity
- worship without sacrifice
Julia Pott’s animated short “Belly” is a profoundly moving, visually stunning bit of cinema. So sad and lovely.
Hat tip to VHX.tv
A friend of mine — an accomplished director and writer — once said to me that you have to write eight screenplays before you can actually write one. It is a well know adage that writing is all rewriting. Yet do we really yet get to incorporate that in our filmmaking.
The analogue era was about completion and perfection. You made it and put it out and that was it: it was part of the world. Yet the digital era is about something quite different; it is about evolution, transformation, iterations, and versioning. Not only can it change everywhere, but we can do it in ways that weren’t possible several years back. We can shoot a film on the cheap, and then revise it, or connect to it, or pull from it subsequently. Some artists are already adept at quoting themselves.
Watching Bruce Sprinsteen perform from over 40 years back, it’s sort of thrilling to hear elements of his later work in his early songs. I know that there are artist making movies now that will be doing just that same thing with their films of today when they make their films of tomorrow.
Categories
Jack London’s Rallying Cry
I was reading the NY Times piece on Occupy Oakland, and came across this quote from Oakland native Jack London, given to NYers at the turn of the 20th century:
“A million years ago, the cave man, without tools, with small brain, and with nothing but the strength of his body, managed to feed his wife and children, so that through him the race survived. You on the other hand, armed with all the modern means of production, multiplying the productive capacity of the cave man a million times — you are incompetents and muddlers, you are unable to secure to millions even the paltry amount of bread that would sustain their physical life. You have mismanaged the world, and it shall be taken from you.
The words still hold true, and apply to many aspects of modern life.
We can build it better together.
40 years ago today, Bruce Springsteen was playing Max’s Kansas City. Someone filmed it for all of us. I am so thankful that I have had Bruce to help guide & inspire me all these years. It’s incredible how he has helped shape my dreams and ambitions, reinforce my values and commitment.
