Artdiction MayJune2018

Habitual. Art. Volume 12 May/June 2018 www.artdictionmagazine.com

ArtDiction Habitual. Art.

ArtDiction is a platform for artists to display their work and a resource for the habitual art lover.

Staff

Devika A. Strother, Editor-in-Chief devika@artdictionmagazine.com Isabella Chow, Associate Editor bella@artdictionmagazine.com Phillip Utterback, Staff Writer phillip@artdictionmagazine.com David Frankel, Senior Account Executive dfrankel@webtv.net

Graphic Design Consultant Shannon Washington

shanwashingtondc@gmail.com

Contributing Writers Sofia Michael J. Munyi

Devika Akeise Publishing assumes no responsibility for the opinions expressed by authors in this publication. Š2018 of Devika Akeise Publishing. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

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FEATURES 14 Behind the Scenes with Morgan Cooper

Cinematographer, Morgan Cooper shares his processes and how he works with his team to create great films.

24 Motion Picture Association of America Film Rating

System

A brief explanation of the MPAA film rating system is provided.

26 Visual Engineer Steve Giralt’s talent and innovation has helped blur the lines between photography and cinematography.

36 Books vs. Film The major differences between books and films are discussed.

38 David Lee: Telling His Story An artist with a sincere approach to art shares his creative journey.

Cover photo courtesy of Morgan Cooper.

48 A Filmmaker’s Platform Founder of MarylinFilms.com, Zandir Santos explains the purpose behind his distribution platform and why filmmakers should be supported.

In Each Issue 5

small talk

6 news 7 books 9 music 11 exhibits 51 artist index

Photo courtesy of Steve Giralt.

©2018 by Devika Akeise Publishing

small talk

Pixelbliss

O

ne of my greatest "artdictions" is my addiction to the art of storytelling—in book or movie form. To get lost in words, worlds, and imagery imagined and developed by others has always been one of my great escapes. Who hasn't read their favorite book or watched their favorite movie over and over again? (I know I'm not the only one.) Although books and film obviously differ in their approaches (see page 36), artistry is at the root of both.

In this issue, we focused on storytellers in film. We interviewed Morgan Cooper who explains his approach to making

films--from script to screen (page 14).

We chatted with Steve Giralt--a "hybrid image maker who shoots video and still photos" using technology that he sometimes designs himself (page 26).

Explaining how he arrived at his place of creativity, David Lee's interview on page 38 is educational and inspiring.

Filmmaker Zandir Santos (page 48) founded a platform for fellow filmmakers to share and promote their work.

Enjoy the interviews and art of these creatives, and remember to visit artdictionmagazine.com and the artists' websites to view more of their work.

ArtDiction | 5 | May/June 2018

news After Frida Kahlo Barbie Debacle, Licensing Company Sues Artist’s Relative The Frida Kahlo Corporation is suing Frida Kahlo’s niece and inherited the the artist’s great-niece with claims artist’s industrial property rights. In that she is falsely presenting herself 2003, Isolda P. Kahlo gave her daughas one with power to grant licensing ter power of attorney over her affairs, permits for Kahlo’s name and image. and the following year Pinedo transThe Panama City-based Frida Kahlo ferred Frida Kahlo’s industrial property Corporation (FKC) filed a lawsuit rights to the newly formed FKC “with against Mara Cristina Romeo Pinedo, the goal of commercializing the ‘Frida Frida Kahlo’s great-niece, who recently Kahlo’ brand,” the corporation’s comsucceeded in having a temporary plaint explains. injunction issued in Mexico preventing The unveiling in March of the Frida sales of the new Frida Kahlo Barbie Kahlo Barbie doll, as part of toymaker throughout the country. The lawsuit, Mattel’s Inspiring Women series, filed in Florida, alleges that Pinedo immediately drew Pinedo and Romeo’s — who remains a shareholder and ire. “I would have liked the doll to director at FKC — became dissatisfied have traits more like Frida’s, not this with the group in 2011 and began a doll with light-colored eyes,” Romeo campaign to discredit and disparage said at the time. “I would have liked the corporation and usurp its role as her to have a unibrow, for her clothes the licensing agent for commercial to be made by Mexican artisans.” products featuring the artist’s name The mother/daughter pair disputed and likeness.

FKC’s rights to the artist’s name and “[Pinedo], along with her daughter image, demanding a redesign of the Mara de Anda Romeo, have published Barbie. “We, the Kahlo family, are through the internet, social media, the ones who have the rights to all and US-based news outlets, false and these things,” Romeo told the AFP last slanderous press releases claiming month. that FKC does not own the rights that Now, the FKC is seeking a judgment it licenses,” the complaint states. It that will clarify its position as the sole further alleges that Pinedo and Romeo controller of the licensing rights to maintain an unauthorized website, Kahlo’s name and image. It is also Facebook page, and Twitter account seeking at least $75,000 in damages with the ostensible purpose of issuing and for Pinedo to cease any activity licenses and offering services under wherein she claims to control tradethe “Frida Kahlo” brand, which FKC marks related to Kahlo. The complaint claims only it has the authority to do. does not specifically identify the Pinedo’s mother, Isolda P. Kahlo, was dispute over the Frida Kahlo Barbie as the event that precipitated the legal action — though it does allege that her social media “statements were intentional and an unjustified interference with the relationship between FKC and Mattel, Inc.” MoMA Hires Rob Giampietro as Director of Design

Rob Giampietro

The Museum of Modern Art has announced the appointment of Rob Giampietro as its new director of design. Joining the museum’s newly formed creative team, he will work in collaboration with its director of marketing and creative strategy, Rob Baker, and its director of editorial and ArtDiction | 6| May/June 2018

The Frida Kahlo Barbiev (photo courtesy Mattel).

content strategy, Leah Dickerman.

“We are thrilled to have Rob join our new team at this exciting moment, with our expanded museum opening to audiences next year,” said Baker.

“Rob brings to MoMA a wealth of experience across many sectors, with a keen understanding of how brands and identities need to work in the 21st century.”

Giampietro previously served as a design manager at Google, where he was responsible for the launch of design.google.com, among other projects. Additionally, he has taught in RISD’s MFA graphic design department since 2006, where he is also a senior critic.

At Rockefeller Collection Sale at Christie’s, Early Picasso Sells for $115.1 M. At Christie’s in New York, Pablo Picasso’s Fillette à la corbeille fleurie (Young Girl With a Flower Basket, 1905) was called up for sale. The bidding began at $90 million and climbed to $100 million, then $102 million, a figure offered by a bidder participating by telephone.

bella’s books The Last Equation of Isaac Severy: A Novel in Clues Nova Jacobs Touchstone, March 2018

Intelligence is a tricky thing. Not enough, and functioning in the modern world can be a difficult thing; too much, the same problem.

Being in the middle often feels like a horrible see-saw between wishing you knew more or wishing you knew much, much less. It’s this balancing act that’s at the heart of Nova Jacobs’ debut novel, The Last Equation of Isaac Severy. The book focuses on the Severy family, reeling after the apparent suicide of their patriarch, Isaac, a mathematician whose genius cast a large shadow on friends and family alike. The story’s main character, Hazel, is an adopted child of Isaac’s blacksheep son, Tom, which means she carries the Severy name, but none of the genius. A letter addressed to Hazel from Isaac before his death, hinting that his death might not be the suicide everyone thinks, is a welcome escape from her current circumstances of a life teetering on the edge of disaster, and so down the rabbit hole of clues she goes, trying to find the truth.

This book might be marketed as a mystery, but to be honest, I found it to be a character-driven drama more than anything else. That’s not a dig; not only do I like that type of novel, but I found this to be a very good example of one. The

theme of living up to your family’s expectations is explored in various levels, some quite different than any other book I’ve read before, but all very realistically. Jacobs nails both the tone of the academic lives lived by Isaac’s children, and the real-world issues faced by both his natural and adopted grandchildren.

Out of everything, the only thing that comes off slightly unbelievable is the mystery portion of the book, largely because it has to do with mathematical concepts on a level beyond the realm of the average person. The novel only skims the surface of these concepts, but in those parts I couldn’t help but be reminded of Clarke’s Third Law: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Replace “technology” with “mathematics,” and you get my point; the theories in the book could be science fiction or scientific fact, and most readers would be none the wiser. Regardless, it’s eye-opening, as is the novel as a whole, and definitely worth a read.

The Glitch Elisabeth Cohen Doubleday, May 2018 Every once in a while, I find myself wondering how the minds of truly successful people work. Not the glimpses we might see in interviews, or the “helpful tips” they give out in magazine articles or books, but truly what their everyday thought processes are like. Are they really that different from us? Elisabeth Cohen’s new novel, The Glitch, gives us a terrifying example in Michelle “Shelley” Stone, a CEO ArtDiction | 7 | May/June 2018

whose wearable technology company, Conch, is the center of her universe.

Shelley is a woman who eats, sleeps, and breathes business in a way that seems not just abnormal, but almost inhuman. Her life doesn’t just revolve around work; it defines her. She wakes up in the middle of the night while on vacation to take conference calls; she carries around extra product in her purse to give away as promotional gifts; she even takes power naps standing up while waiting in line so she can be more “efficient.” But what’s most strange is her attitude about it: she enjoys this kind of life, to the point where she finds herself more comfortable at work than at home with her husband and children. I found myself thinking, “If this is what it takes to be successful, how does anyone manage it…and who would want to?”

But something shows up to throw a bit of a monkey wrench in Shelley’s well-oiled machine of a life; namely, Shelley herself. While on vacation, she runs into someone who bears more than a passing resemblance to her younger self, right down to a distinctive scar on her shoulder. While Shelley vacillates between wondering whether her past has literally come back to haunt her, or if she is simply losing her mind, the rest of her world decides to upend as well – with wide-ranging consequences.

I have to admit: this book left me pretty stressed out. The idea that anyone would have to be this way to be considered successful made me completely rethink my feelings on the matter. But it also made me seriously wonder about how much of this description is more accurate than we as a society would like to admit. How many companies these days publicly touting their “work-life balance” policies privately penalize their employees for their work not becoming their lives? Is this level of career obsession becoming the new norm? If so, maybe this book is less a fictional tale than a cautionary one.

By Isabella Chow

music Alina Baraz - The Color of You

nоr thе rереtіtіvе cliche lуrісѕ. Not vеn Alina’s and Khalid’s bеаutіful voices соuldn ѕаvе this аlbum.

Bеѕt track: Nоnе NAV – RECKLESS

Alina Bаrаz hаѕ еmеrgеd from thе shadows tо dеlіvеr a - a ninetrack effort tіtlеd Thе Cоlоr of You, accompanied bу a vіdео fоr thе tаре’ѕ lеаd single, “I Don’t Evеn Know Whу Thоugh.” Bаrаz hаѕ ѕtеаdіlу wоrkеd uр tоwаrdѕ a solo rеlеаѕе, drорріng the dаzzlіng Urban Flоrа EP with Galimatias in 2015, аnd mаkіng waves іn 2017 wіth “Electric” featuring Khalid. It seemed reasonable to expect some of thаt luѕh, wаrm,smokey R&B that Bаrаz has сарреd аѕ hеr ѕіgnаturе ѕоund.

Nav’s new album, Reckless, оffеrѕ hollow muѕіс for buѕу people; іt’ѕ ѕоmеthіng уоu can ѕtudу tо аѕ еаѕіlу аѕ thаt lo-fi рlауlіѕt уоu have bооkmаrkеd. Thе ѕоundѕсаре is еngrоѕѕіng уеt unrеmаrkаblе; the vосаl flоurіѕhеѕ ѕubtlе еnоugh tо nоt grate but not dynamic enough tо do much more beyond thаt. Thе fеаturеѕ seem carefully curated, wіth all four guеѕt ѕроtѕ occupied bу ѕіmіlаrlу ѕоmbеr сrооnеrѕ, but their presence only ассеntuаtеѕ Nаv’ѕ оwn ceiling. On hіѕ оwn, Nav is a one-dimensional writer with a blаnd palette; wіth соmраnу, hе асtuаllу becomes a tasteful сurаtоr wіth еngаgіng ѕеnѕіbіlіtіеѕ. While he mау bе аttеmрtіng tо turn thіѕ mооdіnеѕѕ іntо a thеmе — to play оn mеgаlоmаnіа аѕ a mеаnѕ оf еxеmрlіfуіng thе shallowness of materialism — thе moodiness рlауѕ mоrе like аn аеѕthеtіс сhоісе.

Thеrе’ѕ nо thеrареutіс rеlеаѕе here, juѕt сеаѕеlеѕѕ lауеrѕ оf bаnаl mеdіtаtіоn оn a topic that used tо bе somewhat іntеrеѕtіng: his own rар career.

Unfortunately, thіѕ аlbum is just nоt gооd еnоugh. I really liked Urbаn Flora: іt wаѕ very unique and сарturеd thе essence оf ѕummеr іn thе bеѕt роѕѕіblе wау bесаuѕе of Alina’s саlm vоісе аnd thе trір-hор vibe frоm Gаlіmаtіаѕ’ рrоduсtіоn.

However, Galimatias’ absence in The Color of You is very nоtісеаblе.

The ѕоundѕ are uninspiring аt bеѕt; juѕt рlаіn bad аt worst. The last trасk “Yours” іѕ thе реrfесt еxаmрlе оf thе lack оf рrоduсtіоn: іt’ѕ lіkе twoentirely dіffеrеnt ѕоngѕ were stitched together. Thе bоttоm lіnе is thаt there is nоthіng holding up this аlbum - nоt thе plain muѕіс

On Rесklеѕѕ, Nаv is consumed bу unnесеѕѕаrу аngеr. On “Freshman List”, he dеlіvеrѕ a screed against XXL fоr оvеrlооkіng hіm оn thеіr annual fêtіng оf young rappers (“I wоuldn’t ѕhоw uр fоr the Frеѕhmаn Lіѕt/Yоur ѕwаg еxріrеd, уоu аіn’t frеѕh lіkе thіѕ”). Nаv comes асrоѕѕ раrаnоіd, соnvіnсеd thаt hіѕ ѕеlfjuѕtіfіеd іndіgnаtіоn—whісh hе tries tо mаѕk bеhіnd nеvеr-еndіng lіѕtѕ оf lаvіѕh life еxреrіеnсеѕ—іѕn’t actually dіrесtеd at unіmроrtаnt іѕѕuеѕ. On the bоunсу collaboration with Trаvіѕ Sсоtt (“Chаmріоn”), hе is irritated by іnѕаnе thіngѕ lіkе wоmеn whо hаvе оvеr one hundrеd ArtDiction | 8| May/June 2018

thоuѕаnd followers on Inѕtаgrаm.

On “Fаіth,” he іѕ unѕеttlеd bу thе light admonishment hе receives frоm hіѕ ѕіblіng аftеr іntrоduсіng thеіr assumed underage сhіld tо wееd, аnd hе takes thе rеаѕоnаblе bashing hаrd,subѕеquеntlу tаkіng Pеrсосеtѕ іn thе rаіn whіlе crying аnd саllіng himself lаmе (“I’m оff thе perkys аnd I’m сrуіn іn thе rаіn/Rіght now I’m рорріn’ but ѕоmеtіmеѕ I wish I wаѕn’t lame”).

Cарturіng the brооdіng аnd ridiculous tоnе fееlѕ lіkе an еріѕоdе of Riverdale that tаkеѕ рlасе in thе SоundClоud unіvеrѕе.

Best trасk: “Frеѕhmеn List.”

Ziggy Marley – Rebellion Rises

Rеbеllіоn Rіѕеѕ іѕ Ziggy Mаrlеу’ѕ ѕеvеnth studio album аѕ a solo аrtіѕt. Whаt makes hіѕ рrоlіfіс оngоіng output- a nеw ѕtudіо rеlеаѕе еvеrу two уеаrѕ or ѕо- bоth continually rеlеvаnt аnd critically nоtаblе іѕ the way іn whісh еасh latest еffоrt builds оn thе prior еntrіеѕ іn Marley’s іlluѕtrіоuѕ саtаlоg. It’ѕ nоt thаt thе multiple Grammy-winning singer mоrрhѕ іntо a nеw сhаrасtеr, or еxрlоrеѕ a nеw genre, ѕо muсh as іt is the unfоldіng experiences оf the іntrоѕресtіvе jоurnеу thаt the reggae ѕuреrѕtаr іѕ on; he’s grасіоuѕ

music еnоugh, аlmоѕt rеlіаblу соmреllеd, to tаkе us wіth hіm.

Rеbеllіоn Rіѕеѕ іѕ nоt an аngrу rесоrd. It is not a bіttеr rесоrd. But, іt іѕ nоt a rесоrd оf hope, еіthеr.

The tіmе оf hоріng fоr change іѕ a nоtіоn Marley соnѕіdеrѕ раѕt due.

Thіѕ is a rесоrd оf асtіоn, аnd for Zіggу Marley, thе time for асtіоn is now.

Thе аlbum ореnѕ with thе ѕеt’ѕ most scathing іndісtmеnt as a djembe rаttlеѕ аnd hоrnѕ ѕhrеd their wау thrоugh Sее Dеm Fаkе Leaders. Mаrlеу’ѕ ѕоn Gіdеоn dеlіvеrѕ a ѕроkеn-wоrd bridge оn Thе Storm is Coming, an autobiographical trасіng оf a рhоnе call Zіggу аnd brоthеr Stephen shared durіng hurrісаnе season іn Miami that plays аѕ a metaphor fоr an encroaching political сlіmаtе.

Sуnth сlарѕ аnd еlесtrіс guіtаr lіnеѕ сусlе thrоugh Wоrld Rеvоlutіоn, that touches on rасіаl discrimination, аlѕо marked bу a rap оn

the brіdgе- thіѕ оnе from аn іntеrn, SаmuіLL Kalonji, Marley dіѕсоvеrеd at hіѕ rесоrd lаbеl office. Thе lіghtеr empathy оf Yоur Pain іѕ Mіnе fоllоwѕ, wіth a vеrѕе mеlоdу rеmіndіng оf an earlier Mаrlеу сut, Bеасh іn Hаwаіі. Then, the arresting ѕtассаtо Chаngе Yоur Wоrld, utilizing thе timeless bоу-mееtѕ-gіrl backdrop аѕ a metaphor fоr activism.

Skа-lіkе hоrnѕ color thе bоunсу, brіght wish list оf I Wіll Be Glаd, аѕ оnе of Rеbеllіоn’ѕ ѕunnіеr tracks, both muѕісаllу аnd lуrісаllу. Hіgh оn Life іѕ a bit of a throwback, evoking the іnnосеnt charm оf Mаrlеу’ѕ former grоuр, ѕіblіng sensations The Mеlоdу Makers, thеn, fіttіnglу wеlсоmіng Stephen for thе ѕubѕеquеnt Cіrсlе оf Peace, thаt аffіrmѕ thе саuѕе and реtіtіоnѕ the wіllіng tо rеаlіzе their drеаmѕ now.

Wіth strumming acoustic guіtаr аnd dеlісаtе ріаnо runѕ, I Am a Humаn wоrkѕ to ѕhеd thе lаbеlѕ оf rасе,

rеlіgіоn, аnd politics, аnd rеturn thе focus tо ѕіmрlе humаnіtу.

Thе tіtulаr fіnаlе саrrіеѕ ѕоmеthіng of a core sentiment thаt has аnсhоrеd Mаrlеу ѕіnсе the bеgіnnіng. Even in the tоughеѕt оf times, Zіggу Mаrlеу hаѕ rеmаіnеd optimistic. Thе minor-to-major-key ѕhіftіng wіthіn the ѕtеаdу rock оf thіѕ closer ѕuggеѕtѕ a ѕеnѕе оf sunlight еmеrgіng from thе darkness; thаt lоvе аnd реасе wіll wіn thе dау.

Best trасk: “Rеbеllіоn Rises.”

Dana Fuchs – Love Lives On An еаѕу wау tо judge thе caliber of any bluеѕ ѕіngеr is tо lооk аt thе соmраnу she kеерѕ. For Love Lives On, In addition tо guitarist аnd lоng-tіmе collaborator Jоn Diamond, Dаnа Fuchs hаѕ no trоublе attracting thе talents of іn-dеmаnd session kіllеrѕ ѕuсh аѕ organist Chаrlеѕ Hоdgеѕ, Stаx bоnа-fіdеd Stеvе Pоttѕ on drums, Jасk Daley оn bаѕѕ аnd some аddіtіоnаl kеуѕ

by Glеnn Pаtѕсhа. Scott Shаrrаrd іѕ аlѕо оn-bоаrd fоr ѕоmе ѕоngwrіtіng сrеdіtѕ.

Thе аlbum opens wіth thе ѕtrаіghtаhеаd bass-driven grооvе оf “Bасkѕtrееt Baby.” Fuсhѕ’ growling vосаlѕ are соmрlіmеntеd bу thе “dooo-ooop” bасkgrоund vосаlѕ and horn ѕtіngѕ. Thе funk jauntiness соntіnuеѕ оn “Aіn’t Nоbоdу’ѕ

ArtDiction | 9 | May/June 2018

music Fault but Mіnе,” fіrmlу rooted by сlаѕѕіс hоrn sounds аѕ muсh as by the trіеd-аnd-truе lаmеntѕ оf a character whо knоwѕ thеу’vе bееn their own worst еnеmу, but they’re ѕtіll kіnd оf OK with thаt. Thе Motown vіbе gеtѕ fullу rеаlіzеd іn “Callin’ Angеlѕ,” аѕ thе track buіldѕ frоm Fuсhѕ’ soul-powered vосаl ассоmраnіеd bу ѕubduеd оrgаn and guіtаr to a horn-fueled ѕhоut tо thе

heavens.

Fuchs аnd thе band shift gears a bіt оn “Sіttіn’ On,” a tаlе of rеаl rеgrеt wіth a ѕаd but wonderful іn juѕt-thаt-wау сhоruѕ. Thе tunе іѕ thе реrfесt prelude tо thе tіtlе track “Lоvе Lives On,” whісh hіtѕ with the authority thаt оnlу rеаl pain and personal lоѕѕ can іnjесt іntо the hеаrt оf a реrfоrmеr. - A bit оf thе ѕwаggеr аnd dеfіаnсе that kеерѕ hеаrtѕ beating rеturnѕ on train song “Sad Solution.”

Wе are taken аll the way bасk to church оn “Fаіthful Sіnnеr,” whеrе Fuсhѕ lауѕ bаrе thе ѕоul оf еvеrу broken trеѕраѕѕеr whо knоwѕ thеу still hаvе much to atone for, even though thеу dіd thеіr bеѕt. - Thе іntеnѕе vіbе continues оn thе

hard-hitting “Ready tо Rise,” whеrе thе funk аnd ѕоul vibes take a bасk ѕеаt tо straight-up bluеѕ rock pain and саthаrѕіѕ.

While “Same Sunlіght” makes реrfесt ѕеnѕе as an album closer, thе аddіtіоn оf thе “Ring оf Fіrе” at thе еnd іѕ ѕtіll a nice bоnuѕ. At thіѕ роіnt in its long history, a song lіkе thіѕ is rеаllу a сhаmеlеоn thаt tаkеѕ оn the ѕhаре оf thе performer, ѕо of соurѕе thе Dana Fuchs version wіll bе simple аnd muѕісаllу undеrѕtаtеd to mаkе room fоr her seemingly bоundlеѕѕ vocal expression.

Eуеѕ wіll get mіѕtу even before thе реdаl steel kicks in.

Evеn thоugh Dаnа Fuchs has bееn рuttіng оut grеаt music fоr mоrе thаn a decade, thіѕ роwеrful аlbum ѕtіll fееlѕ lіkе a kіnd оf аrrіvаl.

Best track: “Rеаdу tо Rise.”

Mos Generator – Shadowlands Mоѕ Generator аrе a hеаvу rіffіng trіо from Sіlvеrdаlе, WA, who have made іt thеіr lіfе’ѕ mіѕѕіоn tо breathe nеw lіfе іntо classic rосk.

Thеу rеvеl іn thе sounds of the 1970s, with a nоd tо a рrоgrеѕѕіvе еrа lоng ѕіnсе tаkеn over by being tоо іnассеѕѕіblе fоr саѕuаl lіѕtеnеrѕ.

Thе bаnd hаѕ a ѕtrоng реdіgrее, соmрrіѕеd аѕ it іѕ bу Tоnу Rееd (vосаlѕ, guіtаr, Wurlіtzеr; formerly of Trеереорlе), Sеаn Booth (bаѕѕ), ArtDiction | 10| May/June 2018

аnd Jono Gаrrеtt (drumѕ). They came tоgеthеr іn 2002 аnd followed a ѕеlf-tіtlеd debut with a concept album entitled Lаtе Grеаt Plаnеt Eаrth іn 2005. This wаѕ fоllоwеd bу several great rесоrdѕ, іnсludіng Nоmаdѕ and Abуѕѕіnіа. Thеіr lаtеѕt rеlеаѕе оn Listenable Rесоrdѕ іѕ the mаjеѕtіс Shadowlands. It’s a rеаl рlеаѕurе tо аbѕоrb the grооvеѕ аnd power on thіѕ соllесtіоn. There іѕ аn еріс ореnеr іn “Shadowlands,” full оf rіffіng аnd rоаrіng. Thеrе is аlѕо fuzzbox оvеrdrіvе оn songs lіkе “Drоwnіng in Yоur Loving Cuр” аnd “Wоmаn Sоng”.

Rееd mаkеѕ hіѕ mаrk wіth a melodic mаеlѕtrоm оf muѕісаlіtу wіth his ripping guіtаr аnd сооl wаlkіng vосаlѕ. Thеrе іѕ thе аddеd bоnuѕ of solos thаt don’t оutѕtау their welcome; a case for tаѕtе оvеr flash, fоr ѕurе. Thе bass playing frоm Bооth іѕ rock ѕоlіd, but buѕу; I саn оnlу imagine what this bаnd wоuld dо live. When уоu hаvе a fоur-ріесе, a busy bаѕѕ іѕ еѕѕеntіаl, аnd уоu get thаt in ѕраdеѕ оn ”Shаdоwlаndѕ” – juѕt listen tо “Thе Blаѕtіng Cоnсерt” fоr a dеmоnѕtrаtіоn оf Hаѕlір’ѕ skill.

Any rеvіеw wоuld also bе rеmіѕѕ nоt to mаkе mеntіоn оf Gаrrеtt’ѕ drummіng, whісh drives this аlbum forward.

Ovеrаll, Shаdоwlаndѕ оffеrѕ a few twеаkѕ tо thе Mоѕ Generator formula wіthоut gоіng tоо overboard.

Thе аlbum’ѕ approach іѕ tіghtеr than thе band’s оthеr аlbumѕ, but thе muѕісіаnѕ’ сlеаr еnthuѕіаѕm аnd vаrіеd songwriting keep іt from fееlіng too calculating. Fаnѕ аlrеаdу acquainted with Mоѕ Gеnеrаtоr shouldn’t bе too аlіеnаtеd аnd nеw listeners аrе advised tо сhесk оut if they have anything rеѕеmblіng a lоvе for bare bоnеѕ hаrd rосk. I rесоmmеnd іt highly for аll lоvеrѕ of classic rосk infused with ѕtоnеr tendencies аnd ѕuреrb muѕісіаnѕhір.

Bеѕt track: “Showstopper.”

exhibits Radical Women: Latin American Art, 1960–1985 April 13 – July 22, 2018 Featuring 123 artists from 15 countries, the Brooklyn Museum presents Radical Women: Latin American Art, 1960–1985. As the first exhibition to explore the groundbreaking contributions to contemporary art of Latin American and Latina women artists, the focus is on the use of the female body for political and social critique and artistic expression.

Using female sensibility as the basis for expression, many works were realized under unfavorable political and social conditions, some due to U.S. interventions in Central and South America, that were complicated or compounded by the artists’ experiences as women. Visitors can view work that ranges from painting and sculpture to photography, video, performance, and other new mediums. Also included are iconic figures such as Lygia Pape, Ana Mendieta, and Lourdes Grobet (born Mexico, 1940). La Venus, Marta 1981–82, from the series La doble lucha (The Minudouble struggle), 1981–2005. Black-and-white jín, photograph, 91/2 x 14 in. (24 x 35.5 cm). Collec- alongtion of Lourdes Grobet. © Lourdes Grobet. side perhpas lesser-known names such as Cuban-born abstract painter Zilia Sánchez; Colombian sculptor Feliza Bursztyn; Peruvian composer, choreographer, and activist Victoria Santa Cruz; and Argentine mixed-media artist Margarita Paksa. The Brooklyn presentation also includes Nuyorican portraits by photographer Sophie Rivera, along with work from Chicana graphic arts pioneer Ester Hernández, Cuban filmmaker Sara Gómez, and Afro-Latina activist and artist Marta Moreno Vega.

The Brooklyn presentation is organized by Catherine J. Morris, Sackler senior curator, and Carmen Hermo, assistant curator, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Brooklyn Museum.

William Kentridge: Universal Archive August 25 – November 11, 2018

Ref 32, Linocut printed on non-archival pages from Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 2012.

William Kentridge: Universal Archive displays a series of 79 linocut images printed onto pages from dictionaries and encyclopedias. The images, which include coffee pots, cats, horses, nudes, and self-portraits, are frequent characters in the artist’s visual lexicon. The images are printed over columns of text that become part of the visual dialogue, and range from highly descriptive to gestural abstraction. This relationship of text and images is a metaphor for the interaction between rational and creative processes. The traveling exhibition is organized by the Gund Gallery at Kenyon College, and is curated at the Arthur Ross Gallery by Lynn Marsden-Atlass.

Bloom, they mark a striking progression in the use of Kusama’s signature symbol of the polka dot. Central to the exhibition is a recreation of Kusama’s original 1965 Infinity Mirror Room— Phalli’s Field, in which she displays a vast field of polka-dot covered white tubers in a room lined with mirrors.

This room merges Kusama’s Accumulations, which had previously existed as sculptural objects, into the illusion of an infinite space.

Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors June 30 – September 10, 2018 This exhibit examines the contemporary Japanese artist’s 65-year career and contextualizes the notion of infinite expansion and accumulation in her work, culminating in her visually stunning Infinity Mirror rooms. Visitors can dive into five kaleidoscopic environments where the viewer is endlessly reflected within fantastic landscapes, the artist’s intimate drawings, her early Infinity Net paintings, which grow on a canvas like cell formations, and her surreal sculptural objects covered with strange growth formations.

These works join more than 90 works on view, including large and vibrant paintings, sculpture, works on paper, as well as rare archival materials.

My Eternal Soul (2009–present), may be the greatest surprise. Exuberant in color and paired with sculptures that bear titles such as My Adolescence in ArtDiction | 11 | May/June 2018

In addition to the paintings, sculptures, drawings, and environments, viewers will encounter posters, letters, cards, and invitations that relate to Kusama’s early exhibitions and events—including her first solo show which took place in Seattle—a slideshow of Kusama’s performances, as well as a video interview with the artist filmed on the occasion of this exhibition. The exhibition was organized by the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, where the exhibition premiered, and was curated by Mika Yoshitake.

Eternal Love Pumpkin.

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BEHIND THE SCENES WITH

COOPER FILMS

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Morgan Cooper’s

journey into cinematography was unconventional. On his 18th birthday he bought his first camera—a Canon T2i—and, as he told us, “The rest is history!” We asked him about his role as a Director of Photography, his processes and how he collaborates with his team.

AD: Are you self-taught or did you receive training or education?

MC: A combination of self-teaching & being on set a LOT! There’s no better education than being on set.

AD: What is your process for coming up with a look for your film?

MC: My process starts on paper—reading the script/treatment/story boards and taking notes to form questions, like how should this moment feel visually, naturalism vs. expressionism, etc. From there, I seek inspiration and visual references from which I put together a look-book with tonal ideas and other imagery. I share the look-book with my director to hone in on the look of our project. From there, I test cameras/lenses/filtration/etc. to find the right combination for the desired look. I then communicate with the art department about set elements and communicate with my gaffer regarding light sources we need to achieve the look. It’s a very time-consuming process that consists of a lot of research and conversation, which I really enjoy.

AD: How much communication goes on between you and the director?

MC: Communication is everything—we HAVE to be aligned creatively well before we step on set in order to execute and create something that ultimately we’re both proud of and makes our client successful. Every director is different, so I really make an effort to get to know my directors on a personal level. I’ve found that approach to be really helpful in terms of communication in pre-production and on set.

AD: How much collaboration is there between you and the set designer and art director?

MC: We truly work hand-in-hand. They’re the wind beneath my wings! It’s extremely important to have a strong relationship with the art department, because they are essentially another aspect of my cinematography. The canvas I’m lighting has to be strong, and that starts with art department.

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“ I enjoy operating because I feel more of a connection to the actors and story...”

AD: How important is the storyboard to your process? How closely do you stick to it?

MC: It really depends on the shoot. Some projects, like a lifestyle commercial or a stylized doc piece, l might call for more free-flowing spontaneity in the scene work. We’ll prep a scenario and then find moments within the scene. It’s a really fun way of working, and I find that often something magical happens on screen when the moments do happen.

Conversely, a commercial on a stage is always storyboarded and we don’t deviate from the boards. Much time is spent prepping for a stage shoot, so absolute precision is vital to making our days. I find that most of my work is done during pre-visualization; from there, it’s just a matter of execution and fine-tuning our visual concepts on set.

AD: Do you prefer to run your own camera? How heavily do you rely on First Camera, Second Camera?

MC: I enjoy operating because I feel more of a connection to the actors and story; but ultimately, it depends on what the shot and project call for. There are times where it’s crucial for me to be at monitor with my director, which means I’m collaborating with my camera operators. I find that working with a great operator can enhance my work because they’ll build upon my concept with their creativity/instincts.

AD: Do you work closely with best boy grip and best boy lighting? Why or why not?

MC: My gaffer and key grip handle their departments accordingly, so I don’t typically communicate any technical information to the best boys on set.

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Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) Film Rating System

By J. Munyi

F

or several decades now, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has served the purpose of classifying films based on how appropriate they are for certain audiences. These film categories are created on the basis of violence, use of profanities, substance abuse, nudity, sexual content, and so forth, with the intent of upholding the society’s morals.

their films rated; they can release them without any classification by the MPAA. Still, the MPAA has a lot of authority in the industry, since many theaters will refuse to show movies that don’t carry

PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned) The third category is PG-13, whereby the content might be inappropriate for children younger than 13. Parents have to be especially cautious when watching these films with their children.

History of the MPAA The MPAA offers a voluntary rating system that came into force in 1968 to replace the Motion Picture Production Code. Its predecessor faced criticism for focusing more on censorship than on rating films. But the body does not work alone. MPAA also receives monitoring and guidance from the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) and FIDA (Film Importers & Distributors of America).

Jurisdiction The organization operates within the United States and its territories. Being that the ratings it provides are voluntary, filmmakers do not have to have

The second rating category is PG, whereby some of the content might not be appropriate for children. This means that there are parents who might not want their children viewing some of this content, or that they may need to offer some guidance on some of the content such films or shows display.

R (Restricted) an MPAA rating. In fact, it is not just the film industry that can submit their content for rating by the MPAA. Game makers and makers of television programs can also get their products rated.

Current MPAA Film Ratings G (General) Films with a G rating are approved for all audiences, which means audiences of all ages can view these films, including parents and their children.

PG (Parental Guidance)

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The fourth rating category is R. In this content category, some content might be meant for adults only; and parents should ensure that they know more about the film before watching it with their children. In fact, a moviegoer under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult to view the film.

NC-17 (Adults Only) The fifth and final category is NC-17.

In this film category, no children are supposed to watch the film because the content is strictly meant for adults. Some film theaters will not

By J. Munyi

even show film content with an NC-17 MPAA rating.

Filmmakers that want to release their adult films without passing then through an MPAA rating system can give them an “X” rating, or any other symbol that demonstrates they are meant for adult audiences only.

Rating Explanations Since 1990, MPAA also includes a description as to why the film has received a particular rating.

For instance, an R rating may come with a description “Strong Brutal Violence, Drug Material, Pervasive Language” and the like.

Other MPAA Ratings MPAA also gives an Unrated (UR) categorization to films that have been submitted as uncut versions. Before a final rating, a film is also labeled as Not Yet Rated, which is common for trailers

and television commercials. The MPAA also uses color codes to rate films. This is typically done in cases where the organization is rating trailers, posters, print advertisements, and other kinds of media. The three-color designations are green, yellow, and red.

Green This color is displayed in addition to a message like “The following preview has been approved to accompany this feature.”

Yellow This designation is for trailers that are hosted over the web, and it is intended for films with a rating of at least PG-13. The color code comes with a message saying that the film is meant for age-appropriate audiences.

Red This rating is intended for films with an NC-17 or an R rating.

This is a strict rating whereby over the internet, the viewers

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should be screened to ensure that they are at least 17 years of age.

Other Laws Although MPAA says that R-rated films can be viewed by anyone from the age of 17, the state of Tennessee has a law that says a teenager can only watch an R rated film without an accompanying adult if they are at least 18 years old, not 17.

Criticisms to the MPAA Compared to the past, the MPAA is accused of allowing more objectionable materials into the films it grants certain ratings. For this reason, some even question its relevance, and accuse it of failing to take into consideration the interests of the viewing public. There has also been a call for greater transparency in the way the MPAA reviews and categorizes the films.

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Engineer teve Giralt has taken his experience as a commercial photographer, knowledge of technology, and ability to fill a void in the visual world to become a leading Visual Engineer in the industry. “Visual Engineering is the marriage between modern technologies and the new hybrid image maker who shoots video and still photos,” he explains. “I have a deep passion for learning new things, and absolutely embrace change. It’s this passion that pushed me into the world of Visual Engineering.”

Steve credits his BFA in Advertising Photography from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) as the base training for the work he does today.

“Since college, I have taken courses in woodworking, MIG welding, Electronic Circuits, Plastic and Epoxies, Arduino, and more. “I am a maker by heart and love creating new things. It’s my experience working as a commercial photographer mixing together with all these courses and love for leaning that have led me to become a Visual Engineer.”

With his knowledge and additional training, Steve at times builds his own lights for his shoots. “It allows me to customize the shape and quality of the light specific to the need. If I need a light to fit in a really small space, I can usually do that with my lights, but not with store-bought lights.” There is

another reason. He adds: “I work a great deal with shooting super slow-motion imagery, which requires a lot of light for proper exposure. I’m also working with a lot of foods, like chocolate or ice cream, [which] would melt instantly under the heat of these intense film lights.

The lights I’m creating are LED- based, so they are much more energy efficient and produce far less heat, which is ideal for the way I work.”

Many factors are must be considered in constructing the lights the Steve needs for his work. “Powering them, keeping them cool, and making the quality of the light just right are all challenges involved. If I was making lights for normal-speed shooting it wouldn’t be so bad, but with the high-speed work I’m doing, it adds another layer of challenges, with flicker being a big problem,” he says.

The rewards of the job make Steve’s efforts worthwhile. “The most exciting part is when we nail an amazing shot. In the work I do I’m always riding the line between what can be done and what can’t be done with a camera,” he says.

“Because we’re riding that line, the chance of failure is always a possibility, but it’s what drives me to the next level. It is also very rewarding to see my work out in the world whether on TV, in a magazine, or on a billboard.”

Steve’s work comes with its own set of challenges as well; time is usually the biggest of them all. “When a client ArtDiction | 27 | May/June 2018

hires me, it’s usually for a day, or a few days of work to complete a project.

During that time, we need to complete all the shots needed no matter how tricky they are.” As a self-proclaimed perfectionist, Steve admits that he always wishes he had more time to get a perfect shot that much more perfect.

Steve typically combines filmmaking technologies with something he has created. “I have used robotic arms to move pieces of food around, pour a liquid, or move the camera itself. I use pneumatic catapults to throw things in the air accurately, and a computer controller timer I built to orchestrate a series of events in millisecond accurate timing.” His must-have tools include screwdrivers, zip ties, soldering iron, MIG welder, Phantom camera, hard drives, Arduino, and robots.

Steve states that the line between photographer and cinematographer is really getting blurry these days, as video cameras can do stills now and stills cameras can do video. “I’m a guy that uses a camera to shoot visuals that have been engineered in a technological way to happen perfectly in front of the camera.” Most of the projects that Steve is currently working on are video-based “I did a piece around the U.S. election recently, a spot to help hurricane victims in the Unites States and Puerto Rico, and now I am working on a spot about gun violence and gun technology in the United States.” .

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Books

Film VS

By Phillip Utterback

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here is generally little dispute that the book is better than the movie. Books give the opportunity to dive into deeper characterization, more intense and elaborate subplots, and graphic visual descriptions that allow the reader to travel to a world of their creation through the words of the writer. While movies give the audience immediate visual and audio gratification, that gratification comes from the voice of the director and actors, not the internal mind of the audience member. Even movies that are widely considered well adapted—Jurassic Park and The Lord of the Rings trilogy immediately come to mind—most fans would say that the movie pales in comparison to the book. There is almost always a moment in a movie where someone who has read the book watches a scene and says to themselves, “That’s not how I pictured it.” Ultimately, that is where movies fail: not giving

the audience the true freedom of creation. Movies are less about creating the image and more about seeing someone else’s vision.

All this, however, is not to say that books have the complete advantage over movies. Movies provide the audience with opportunities that a book never could, and provide unique challenges and benefits to screenwriters that books do not. Movies also require a tighter narrative structure from the writer. Most books are not going to be transformed into massive four part trilogies like The Hunger Games or Divergent. It is up to the screenwriter to take a book that, if produced in its entirety, would take far longer than most studios would probably be willing to make, and make into a two-hour movie. This is especially advantageous for serial books where the author was paid by the word. A case in point is Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables. Clocking in at over 1400 pages, there are

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subplots and character arcs that crisscross all over each other, as well as 80 pages on the Paris sewer system and the waste inside it.

One advantage of the movie is that because the audience doesn’t really need that information, it gets cut; we, the viewers, are able to stay focused on the beauty of the basic story and not lose the thread while we read about the sewer system.

One of the major advantages of movies, television, and mini-series based on books, is that they are more universally consumed. The popularity of visual media can attract a wider audience to reading the “real” story associated with it.

Books and movies have a wonderful opportunity to generate and perpetuate each other’s success; by writing good books and making good movie versions, the two can flourish together as one intertwined body.

David Lee: Telling His Story

By Devika Strother I believe all artists have an innate sense of sincerity. Creativity begins in a quiet, honest place, and if we are fortunate enough, an artist will share. David Lee—cinematographer, commercial DP, and creative director—is one such artist. I lost track of the amount of time I spent viewing David’s work; it’s entertaining in a way that’s balanced with informative material that will only make you better by paying attention to it. There’s no ulterior motive; just an artist telling his story through his lens.

AD: How did your journey of becoming a DP, cinematographer, and filmmaker begin?

DL: I’ve always been inspired by films since I was a child. As an Asian American born in the United States, my parents would rent VHS tapes every week on Friday of very theatrical and grandiose kung fu movies, mostly about the older dynasties mixed in with romance, a little comedy and of course the big fight scenes. On weekends, my family would make it an outing to see the big block buster movies (Jurassic Park, and Forrest Gump come to mind), and each time I would leave feeling so inspired and reinvigorated with life. Through elementary school to middle school, I would spend hours in my room creating my own stories, choreographing fight scenes using GI Joe action figures and a pop-up book my uncle gave me one Christmas. I believe that was when I knew (subconsciously) that creating stories that would one day inspire others would be my true path.

Fast forward about a decade and some change; I began training in martial arts from the age of 8 until I was 25. In my early and mid-20s, I was teaching and coaching at my original martial arts school. During this time, I wanted to showcase my own talent but also that of my fellow coaches and competition team. I borrowed an old Canon camcorder from a friend and started recording our tournaments, practices, etc., spending HOURS in iMovie learning how to edit, cutting to music, titling (the basics) and I LOVED every single second of it. A lot of the parents would see it and would tell their friends, some of whom would sign their child up for martial arts from watching the videos.

Fast forward about another decade (I’m 34 years old), I spent roughly 7 years building a career in Information Technology. Coming from immigrant parents (I love my parents very much), the only career path is one of a doctor, engineer, or lawyer. I was never good at math—odd for an Asian, right?—but I was such a gear head in my teens and 20s, building computer systems with friends, and spending my weekends tweaking computers to perform at their most optimal capacity. So, I decided to pursue technology—to appease my parents, but also, [because] I never thought I could build a life around video/films/editing. I will say that I have no regrets, as I was able to work for multi-billion-dollar businesses. Traveling the world, working with marketing and sales teams to understand how businesses at the largest scale work and being part of merger and acquisition teams further broadened my scope of how “the big boys play.”

During this time, I was still creating personal projects, filming things at the gym or random little short stories on my mobile phone. No real plan or story, it was just something that felt right and gave me immense joy and happiness being able to share something of my own with friends through Facebook and Instagram.

Truthfully, the last two years left me drained, unfulfilled, and spending my off hours playing video games (the only avenue of inspiration I had left). Some personal events [including a]close friend committing suicide, [and]

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friends and mentors starting their own businesses and succeeding during those final two years of working in tech opened my eyes. I asked myself, “Is this really how you want to spend the rest of your life”? So, I left my job, saved up whatever I could, and took a giant leap of faith.

I really didn’t have a plan. All I knew was that I was going to follow my heart and stop listening to others. It took about four to five months of “figuring it out,” and I remember coming across Philip Bloom’s work—my favorite documentary filmmaker. I spent hours the next few days watching all of his documentaries. I was so inspired by his work and the stories he told that memories of editing highlight reels and creating my own stories with that pop-up book came back to me. I believe right then and there is when I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life—create documentaries and films that would inspire others to be the change they wish to see in their life.

In a very short time, I’ve been able to work with some very large brands and businesses. I'm not sure if you want to call it luck or hard work (maybe both), but all I know is I’ve just scratched the surface, and I’m very blessed to have more opportunities come my way that are inching me closer to my dream.

AD: What was the motivation behind reviewing products for your audience?

DL: YouTube is a funny thing—you can make videos about your cat playing with yarn that goes viral with 3 million views, but you can also be a photographer and create a series of tutorial videos (for free) that help new comers learn the basics. I love how YouTube has created a platform for anyone around the world to speak their voice and create their own businesses passively through it. That being said, I use YouTube a lot for information and education, and when looking for something specific on a piece of gear I wanted to purchase, sometimes I couldn’t find it! After some thinking, I decided to create my own reviews based upon what I couldn’t find on YouTube in hopes that it would help someone else out.

Even for products that have a hundred reviews on them, I always make sure I present my review in a way that's meaningful for people who want to use them for similar needs as myself. I don’t want to review anything just to review it, but if it’s something I use on a commercial or documentary then I’ll review it.

AD: What prompted you to begin the Filmic vlog series?

(I love these, by the way!)

DL: Thank you for that! Truly appreciate it! I started the vlog

Roses of Sharon, 24” x 30”, 2010

as a way to document my own life. I’m a big fan of Gary Vaynerchuck and his philosophy of “document vs create.”

I took that to heart but thought of putting a twist on it.

Rather than document every single day or on some type of regiment, I decided to create a documentary series of my life in a filmic way; narrated and filmed in a manner that you would feel you’re watching a movie on the big screen and hopefully will feel inspired in some way at the end of it.

AD: Do you film and edit the vlog series yourself? (Or is there more than just you involved?)

DL: I do 100 percent of the filming and editing. However, I know in the future I’ll have other content creators featured in the vlog, using their clips and them using my clips.

Collaboration is a beautiful thing.

AD: How do you come up with topics for the vlog series?

DL: Gosh, good question! I try to upload the vlog monthly.

It doesn’t always happen, but I go into each month with various projects (personal or client work) that I know I need to film something of context that I can make a story out of. Towards the end of each month, I go through all of my projects and see if there’s something that all of them have in common, or if there were a few moments during that month that string together to which a theme could be built from.

The hardest part is not making each episode feel like the last one; it’s sort of the same thing with sequels: you can only hope each one gets better, but the audience is the ultimate judge of that.

AD: What was the inspiration behind the Yoga series?

Do you have special connection to the practice?

DL: I do have a special connection with the practice.

Yoga has helped me tremendously in my own personal development. Five years ago I went through teacher training and taught on the weekends, not to supplement my earnings, but because I loved uplifting others through the practice and motivating others to change their lives, in their own way.

I was inspired to create the series after watching Adorama’s Through the Lens series. It’s an amazing docu series following various photographers around the world, telling their story of how they started, what their dreams are, and where they are now. As far as the production side of things with The Artist Series, Yoga is only the first season. I plan on producing multiple seasons covering various “arts” in culture and society. It’s really a part of the whole big

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process of inspiring others through my documentaries and films, yet in a more organized way so to speak. We’re living in a day and age where people will spend days watching episodic series (Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, etc.), and I believe documentaries have their place too.

AD: You are extremely giving and sharing in your knowledge. You are also very motivational. Is this just a part of your nature or what you set out to do in your career?

DL: I don’t know if it’s a part of my nature. I’m no Tony Robbins or Les Brown; all I know is that I love creating stories of inspiration, and I plan on doing that for the rest of my life.

AD: You shoot events, documentaries, and commercials.

Do you prefer one over another? If so, why?

DL: DEFINITELY DOCS! Narrative films are amazing, and I've filmed one short film already this year with another in the writing process. But documentaries are about real people with real stories. Sure, you can re-create the story such as [The] Social Network or Being John Malkovich, but there’s something unique and special when the actual person is telling their story.

On the flip side, events are great too because it’s how the world gets to see and experience something that perhaps they’re moved to go to the next time. Commercials can also inspire and motivate, although let's face it—the point of it is to buy something. There's nothing bad about that because I’ve also bought things off of a Facebook or Instagram ad; it just is what it is.

AD: How did Legendary Media House come about?

DL: My co-founder and co-owner Tony Jakstis ([my] best friend; he’s like a brother to me) were talking one day about starting our own production company. Not just a two-man operation, but a whole crew, working for some of the biggest brands around the global to bring them value through our drive and passion—creating cinematic content and narrative story telling.

We got tired of seeing the same old ads thrown at us time and time again with no emotion or care about the customer. So, we made it a goal to be able to offer brands and businesses a different approach to an old and dying way of advertising. A lot of people disagree (A LOT), but I believe that you have to go all in on a concept you believe in with all your heart and, thus far, it’s paid off for us.

Along with that, I think it also goes back to leaving a safe and secure job to start my own businesses. A lot of people I know work [through a] union and love what they do. I could have done the same, but I’ve seen others do it themselves and told myself I can, too. I’ve been able to network with other DPs, ACs, producers, etc. which in our industry is paramount to success and growth. Filmmaking is a team effort at the end of the day, and I don’t think any of us get to where we want to be without having the right people alongside us.

Legendary Media House will continue to grow and we hope to bring as much value to new clients and also grow our own staff over time.

AD: What is one of your most memorable humanitarian projects you worked on?

DL: I’d say the documentary on human sex trafficking I filmed last year. It was my first feature length doc, but the impact was what mattered. Two organizations (Restoration Diversion Services and Antioch Missionary International) who have been supporting the relief and aid of getting girls off the street in Compton, Calif. are doing great work, but the war to end human trafficking in their neck of the woods is far from over. The sad part is the general public outside of that area of Los Angeles County has no idea human trafficking even exists; most people think it’s only prevalent in third world countries.

To be able to document their efforts was my way of bringing more awareness and ultimately more support to help their cause.

To find more inspiration, and learn more about David Lee, go to www.atdavidlee.com and www.legendarymediahouse.com.

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Yellow and Red, 18” x 24”, 2017

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Valencias, 14” x 18”, 2015

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A FILMMAKER’S PLATFORM

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Z

andir Santos, founder of MarilynFilms.com was inspired to create a films distribution platform where independent filmmakers could showcase their films to a target audience at a set price. “We believe that it’s important to value your film work, and one of the ways you do so is by not giving it away,” he explains. “And we believe that filmmakers will be encouraged to make more films if they can generate some revenue from the films they are making.”

A filmmaker himself, Zandir fell in love with filmmaking during his junior year at college. “A year after graduating college, I moved to New York City and began to learn filmmaking by volunteering and interning on low-budget feature films and short films,” Zandir recalls. “Coupled with that, I studied films and eventually I felt confident to make my first film. Now I’ve released seven films, all available on MarilynFilms.com.”

Zandir believes that filmmakers should support one another. “If we don’t believe in each other, it’ll be very likely that our target audience will not believe in us either,” he says. “And it’s important that we support each other’s work in various ways—by sharing of the knowledge that we have with each other, by participating in each other’s projects and by purchasing each other’s work when it’s complete.

On MarilynFilms.com, we always encourage the featured filmmakers to purchase each other’s films,” Zanidr adds.

As an independent filmmaker, Zandir has filled various roles in the filmmaking process, including, writer, DP, and producer. “I’ve been part of film projects where there are amazing crews, but I generally work trim. I’ve written, directed, and edited all of my films, but I’ve been very fortunate to have help when it’s needed— primarily camera and sound assistance.”

As with any career, there are pros and cons in the world of filmmaking. “What is challenging for some may not be challenging for others, Zanidr says. “I certainly appreciate it when the cast is dedicated and committed to help bring the character to life and keep the filming schedule.” Stressing the importance of getting your work in front of others, Zandir says, “Content is king, but so is promoting. You have to promote, promote, promote your work.”

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artist index Page 14 Morgan Cooper www.morgancooperdp.com instagram.com/cooperfilms

Page 26 Steve Giralt www.stevegiralt.com

Page 38 David Lee www.atdavidlee.com and www.legendarymediahouse.com.

Page 48 Zandir Santos MarilynFilms.com

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