Ultra Digital Productions » Biopic

"Static"

ultradigital — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 03:01:56 +0000

The context, in general, is deaf education. My sister’s taught in Deaf Ed for ~30 years and has shared interesting stories about the state of things – different sign languages taught from class to class, teachers and administrators fighting among themselves, with parents, with students; students much of the time having emotional and cognitive issues in addition to “just” being deaf, etc. This atop everything else that happens in high school with friends, family and self. From a student’s perspective, the story is dark noise and static; from a some teachers’ perspectives, some hope.

Here’s the current cut:
[See post to watch QuickTime movie]

Thanks to photgraphers allowing “re-mixes” of their work under a Creative Commons license, I found images (on Flickr and Blip.tv, mostly) I could use to help tell the story.

photo credit: openDemocracy

All but the music and my storyboard “drawings” are courtesy of the Creative Commons. So, I’m a fan – the idea for this story has been gnawing at me again, and the CC enabled me to take it at least a small step further. And the process of putting this 3-minute bit together helps the overall process of solidifying the storyline.

(I have to include all the attributions; I’ll do so as I “finalize” the shot selections)

the idea for me
is to do enough to help solidify and further the idea
see what’s worth more time.

doing it
putting it together
beats more planning

The song is called Static and from a record called “Lift your Skinny Fists Like Antanae to Heaven.”

I want to shoot the whole thing – 22:35 – as a “trailer” to the whole film; as a next step on the way to the feature.

I’ve not yet secured rights to the music
but I hope to have a project soon
that calls for it.

(it’s worth dreaming about and working toward, anyway)

BIG STICK / Drag Racing Underground

ultradigital — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:00:23 +0000

This duo writes music, shoots and edits video and are all-around Drag Racing ambassadors.

I’ve helped a bit prepping video for their MySpace and YouTube sites. They’re tremendously popular on all fronts.

Hudackov – Genialissimus: The Demon and The Muse

ultradigital — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 19:59:32 +0000

Genrih Hudackov is a poet, a collagist, designer of fashion, translator of Shakespeare, and more.

Hudackov has an admirer in Leonid Drozner, who has been in pre-production with his ideas re a Hudackov documentary for some time. We’ve now begun Production of Leonid’s documentary.

Here are some First Looks at Hudackov’s art,

[See post to watch QuickTime movie]

and the first reading he gave us Day One of the shoot.

[See post to watch QuickTime movie]

“Rivertown Talent: HOMN” Show 3

ultradigital — Fri, 12 May 2006 04:51:38 +0000

Hastings Open Mic Night Show 3 Features “Stay at Home Robots” (a cool three-piece band with a solid, original sound), Jo Warren and Frances Cheng (performers with great voices, flair and presence) and Drew Lewis (a talented singer / songwriter accompanied by himself and with other musicians).

“Rivertown Talent: HOMN" Show 2

ultradigital — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 00:40:14 +0000

There’s been a buzz growing steadily around the music scene in a small Westchester, NY community. The local high school hosts what are now a regular “Open Mic” Nights and ever larger handfuls of hopefuls come out to play each time. The musicians are young, but the chops are there, and parents, teachers and townsfolk are remarkably supportive.

This second show in what’s hoped to be a continuing series features young musicians performing songs from The Arcade Fire, Bob Marley, Elliot Smith as well as original material.