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8 years ago
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As the year winds down and we’re suffused with holiday cheer (and perhaps making donations to our favorite causes), it’s a good time for film fans to take a look at some movies that need help getting made, ones we might not necessarily hear about otherwise.
For many a low-budget indie filmmaker, Kickstarter, Indiegogo and other crowdfunding sites have become the way to get it done – or at least try to get it done. (Actually, some not-so-low budget films, including Zack Braff’s Wish I Was Here and Spike Lee’s Da Sweet Blood of Jesus, were both made with money – $3.1 million and $1.4 million, respectively – raised via Kickstarter, but those are exceptions.) Offering potential backers several donation tiers that pay back perks ranging from a thank-you postcard and link to the finished product to set visits and a night out with the cast and crew, these campaigns are not only a way for films to get made, but for fans to become a part of something cool and exciting.
There are many worthwhile films seeking funds on a variety of crowdsourcing platforms (over 600 film and video projects on Kickstarter alone). Here is just a sampling of interesting-looking projects on Kickstarter and Indiegogo, several of them based right here in New York City, with campaigns that are currently open. The list includes both documentary and narrative films in various stages of production, from pre- to post. They range from fairly sophisticated endeavors with principals who have significant industry[...]
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8 years ago
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‘Tis the time of year for the radio stations to play Mariah Carey's cover of “All I Want For Christmas” (the “Extra Festive” version) on repeat. It’s a great song and it sure is festive, but after hearing it twenty or so times over the span of only a few hours it starts to wear down the holiday spirit. It doesn’t help that there are only a few dozen other really popular holiday songs played during December: Brenda Lee's “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree”, Nat King Cole's “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)”, Jose Feliciano's “Feliz Navidad”, Dean Martin's “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow”, Bing Crosby's “White Christmas”, that one song about shoes. Again, all great tunes, but they're hard to hear on repeat for an entire month. Especially when most of us are either coped up with relatives, stuck in holiday traffic or desperately trying to find the last toy lightsaber sold in the state...or trying to justify sneaking off to see Star Wars... again.
Instead of sitting through TSwift's "Last Christmas" one more time, listen to some other covers and holiday/Christmas songs that get less airtime. From groups like The Killers that annually put out their own holiday tune to bands like Weezer that cover classics, here are twelve songs to get you through to the New Year. Enjoy!
1. "Christmas Night Of The Living Dead" by MXPX
2. "Deadbeat Holiday" by Green Day
3. "Last Christmas" by Jimmy Eat World
4. "The Season's Upon Us" by Dropkick Murphys
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8 years ago
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Véronique Hyland of New York Magazine reported on Council of Fashion Designers of America's (CFDA) efforts to "revolutionize Fashion Week."
Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for NYFW
A major possible change to the twice-yearly showcase includes transforming Fashion Week into a consumer-driven event, instead of an industry one. And the redesigned series would "show in-season merchandise to the public."
This is a huge move because designers typically showcase collections for following seasons, amid rabid fanfare and exclusive pageantry. And, in turn, these fashion showcases would influence fast-fashion looks, clandestinely sold at stores like H&M and Zara, that surface sometime later in the future.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
However, this method is thought to be a great way to spur "buy now, wear now" opportunities for the public. The re-formmated showcases would require designers to host "smaller showroom presentations and appointments with retailers and press," presenting designs six months out for possible purchasing purposes. Then, designers would produce large-scale runway shows for a consumer audience, WWD reports.
CFDA Chairman Diane von Furstenberg tells WWD “ I have a feeling people will be showing what’s available closer to what’s in store. I don’t have all the answers." However, the general goal is to boost "full-price selling" of clothing.
This week, designer Rebecca Minkoff announced a big step—a Spring 2016 col[...]
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8 years ago
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"Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task." Henry James' words are apt in describing the art-making process, and how it can explore uncertainness through introspection. In the process, the artist and viewer enter into an intangible, unpractical, and highly emotional place that is ultimately the most passionate because it allows them to explore the more ambiguous realms of the self.
This is exactly the intent and effect of "I DREAMT," New York performance artist Nicholas' Gorham's recent production. In it, he lip syncs sound bites by Delia Derbyshire, a leading British electronic musician from the 1960s. He was utterly fascinated by their evocative beauty, and knew he would eventually incorporate them into a performance. The sound recordings are different voices describing a nightmare of being chased, and Nicholas switches from one character to another in a matter of seconds. This is achieved by having light projections of different outfits cast onto his body, which is the sole illuminated presence in a darkened room. Coupled with the haunting repetition of phrases, such as "I'm running away...running, and running, and running" in each of the different voices, the result is dark, painful, but incredibly engrossing especially if you have ever had nightmares.
He plans to take this the exploration of the subconscious further in his upcoming Christmas theater production, also focusing on time, space, identity, and superficiality but with a stronger social co[...]
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8 years ago
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“If it doesn’t inspire you in some way, I failed as a filmmaker,” says Richard “R.G.” Miller, the subject of Justin Johnson’s new documentary Double Digits: The Story of a Neighborhood Movie Star. Of course the same can be said of Johnson’s homage to Miller, a prolific, super low-budget auteur who makes movies for the sheer love of it. Against many odds, Miller has succeeded in not only pursuing his passion, but getting many other people enthused and involved in the process. Double Digits celebrates the fact that while some may may aim for mega fame and fortune, those with extremely modest means and realistic ambitions should not be discounted as artists, and in fact, may be truer to their art.
We’re introduced to 52-year-old Miller at his Wichita, Kansas apartment -- which doubles as his studio -- and learn that his one-man production company RG Internet Art Films has released several half-hour to hour-long features on Miller’s Youtube channel. "Thank God for the Internet,” he chuckles, not attempting to create a viral sensation with his compelling, delightfully lo-fi movies. “If I get double digits [more than nine "likes"], I’m successful.”
Double Digits, which was shot over the course of three years, shows the making of Miller's newest effort, The Mask Man, shot in his apartment and on his side lot, as are all of his films. His painstaking DIY efforts include miniature stand-ins (dolls), homemade costumes and masks, and various household items that have been[...]
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8 years ago
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Tommy Siegel is best known as the guitarist of either piano band Jukebox the Ghost or noise rock group Drunken Sufis. The two bands exist on fairly opposite ends of the genre spectrum, with one brimming with gentle introspection and optimism while the other stopping its feet and howling against the government. Siegel has pooled elements of both projects, like the political-savvy of the Sufis and the humor of a younger Jukebox, to fuel his newest act: Narc Twain.
A dystopian punk band, the group was born from of all things a book of poetry. The symbiotic nature of Brooklyn is perhaps to thank for Siegel’s chance encounter with the book. He found Jeremy Schmall & Cult of Comfort by Jeremy Schmall in the recycling bin of his apartment building last year. The 99-page collection is brief, with fifty or so poems channeling anxiety, paranoia, pain, discomfort, understanding, introspection, hunger and hitting on a myriad of other emotions that the reader didn’t necessarily see coming. The poems twist and hairpin turn in a way that would make all MFA students smile and all passer-bys wonder what exactly did they pick up out of the recycling. The commentary on capitalism and cynicism struck a chord with Siegel. He wrote Schmall, whose email was hidden in plain sight in a poem in Cult of Comfort, eventually sending him music. And thus Schmall inspired what would eventually become the six song EP that is Narc Twain.
The band released the debut EP last week, playing a show in c[...]
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8 years ago
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Just announced on December 2: The British Fashion Council has chosen its eight emerging designers for its biannual Newgen initiative, sponsored by Topshop. The designers will present their 2016 looks during London Fashion Week this February.
Image Credit: British Fashion Council
The Newgen initiative has been bolstering designers-to-watch since 1993. Former winners include current design legends Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, and Marta Marques.
The selected designers are Ashley Williams, Claire Barrow, Danielle Romeril, Faustine Steinmetz, Marta Jakubowski, Molly Goddard, Ryan Lo and Sadie Williams. And designer Rebecca Einer, a recent Westminster fashion graduate, has been given the special distinction of "One-To-Watch."
Images of Danielle Romeril, Ashley, Williams, Marta Jakubowski
As ElleUK.com reports, this opportunity will "help rocket these young designers into the international spotlight," helping them to build strong connections within the industry.
Ryan Lo and Ashley Williams will unveil collections on the runway at London Fashion Week, while the remaining honorees will showcase their designs in static installations, according to ElleUK.com.
"Supporting emerging talent is at the very heart of the Topshop brand and we are incredibly proud sponsors of the Newgen initiative," says Topshop managing director Mary Homer to Vogue UK. "Seeing the prestigious alumni that the scheme has nurtured, as well as the promising names that are currentl[...]
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8 years ago
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The turkey has been eaten, the in-laws have left, the traffic has settled and the flurry of the Thanksgiving has finally subsided. We were meant, during the holiday, to reflect and give thanks for all that we have in our lives, but those sentiments sometimes get lost in the craze surrounding Black Friday/Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday. We forget the “giving” part of Thanksgiving. To counteract this, “Giving Tuesday” was launched by organizations like 92nd Street Y, the United Nations Foundation, the website Mashable and the brand (RED). The day is meant to remind us to pause our consuming (figuratively. you can keep working on those leftovers if you want) and give back this holiday season. Here are five charitable organizations, both for the music and by the music, that you could give to this Tuesday:
Dear Jack Foundation
The Dear Jack Foundation (DJF) was founded by Andrew McMahon of Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. While on tour with his first band, Something Corporate, McMahon was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). After undergoing treatment, he resolved to ‘initiate change and provide a voice for the generations of young adults who have been diagnosed with cancer.” With the specific aim of helping adolescents and young adults (AYA), DJF aims to support organizations, ‘which recognize the unique challenges the AYA community faces, during and post-treatment.” The programs that have benefited from DJF include the UCLA stem cell transplant progr[...]
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8 years ago
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“This is a love story, a mystery, a crime drama, a wake-up call and a farce,” begins Jon J. Whelan’s voiceover in his new documentary Stink! Though a fairly modest enterprise, the film does manage to incorporate all those elements into a cohesive package. Stink! is essentially an eye-opening exposé of the unregulated or under-regulated use of chemicals in cosmetics, household products and clothing in the U.S. Whelan, whose own personal tragedy led him to pursue the subject, figures prominently in the film; he's reminiscent of a low-key Morgan Spurlock or a more affable Michael Moore.
Stink!– and Whelan’s quest – starts when the widowed filmmaker orders pajamas for his young daughters from the popular tween-tailer Justice. His attempts to find out what makes the PJ’s smell bad are met with uncooperative ignorance on the part of the company, from customer service reps to its CEO; basically, chemicals used in the clothing cannot be divulged as it is “proprietary information.” That phrase soon becomes a loathsome mantra on the part of manufacturers and those representing the chemicals industry as a legal excuse to protect themselves. Whelan decides to send the offensive PJ’s to a lab for analysis…
Meanwhile, the movie gives us some pertinent history: A 2009 government report warned that environmental toxins are seriously underestimated. Flashback to President Nixon’s National Cancer Act of 1971 and the ensuing 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, which was supposed to regulate ne[...]
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8 years ago
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The deplorable terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday November 13 has left 352 wounded and has tragically claimed 129 lives, including an aspiring designer named Nohemi Gonzalez, studying abroad from California.
Fashion blogger, Mai Hua New York Times thought that the explosions "were just another burst of gang violence," while a woman picking up Chinese takeout recalls a terrifying account of people "hiding under tables," and her car "riddled with bullets."
It's painful and difficult to fully imagine the entire weight of horror these innocent people experienced, and our hearts go out to all of the victims and lives lost. And this weekend, the heartfelt sympathy in the wake of this heinous can be seen all over social media, especially within the fashion community.
Photo Credit: Jean Julien
See below some of the outpouring of love and support from such leading members of the fashion world, including Valentino, Ralph Lauren and Christian Louboutin .
Jacqueline Colette Prosper, yummicoco.com
Jacqueline Colette Prosper, yummicoco.com
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8 years ago
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Hot Sugar’s Cold World, Adam Bhala Lough’s engaging new documentary, begins with the title musician/producer recording the sound of Pop Rocks candy dissolving in a young woman’s mouth. It’s as good an introduction to the iconoclastic Hot Sugar (Nick Koenig) as any: this New York-based musical alchemist creates highly atmospheric compositions out of myriad everyday sounds. His moody, multi-layered electronic music has become the main soundtrack for Comedy Central’s Broad City and has graced tracks by rappers Antwon and Heems, in addition to many other Koenig collaborators. (One of his first high-profile production credits was for the song “Sleep” from The Roots’ 2011 concept album undun.) The movie invites us to watch -- and ultimately marvel at -- Koenig's unorthodox, intensely personal process.
Something of a wunderkind, Koenig found his MO years ago as a young hip hop fan, when he realized that “everyone winds up using the same sounds,” so he decided to make his own. Hot Sugar's Cold World follows Koenig over several months as he creates his music in a variety of environments and cities; collaborates and hangs out with assorted luminaries including Jim Jarmusch, actor Martin Starr and Heems (Himanshu Kumar Suri); queries astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson about the nature of sound; and talks about his process and his life. At one point in the film, he breaks up with his girlfriend, Internet-famous rapper Kitty, seemingly due to conflicting touring schedules and the [...]
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8 years ago
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Halloween is barely behind us and yet the storefronts and Starbucks cups are already all geared up for Christmas. The holidays are still a solid month away. We still have Thanksgiving and the start of winter to get through. Let’s focus on the present and all the good albums that have come out instead of decking the halls in November. Based on the past month and the beginning of this one, it looks like 2015 is going to close strong. Releases have included Matt Berninger’s new project El Vy as well as relative newcomer Alex G. Here are some of our favorite releases of late:
“Need A Friend” by El Vy
For Fans of: The National, Menomena, MinutemenOff of the band’s debut Return to the Moon, “Need A Friend” is a great example of how The National's Matt Berninger and Ramona Falls/Menomena's Brent Knopf have combined two fairly different sounds together to craft a new, just as good one. Berninger is known for velvety, smoldering vocals set to sweeping instrumentals whereas Knopf is typically springier, stranger and heavier on the synth. El Vy doesn’t sound like either of those things, but it’s already a favorite. Other tracks of the record, like “I’m the Man to Be”, are downright goofy compared than their usual tones, which makes “Need A Friend” a good mid-ground to start from when getting to know the group.
“Josephine” by Frank Turner
For Fans of: Frightened Rabbit, Admiral Fallow
English folk/singer-songwriter Frank Turner has been churning out heart-wrenching, ho[...]
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