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A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. On tonight's edition of Obbligato on APEX Express, which focuses on AAPI artists, musicians, and composers in the classical music world, host Isabel Li is joined by LA based performer and composer Richard An, who plays and creates new avant-garde music, usually with the ensemble House on Fire, and his music has been performed by the LA Phil and the Calder Quartet to name a few. Join us in our conversation, exploring the possibilities of avant-garde music, raising questions regarding Asian identities in the classical music world, and Richard's insights on art making during a time when Trump's cuts to the NEA are affecting artists and institutions nationwide. Featured Music: Sonatrinas: https://richardan.bandcamp.com/album/sonatrinas i got the electroshock blues: https://rasprecords.bandcamp.com/album/i-got-the-electroshock-blues RICHARD AN (b.1995) is a performer and composer, born and raised in Los Angeles. Richard plays new music – usually with House on Fire – co-founded the tiny backpack new music series, and has performed with Monday Evening Concerts' Echoi Ensemble, Piano Spheres, The Industry and on Bang on a Can's LOUD Weekend. Richard plays piano and percussion, and has been known to sing, conduct, and teach. Richard's music has been performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Calder Quartet, HOCKET, C3LA, and more. His music has been released on CMNTX Records. Richard has a BM in Composition from USC and an MFA from CalArts. He is on faculty at the Pasadena Waldorf School, Glendale Community College and Harvard-Westlake. He plays taiko and tabla, and makes YouTube videos. Learn more about Richard's work on his website: https://richardanmusic.com/ Richard's social media: https://www.instagram.com/richardanmusic/ If you are in LA and want hear Richard's work, he's playing with House on Fire at the Sierra Madre Playhouse on August 17! https://www.sierramadreplayhouse.org/event/richardan2025 Transcript Opening: [00:00:00] APEX Express. Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It's time to get on board the APEX Express. 00:00:46 Isabel Li Good evening and welcome back to a new episode of Apex Express on KPFA, 94.1 FM. We are bringing you an Asian and Asian American view from the Bay and around the world. I'm your host, Isabel Li, and tonight is a new edition of Obbligato, which explores AAPI identities and classical music. Tonight I'm joined by LA based performer and composer Richard An, who plays and creates new avant-garde music, usually with the ensemble House on Fire, and his music has been performed by the LA Phil and the Calder Quartet to name a few. Join us in our conversation, exploring the possibilities of avant-garde music, raising questions regarding Asian identities in the classical music world, and Richard's insights on art making during a time when Trump's cuts to the NEA are affecting artists and institutions nationwide. 00:01:41 Isabel Li Welcome to the show. Welcome to APEX Express, Richard. My first question for you is how do you identify and what communities would you say that you're a part of? 00:01:50 Richard An My name is Richard An I use he/him pronouns and I'm a second generation Korean American. My parents are both Korean. My dad came from Busan, which is a large city in South Korea, and my mom was born in Seoul and then moved to South America and then made her way up to Los Angeles where they met. And as for identity, like, I think Korean American would be the most accurate one. This is and I think an ever evolving part of first of all my identity and the way that it intersects with my practice and also I think that's the case with many Asian American artists, I mean artists from immigrant families, you know, the the matter of your identity, especially if you feel more distanced from it for one reason or another, is like an unsolved question for everyone like there is no one answer. That works for people and that's a thing that me people like myself I think will be exploring for our entire lives. When I introduce myself to people, I say that I'm a classical musician. And at the very core of it, that is true. That's not a lie. And I am, you know, a part of the classical music community in Los Angeles. But as time goes on, I have noticed and realized. That I tend to align myself more with like the avant-garde and experimental contemporary music communities of Los Angeles, which has certainly an overlap with the classical community, both in practice and historically, but yeah, I I would say those are the sort of two biggest ones, classical musicians and experimental avant-garde, contemporary musicians, whatever label you want to use for that. 00:03:47 Isabel Li Yeah. Some of our listeners might not know what avant-garde music entails. Can you — how would you describe avant-garde music to someone who might not be as familiar with this particular movement? 00:03:57 Richard An Yeah. So avant-garde music, a sort of flippant and joking way to to talk about it is ugly music or music. You know, my dad, for example, wouldn't like, but I think. It's music that either interfaces with elements or confronts facets or issues in music that aren't typical of other kinds of music. The music that you might hear that is labeled of on guard might be noisy or dissonant or uncomfortable, or any kind of, you know, adjectives that are synonyms for noisy or ugly, but I have come to love that kind of music, you know 1. Because of the the kind of questions that they might ask about our perceptions of music and two, because I guess one way to put it is that to be a classical musician, you need to be in a practice room for many hours a day for many years and go to what is unfortunately a college, which is usually very expensive and I guess for lack of a better term, paywalled for like you need to have the kind of resources that allow you to attend a four year undergrad and then a two year masters and then a three-year doctorate. But avant-garde music, contemporary music, experimental music doesn't necessitate that kind of thing. Often those musicians do have a background that gives them some amount of, you know, virtuosity or facility in an instrument. But like some of the best experimental musicians. Alive and some of the best ones that I know have no, like extensive training in a particular instrument and some may not have a degree in music at all. And that's one thing that I in like that separates it from classical music is that. 00:05:44 Richard An Classical music can be, unfortunately a little bit exclusionary. I don't think by any one specific design, but the fact that you need so many hours and very specific instructions from a mentor that necessitate that kind of relationship. But experimental music, I think does a little bit better job of diversifying or making it feel more equitable. 00:06:12 Isabel Li That's a great point, actually. One of my questions following up with that was what do you think is possible with this genre, which you kind of mentioned earlier with perhaps how this genre makes classical music a little bit more equitable for those who are interested in this field. In your experience, composing, what do you think makes the genre special, and how do you go about it? 00:06:35 Richard An One thing that I've noticed about being involved in the sort of contemporary experimental avant-garde music sphere is that it makes me a better listener, and I think other people who attend these concerts will agree. Like for example a large part of this kind of music is drone or repetition or, you know, like long spans of unchanging sound. And if the the sound that is being produced at face value is not changing, well then what do you notice about it? What do you grab on to and one of the most, I think, gratifying experiences is listening deeper and realizing that, ohh, even though you know for example this piano playing two notes for 30 minutes might not like the instructions will say to do the same thing for 30 minutes, but your experience as a human being will certainly change over those 30 minutes, even if the the notes are not like you will notice the slight fluctuations in the way that someone is playing, you will notice the beating patterns in the pitches on an instrument that may not be perfectly in tune, you will note other ambient sounds, you will note like you will notice so much more about the world when you are confronted with the kind of music that you know. You can say it forces you to listen to these sounds but also invites you to listen to these things. And I think that's really, really special. That's not to say that that can't happen with other kinds of music. Or even with classical music. Surely you know there are many, many ways to listen to everything. But I've noticed this within myself. When I listen to long, repetitive drone based music that it really opens my ears and makes me a more active participant as a listener. 00:08:30 Isabel Li It's a great point actually. Part of my work– because I studied music, history and theory in college– was how music can engage various listeners to participate. Have you composed anything that perhaps engages the listener in this more of a participatory setting? 00:08:47 Richard An Yeah. So I guess in order the some of the stuff that I've done to engage the audience, I guess both literally, and maybe more figuratively is, I wrote a piece last year for the Dog Star festival, which is a a contemporary and experimental music festival that is actually happening right now, at the time of this recording. It's a multi week long festival that focuses on music of this type that was founded by people in the sort of CalArts music world. But I wrote a piece for that last year for three melodicas, which are these basically toy instruments that look like keyboards, but you blow into them and you blowing air through these makes the sound happen. It's basically like if you cross a harmonica and a piano together. But I I wrote a piece for three of these, playing essentially the same notes. And because these instruments are pretty cheap, and they're often considered toys or, you know, instruments for children, they're not tuned to the exact way that, like a piano or a vibraphone or an expensive instrument might be. But I wanted to use that for my advantage. For example, if I play an F# on one melodica the same F# on another melodica will not be exactly the same and playing those two pitches together will produce what's known as a a beat or beat frequency. Which is, you know, a complicated, you know, mathematic physics thing, but basically 2 notes that are really, really close, but not quite together will create a kind of third rhythm because the the pitches are so close. Like, for example, if if I play an A at 4:40 and another A at 441, you will notice that difference of 1 Hertz inside of your ears. And that's a really cool phenomenon that happens explicitly because you were there listening to the piece. They don't happen necessarily, you know, like in, in recorded formats like, it's a very difficult thing to capture unless you are in the room with these instruments. And the fact that we had this audience of, let's say, 40 people meant that all forty of these people were experiencing these beat frequencies and another really cool factor of this is depending on where you are located in the room. With the way that the beats will sound in your ears are different and purely by the fact of acoustics like a wave bouncing off of the wall over on your left, will feel really different if you are closer or further from that wall. So not only do the audiences ears themselves, you know, invite these this this participation, but the pure physicality of each listener means that they will have a very slightly different experience of what the piece is, and again like this will happen in any concert. If you're at a classical show, if you're at a rock show if, if you're further from the stage, if you're further to the left or right, you will get a slightly different position in the stereo field that the musicians are playing in, but pieces like what I wrote and many others that exist emphasize this kind of like acoustic phenomena. That is really, really fascinating to listen to. 00:12:23 Isabel Li That's fascinating. And to get a sense of Richard's work, we'll be hearing coming up next. The short excerpt from his album Sonatrinas. This is the duo excerpt performed by Wells Leng, Katie Aikam, Kevin Good and composer Richard An himself. [COMP MUSIC: Sonatrinas (Excerpt: Duo)] 00:17:38 Richard An And so the back story for this piece is this was written for one of my recitals at CalArts. I was planning on playing this piece by Michael Gordon called Sonatra, which is a really, really beautiful and difficult piece for solo piano that I gave myself as an assignment, which I was not able to do with the amount of time. And, you know, like I just didn't give myself enough time to do this thing, so I still had this program of several pieces written with the idea of having this Michael Gordon Sonatra in the middle, but now that that sort of middle part was gone, there was a bunch of pieces about a piece that didn't exist. So in order to fill that hole, I wrote this piece called Sonatrinas which is a cheeky nod to the Michael Gordon Sonatra, but also to the fact that each part of this is kind of a diminutive Sonata form. Everything has a sort of ABA– here's some idea. Here's a different idea, and now we go back to that first idea. Every single part of this has a little bit of that in it. 00:18:51 Isabel Li Yeah, that's fascinating. Even the name itself reminds me of Sonata form in classical music, where it's kind of like an ABA section. As you sort of talked about earlier. And it's really cool that you're adapting this in a more avant-garde context. This is a reminder you're listening to Apex Express. Today we are interviewing composer and musician Richard An. 00:19:12 Isabel Li I think the general question that I have next is can you tell me a bit about what drew you to music and how you got your start in music, how you got introduced to it and what things have inspired you over the years? 00:19:24 Richard An Yeah. So a real quick sort of, I guess, history of my involvement with music is that I started piano lessons when I was pretty young, either three or four years old. I continued that until I was 12 or 13. I decided I really wanted to become a musician. I started taking composition lessons with this composer, AJ McCaffrey, who is really responsible for a lot of what I know and my successes, if you can call it that. He got me into a lot of the music that I am into now and set the foundation for what I would study and what I would write he was one of the instructors for this program called the LA Phil Composer Fellowship program, which back when I was a participant from 2011 to 2013, was a program hosted by the Los Angeles Philharmonic that took 4 high school age students every two years. And you know, they they taught us, you know, everything. How a young composer needs to know how instruments work, how to write a score, how to talk to musicians, how to do everything that a that a composer needs to learn how to do and at the end of this program, after the two years the young composers write a piece for the at the LA Philharmonic. So I was extremely lucky that by the age of 17 I was able to write a piece for orchestra and get that played and not just any orchestra, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, you know, undisputedly one of the best orchestras in the world. Right. And then after that I I went to USC for my undergrad and then went to CalArts for my masters. And then here we are now. And that those are sort of the like, you know if someone writes a biography about me, that's what we'll be, you know, involved in the thing. But I really started to develop my love for music in my freshman and sophomore year. In high school I I started to get into more and more modern composers. I started to get into more and more noisy things and a lot of this coincided actually with the passing of my mother. She died when I was 14 and you know that in any human the death of a parent will cause you to reevaluate and rethink aspects of your life. Things that you thought were certainties will not be there anymore. So for me, I stopped taking piano lessons and I sort of went headfirst into composition and which is why my degrees are specifically in composition and not piano. Had my mother's passing not happened, you know, who knows what I would be doing now? Maybe I'm not a composer at all. Maybe I'm not into avant-garde music at all, but because things happen the way that they did, I suddenly took a quick turn into avant-garde music and my involvement there only grew more and more and more. Until you know where I am today, I'm almost 30 years old, so I've been listening to and a participant of this music for maybe 15 years or so and I'm quite happy. 00:22:43 Isabel Li That's awesome to hear. 00:22:45 Isabel Li And perhaps a testament to Richard one's very versatile compositional style and avant-garde music coming up next are three pieces from his album i got the electroshock blues. There are five pieces in the album in total, but we will be hearing three of them. The first one called “feeling, scared today,” the second one, “pink pill,” and the fifth one, “la la.” [COMP MUSIC: i got the electroshock blues: 1. “feeling, scared today”, 2. “pink pill”, 3. “la la”.] 00:36:41 Richard An Earlier last year, I released a collection of live recordings under the title of I got the Electroshock Blues. Electroshock Blues is a song by the band Eels I encountered at a pivotal moment in my life. This was right around the time that my mother passed and this record and this song is heavily centered in grief. The main musician in the Eels, Mark Oliver Everett, was dealing with the passing of multiple family members and people who were close to him so it hit me in just the right way at just the right time. And because of that, this song specifically has stayed with me for many, many years. I found myself coming back to the contents of this song as I was composing and all the pieces on this album, of which there are 5 heavily take material from this song, whether that's words, chords, the melody. I really, you know, take it apart, dissect it and use those as ingredients in the pieces that I have written here and all of these are live recordings except for the first piece which was recorded in my studio. I just sort of overdubbed the parts myself, and there are credits in the liner notes for this album, but I just want to say that. The first piece which is called “feeling, scared today,” was originally written for the Hockett piano duo, which is a duo comprised of Thomas Kotcheff and Sarah Gibson. Sarah Gibson was a really close friend of mine who passed away last year and now this piece which in some way came out of a feeling of grief now has renewed meaning and another facet or aspect of this piece is centered in grief now. Because this was dedicated to Thomas and Sarah. Yeah. So these pieces are all derived from this one song. 00:38:57 Isabel Li That's a beautiful response. Thank you so much. Kind of following along your background and how you got to where you are. How do you think your identity has informed your work as a composer and musician? And this could be– you can interpret this in any way that you wish. 00:39:11 Richard An Yeah, this is a really interesting question. The question of how my identity interfaces with my music. In my art, particularly because no person's answer is quite the same, and I don't necessarily have this figured out either. So for a little bit of I guess for a little bit of context on me, I'm second generation Korean American, but I've never been to Korea and I never went to Korean school. My parents never really emphasize that part of my education. You could call it assimilation. You can call it whatever, but I think they valued other aspects of my growth than my explicit tie to Koreanness or, you know my specific identity as a Korean or Korean American, and because of that, I've always felt a little bit awkwardly distanced from that part of my identity, which is something that I will never be completely rid of. So in in a world and the field where whiteness is sort of the default part you know, particularly because you know, classical music does come from Europe, you know, for hundreds of years, like all of the development in this particular kind of music did happen in a place where everyone was white. So because of that background of where I come from and where my musical activity comes from, whiteness has been the default and still feels like it is. So me looking the way that I do as, an obvious not white person, as a person of color will always have a little bit of an outsider status to the thing. And with that comes the question of what are you bringing to classical music? What do you bring to the kind of music that you're creating? Like for example, the most I think the most well known East Asian composers are people like Toru Takemitsu or Tan Dun, people who will interface with their Asianness, in many different ways, but that often involves bringing, for example, a Japanese scale into your classical composition, or bringing a Japanese instrument into your classical composition. Those are, you know, examples of of of pieces by Toru Takemitsu, and other, you know, very successful. Asian American composers now may do similarly. Texu Kim is maybe someone who can also give insight into this, but nothing about me feels explicitly Korean, maybe besides the way that I look. And besides, the way that I grew up a little bit like I've never been to Korea. What right does that give me as a Korean, to for example, use a Korean instrument or use a Korean scale? I've never studied that music. I've never studied that culture. I in in some arguments I would be guilty of cultural appropriation, because I, you know, have not done the work to study and to properly represent. And for example, like Pansori, if I were to use that in any of my music. 00:42:46 Richard An But then the the the difficult question is well, then who does have the right? Does being Korean give me all the license that I need to incorporate aspects of my identity? And if I am not Korean, does that, does that bar my access to that kind of music forever? Another way of looking at this is, I've studied North Indian Classical Hindustani music for a while. I've played tabla and and studied that music at CalArts and I really, really love playing tabla. It's it doesn't make its way into my composition so much, but it is certainly a big part of my musicianship and who I am and, like, but am I barred from using ideas or aspects of that music and culture and my music because simply for the fact that I am not Indian? Many musicians would say no. Of course you've done your homework, you've done your research. You're doing due diligence. You're you're representing it properly. And many people who study this music will say music cannot go forward if it's not like the innervated and continued and studied by people like me who are not explicitly South Asian or Indian. That's an example of the flip side of this of me using or representing the music from a culture that I am not a part of, but again, am I really Korean? I've never been there. I wasn't born there. I speak the language conversationally. But this is an extremely long winded way of saying that I feel a tenuous connection to my Korean this my Korean American identity that hasn't been solved, that isn't solved and probably will never be completely solved. But I think that's exciting. I think that's an evolving aspect of my music and will continue to be that way as long as I continue to be involved in music and as as long as I continue to write. 00:45:05 Isabel Li Yeah, absolutely. That's a wonderful response. Actually. I was, as I was studying different types of world music and learning how people kind of borrow from different cultures. There is this always, this kind of question like ohh, like which types of musical elements from which cultures can I incorporate and obviously the aspects of personal identity definitely play into that a little bit. And part of my senior thesis in college was studying AAPI artists in classical music, and specifically that there are a lot of Asian-identifying musicians in the classical music world. But as you kind of mentioned earlier, I think classical music is very much still like grounded in whiteness and has this kind of air of elitism to it just because of its roots. How do you think this kind of identity intersects with the classical music world? And forgive me if you've already kind of talked about it before, but it's an interesting juxtaposition between like, for example, musicians who identify as AAPI or Asian in this kind of genre that is very– it's very associated with whiteness. Could you kind of talk about the dynamics of how these two aspects of like culture kind of interplay with one another? 00:46:26 Richard An Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, there are ways that I personally feel like I intersect with classical music with reference to my identity, and that also plays with the sort of cultural expectations, like there are stereotypes of Asian musicians, of Asian classical musicians. But there are not necessarily the same the same kind of stereotypes with white classical musicians. A very dominant like stereotype that you'll run into is the young Asian prodigy who practices 10 hours a day and may therefore be labeled as mechanical or unfeeling or, you know, are involved in in this a lot. So much so to the fact to the to the point where to excel an Asian American classical musician or as an Asian classical musician, in general, seems to always carry that stereotype. Like you know, Seong-Jin Cho's success as a pianist may not necessarily be attributed to his musicianship or his skill as a pianist. Because he is an Asian person, an Asian guy. Like how much of his success is because of the perceived tiger mom-ness that he might have existed under? How much of it is attributed to the same type of stereotypes that are labeled like that that label the five year old pianist on YouTube that that is clearly better than I am? Like some of these stereotypes help and some of these don't, but the I think it's undeniable that they exist in a way that doesn't in a way that doesn't carry for white people in the classical music sphere. And I think part of that is that classical music is still rooted in its Eurological identity. I think I'm using that correctly. That's an idea from George Lewis. Eurological versus Afrological. The context that I'm using Eurological right now is specifically in reference to George Lewis, who is a composer, trombonist, and musicologist who, I think coined the two terms to differentiate the roots of different styles of music, and you know, I haven't read enough to confidently say, but classical music is Eurological by example and like jazz would be Afrological by an example and the contexts in which they develop and exist and grew up are fundamentally different, which is what makes them different from each other. And again like this needs a little bit more research on my part. 00:49:23 Richard An Yeah, and because the classical music is so rooted in this thing, I don't believe that the stereotypes that exist for Asian classical musicians exist for white people. And I think that is something that will naturally dissipate with time, like after another 100 years of Asians, and, you know, people of color in, you know, every country in the world, with their continued involvement and innova otypes will disappear like this. You know, it may require certain concerted efforts from certain people, but I do believe that after a while these things will not exist. They'll sort of equalize right in the same way. That the divisions that we make between a Russian pianist and a French pianist and a German pianist, though you know people still do study those things like those aren't really dividing lines quite as strong as an Asian composer or an Indian composer might be. 00:50:27 Isabel Li Thank you for that perspective. I think it's, I think these are conversations that people don't kind of bring up as much in the classical music world and it's great that, you know, we're kind of thinking about these and probably possibly like opening some conversations up to our listeners hopefully. And so my next kind of pivot here is as you know with our current administration, Trump has canceled millions of dollars in National Endowment of the Arts grants, and it's been affecting arts organizations all over the nation. And I was kind of wondering, have you been affected by these cuts to arts programs and what kinds of advice would give upcoming musicians or composers in this era? 00:51:07 Richard An Yeah, that's a yeah, that's a big thing. And like, you know, changing day by day, right. So the Trump administration's effects on my life as a musician is simultaneously huge and also not really that much. So in one way these grant cuts have not affected my personal musical life because I haven't ever received a government grant for any of my arts making. So in one way like my life is the same, but in many, many, many other ways it has changed. Like I am involved with and I work with concert series and organizations and nonprofits that do rely on NEA funding and other government arts based funding. And if they have less money to fund their next season, that means certain projects have to be cut. That means certain musicians have to be paid less. That means certain programs have to change, especially if these funding cuts are aimed towards DEI or quote and quote, woke programming like that is, you know this that will by design disproportionately affect people of color in this field, which already you know, like is in a Eurocentric urological tradition like this is already something that people of color don't have a head start in if the funding cuts are aimed at certain types of programming that will disadvantage already disadvantaged groups of people, well then I don't know, that's even–we're starting even later than other people might be, and you know, like, if a musicians, if a person's reaction to this is despair, I think that's reasonable. I think that is an absolutely, like that's an appropriate reaction to what is fundamentally an attack on your voice as an artist. But I I have for as long as I can, you know, I have always worked under the impression that I will have to do the thing myself, and that's in the piece of advice that I give for a lot of people. You shouldn't necessarily wait for this ensemble to come pick you to play or or to to, you know, commission you to write a piece if you want to write the piece, you should do it and figure out how to put it on yourself. If you want to perform you know music by a certain composer, you should do it and then figure out how to do it yourself. That certainly comes from a place of privilege, like I can do this because I have enough work as a musician to be able to pay for the the passion projects it comes from a place of privilege, because I live in Los Angeles and the resources and musicians and other people who I would like to collaborate with live here, so you know, completely acknowledging and understanding that I I do believe that it's better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. I think if you're a young musician and are feeling some despair about these funding cuts and you know the many, many, many other transgressions against humanity by this current administration. 00:54:38 Richard An I recommend you just go out and do it yourself. You find your people, you find your community, you pull favors, you work long nights and you do it and the reward will firstly be the good you're putting out into the world and then the the art you're making. But also this will be paid in kind by the community you're building, the musicians you're working with. And the the connections you make like you know I I have, I am currently conducting this interview from a studio space that I am renting out in Pasadena that I have built over the last two years that I do all of my rehearsals and my performances in, and that I, you know, host rehearsals and performances for other people, and this cannot happen and could not have happened without the goodwill and help and contribution from other people. When I say go out and do it yourself, I'm not saying that you as a human being are alone. I'm saying you don't need to wait for institutional approval or permission to go out and do these things. Get your friends and do them themselves. And my optimistic belief is that the support and the work will follow. 00:55:53 Isabel Li Richard, thank you so much for sharing your perspectives and your voice on this show today. And thank you to our many listeners of KPFA on tonight's episode of Obbligato on Apex Express. Which focuses on the AAPI community of the classical music world. There were some inspirational words on arts and arts making by Richard An musician and composer based in Los Angeles. 00:56:18 Isabel Li Please check our website kpfa.org to find out more about Richard An and his work as well as the state of the arts during this period of funding cuts. 00:56:29 Isabel Li We thank all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating and sharing your visions with the world, your voices and your art are important. 00:56:41 Isabel Li APEX Express is produced by Ayame Keane-Lee, Anuj Vaidya, Cheryl Truong, Jalena Keane-Lee, Miko Lee, Preeti Mangala Shekar and Swati Rayasam. Tonight's show was produced by Isabel Li. Have a great evening. The post APEX Express – 8.7.25 – Obbligato with Richard An appeared first on KPFA.
What if the perfect once-in-a-lifetime opportunity ended up being the one God meant for you to turn down?This week on Latter-day Lights, Scott and John Brandley sit down with animator Pablo Smith to share the story of how he combined his two greatest passions in life: teaching the gospel, and animation. Having worked at legendary studios in the industry such as Nick Jr., Disney, and Dreamworks, Pablo took his skills into his own hands by independently crafting his most cherished and personal piece of work, “The Book of Mormon Graphic Novel.”After walking away from a full-ride offer at his dream school—CalArts—to serve in the France Marseille mission on his own accord, Pablo took a risk nobody would dare to. But after numerous rejections and near-misses from several potential opportunities upon returning, Pablo walks us through how he finally got his first big break working in animation, to now channeling his talent into a doorway to the scriptures.With this project, he helps all kinds of visual learners and readers encounter the Gospel in a format they can truly grasp, leading families toward Christ one panel at a time. Tune in to see how art and testimony meet on the page, and you might just get the spark to use your gift to serve as well.*** Please SHARE Pablo's story and help us spread hope and light to others. ***To WATCH this episode on YouTube, visit: https://youtu.be/Isr7lMlDlCE-----To READ Pablo's graphic novel for free, visit: https://bookofmormongraphicnovel.org/To FOLLOW Pablo on Facebook, visit: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555409713770To WATCH Pablo's graphic novel on YouTube, visit: https://www.youtube.com/@BOOKOFMORMONAGRAPHICNOVELTo DONATE to Pablo's project, visit: https://www.venmo.com/u/pablonihahTo READ Scott's book “Faith to Stay,” visit: https://www.faithtostay.com/-----Keep updated with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latter.day.lights/Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/latterdaylightsAlso, if you have a faith-promoting or inspiring story, or know someone who does, please let us know by going to https://www.latterdaylights.com and reaching out to us.
En este episodio de Café en Mano Podcast, converso con Quique Rivera, fundador de Acho Studio y pionero del stop motion en Puerto Rico. Quique ha trabajado para Marvel (WandaVision), Netflix (Big Mouth), Adult Swim (Rick & Morty) y, por supuesto, fue el creador del famoso sapo concho en los conciertos de Bad Bunny. Hablamos sobre sus inicios, los retos de crear arte desde Puerto Rico, anécdotas con grandes clientes, la magia (y los dolores de cabeza) del stop motion y el futuro de la animación con inteligencia artificial.¿Quieres saber cómo se logra animar para Marvel desde la sala de tu casa? ¿O cómo se puede poner el nombre de Puerto Rico en la industria global de la animación?Escucha esta historia de creatividad, pasión y mucha autogestión.Sigue a Quique Rivera y Acho Studio:IG: @achostudio | achostudio.comEscucha el episodio completo, suscríbete y comparte!#AchoStudio #QuiqueRivera #CaféenManoPodcast #StopMotion #PuertoRico #BadBunny #Marvel00:00 Intro y agradecimientos01:40 ¿Qué es el stop motion? Explicado fácil07:10 Los orígenes del cine y la animación10:40 El inicio de Quique en la Yupi y su amor por la fotografía/escultura18:50 Cómo inventó una técnica de silicón en PR y la validó en EE.UU.26:30 Maestría en CalArts y la importancia de autogestionarse34:20 Creando Acho Studio: del freelance al negocio internacional38:50 WandaVision: cómo llegó Marvel y la experiencia tras bastidores46:40 Big Mouth y trabajar a distancia durante la pandemia51:40 La colaboración con Adult Swim y Rick & Morty53:45 La historia del sapo concho y el “Que tú te crees”01:03:59 Los retos de animar para Bad Bunny y hacer historia en PR01:08:40 El futuro del stop motion vs. inteligencia artificial01:14:14 Definiendo el éxito y cierre
Episode SummaryErin and Rachel discuss Bolt (2008), a lesser known film about a dog who thinks he's a super hero. Under new leadership, Disney Animation Studios starts to come out of their slump with this film that some people found boring (Erin) and others found heartwarming (Rachel). Episode BibliographyAmidi, A. (2006, December 18). Chris Sanders No Longer Directing American Dog. Cartoon Brew. https://www.cartoonbrew.com/disney/chris-sanders-no-longer-directing-american-dog-2407.htmlBolt. (n.d.). Box Office Mojo. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1531348481/Bolt (2008 film). (n.d.). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolt_(2008_film)Catmull, E., & Wallace, A. (2014). Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration. Random House Publishing Group.Desowitz, B. (2008, December 4). The Digital Eye: How 'Bolt' Got Painterly. Animation World Network. https://www.awn.com/vfxworld/digital-eye-how-bolt-got-painterlyDonofrio, E. C. (2013). The wonderful world of gender roles: A look at recent Disney children's films [Honors thesis, Boston College]. https://core.ac.uk/reader/151481530DVD Deleted Scenes. (2024, October 7). Bolt (2008) | Behind the Scenes + Deleted Scenes. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsEyzc4FVZEEvry, M. (2020, February 13). Exclusive: Kiskaloo Movie Could Be Next for Chris Sanders! ComingSoon.net. https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/1122952-exclusive-kiskaloo-movie-could-be-next-for-chris-sandersFleming, M. (2002, November 18). ‘Lilo' scribes stitch Disney package. Variety. https://variety.com/2002/scene/markets-festivals/lilo-scribes-stitch-disney-package-1117876239/Fritz, B. (2006, December 1). Disney lays off animators. Variety. https://variety.com/2006/digital/features/disney-lays-off-animators-1117954931/Fritz, B. (2007, March 27). Sanders joins DreamWorks. Variety. https://variety.com/2007/digital/markets-festivals/sanders-joins-dreamworks-1117961927/From the creator of LILO & STITCH our first look at AMERICAN DOG!!!! (2004, August 16). Ain't It Cool News. https://legacy.aintitcool.com/node/18156Hedrick, D. (2010). King Lear or Bolt: The entertainment unconscious from CalArts to Disney. Shakespeare Studies, 38, 37-47. Hill, J. (2007, February 12). Toon Tuesday : How Disney is fixing “American Dog”. Jim Hill Media. https://jimhillmedia.com/toon-tuesday-how-disney-is-fixing-american-dog/Howard, B., & Williams, C. (Directors). (2008). Bolt [Film]. Walt Disney Animation Studios.Hurt, L.S. (2014). Fuzzy toys and fuzzy feelings: How the “Disney” culture provides the necessary psychological link to improving animal welfare. Journal of Animal & Natural Resource Law, 10, 253-272.McCarthy, T. (2008, November 13). Bolt. Variety. https://variety.com/2008/digital/awards/bolt-3-1200472217/Ness, M. (2016, November 17). An Adorable Dog in an Unbelievable Premise: Disney's Bolt. Reactor. https://reactormag.com/an-adorable-dog-in-an-unbelievable-premise-disneys-bolt/Porter, P. (2009). Journeys toward an authentic self. Society and Animals, 17, 368-375. DOI: 10.1163106311109X12474622855345Rechtshaffen, M. (2008, November 13). Film Review: Bolt. The Hollywood Reporter. https://web.archive.org/web/20081216015641/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_display.jsp?JSESSIONID=prd6JhJJnvQL9cYrfRKSHVQjP6dRnLhLH4SZ1KQht3tfhVLxmjqn!-591095386&&rid=11956Robinson, T. (2008, November 20). Bolt. AV Club. https://www.avclub.com/bolt-1798205268Scott, A. O. (2008, November 20). Canine TV Action Star Discovers that Life is the Best Reality Show. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/21/movies/21bolt.htmlSeibert, P. (2008). Bolt: Review. TV Guide. https://web.archive.org/web/20120212213609/http://movies.tvguide.com/bolt/review/294809Springy. (2023, October 11). American Dog: everything I found in one neat thread. forums.lostmediawiki.com. https://forums.lostmediawiki.com/thread/12742/american-dog-neat-threadTuran, K. (2008, November 21). ‘Bolt' spices up Disney with a dash of Pixar. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-nov-21-et-bolt21-story.htmlWang, T. (2021). Bolt (2008): Journey to the authentic self. In S. M. Alegre (Ed.), Gender in 21st century animated children's cinema (pp. 86-87). https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/llibres/2021/236285/gen21cen_a2021.pdfWolff, E. (2009, February 5). Animated Oscar noms took long road. Variety. https://variety.com/2009/film/awards/animated-oscar-noms-took-long-road-1117999618/
Author and former Imagineer Chris Merritt joins us again this week to talk about a new Disneyland coffee table book he and Disney Legend Don Hahn co-wrote. The Happiest Place on Earth: The Incredible Story of Walt Disney's Disneyland will be available July 15, 2025. Preorder at PenguinRandomHouse.comChris reveals some secrets about Disneyland. He also shares his personal feelings about working on the book. The park is very special to him as his parents worked there in the 1960s and he worked there before attending CalArts.Plus John Redlingshafer is getting ready for his Adventures by Disney trip to Disneyland! It's his first visit to the happiest place on Earth.Hosts John Alois, Shawn Degenhart and John Redlingshafer would love to hear from you! Email or send a recorded audio message at podcast@thehyperionhub.com. Find us on social media. The Hyperion Hub is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company or its subsidiaries. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=100063622463796 https://www.instagram.com/hyperion_hub/ https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2FHubHyperion
Wadada Leo Smith: Tradition & TransitionComposer and trumpet player Wadada Leo Smith in commentary and concert excerpts recorded at Roulette including a duo with keyboardist Amina Claudine Myers (Central Park Mosaics, 2024), passages from his Pulitzer-nominated Ten Freedom Summers (Golden Quartet and the Pacifica Coral Reef Ensemble, 2013), and a Rastafarian ceremonial ritual with vocalist Jeanne Lee (1989) An early member and proponent of the AACM and the Chicago "creative music" paradigm, Wadada taught for years at Cal Arts and has an enduring connection with Wesleyan University. Over the years his bands and collaborators have included Leroy Jenkins, Anthony Braxton, Henry Threadgill, Anthony Davis, Oliver Lake, Derek Bailey, and many more. Photo credit: Michael Jackson.https://roulette.org/
This week I'm joined by The Great Rob Kat Kosmala to talk about the early days of Bob's and her time these last few years teaching the next wave of animators at Cal Arts! Join our Patreon: https://patreon.com/CartoonChronix Follow Kat: https://katkosmala.com/ Follow Us On Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CartoonChronix Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CartoonChronix X: https://x.com/CartoonChronix Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CartoonChronix #bobsburgers #ducktales #animator #CalArts
In this episode of Filmmaker Mixer, we sit down with Guatemalan filmmaker and animation artist Ursula Echeverria, founder of Kikotem Studios. A graduate of CalArts' prestigious Character Animation program and credited on high-profile projects like Xico's Journey (Netflix) and Ruthless: Monopoly's Secret History (PBS, Amazon Prime), Ursula is now blazing a new path in children's television.She joins us to discuss her award-winning body of animated shorts — featured in over 60 festivals worldwide and honored with 30+ awards — and her next big leap: "The Treasure Box", a vibrant Pre-K animated series that helps children explore and understand strong emotions.Currently in early development, The Treasure Box has already won four awards for its pilot script. Ursula shares insights into how she's building international partnerships across Latin America, Canada, and Europe, the mentorship of Disney's Stephen Anderson (Meet the Robinsons), and what it takes to get a show ready for the global stage — all while staying rooted in Guatemala.We also discuss her presence at major festivals and markets like Annecy and CRMM, and how artists from underrepresented regions can break into the international scene.
This week we're sharing a previously recorded episode from The Lot1 Podcast After Show vault with one of our fan-favorite guests, Yoko Okumura!–Yoko Okumura (she/her) is a genre-fluid writer and director who thrives in the intersection of grit and glamour. Born in a Buddhist temple in Japan and raised in the frostbite of Minneapolis, she is obsessed with telling rebellious stories through underrepresented perspectives. She directed the feature thriller Unseen for Blumhouse, and her episode Ball of Twine for Sam Raimi's horror anthology 50 States of Fright is streaming as a Roku Original. Yoko has also directed numerous one-hour episodes for Freeform.She is a sponsored director under the Women In Film + Sundance ReFrame Rise Program. She has participated in top directing initiatives for Apple, Warner Brothers, Ryan Murphy Half Initiative, and Fox. Her films have won numerous accolades including a DGA Award and a Webby. Yoko has a BFA from CalArts and an MFA from AFI, and lives and works in Los Angeles. She belongs to the DGA and WGA.Connect with Yoko:➡️ TikTok: @directoryoko➡️ Instagram: @fouryokowww.yokookumura.comAbout The Lot1 Podcast ✨The Lot1 Podcast is designed for anyone who is interested in or working in filmmaking. Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned veteran, we hope you gain the knowledge you need to improve your craft, achieve your filmmaking goals, or simply get an understanding and appreciation for the roles and duties of your peers and colleagues.☕Tourist Hat Coffee Companyhttps://touristhatcoffeecompany.com/
Our guest is Barry Deck, graphic designer and typographer known for creating Template Gothic and serving as the final art director of Ray Gun Magazine.In this episode, Barry speaks with host Christian Solorzano about his unexpected journey from theater student to design icon, beginning with his discovery of graphic design while wandering the dorms at Northern Illinois University. He shares insights about his transformative years at CalArts under Ed Fella's mentorship and how vernacular inspiration led to the creation of Template Gothic—one of the most influential typefaces of the 1990s.Barry discusses his role reshaping Ray Gun magazine's visual identity, his collaboration with Thirst Type, and the experimental typography movement that defined an era. He opens up about how meditation and yoga have profoundly shaped his creative practice, offering candid perspectives on confidence, imposter syndrome, and what he calls his "easy knowingness."The conversation explores Barry's thoughts on AI as a creative tool, his experience teaching design students in suburban Florida, and why he believes designers need to venture beyond comfortable environments to develop their visual vocabulary. Barry also reflects on Chicago's influence on his work, his recent website redesign, and his philosophy that embracing all parts of yourself creates a more compelling creative package.Music by the band Eighties Slang.
Mara De Luca's (b. 1973, Washington D.C.) paintings evoke a sense of atmospheric abstractions that bring to mind dusk, sunsets, and planetary orbs. Throughout her work there is a sense of reflected ambient light. De Luca's work today extends the celebration of illusionism, romanticism, and the sublime with a deeply informed response to modernist painting. De Luca received an MFA from CalArts, Los Angeles, CA and a BA from Columbia University, NY. Her work has been displayed at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego and is in prominent collections, including the Buck Collection at UC Irvine, JP Morgan Chase, New York; Fidelity, Boston; Alexander Plaza Berlin, Germany; New York Medical College, New York; and the University of Oslo, Norway. She has been reviewed in Artforum, Cultured Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Artweek LA, and others. De Luca is a recipient of the 2019 California Community Foundation Fellowship for Visual Artists. She has taught Painting at UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Davis and UC Riverside. Based in Los Angeles for over two decades, De Luca now lives and works in New York. Mara De Luca, Western Gate 1, 2024 mixed media on canvas with copper plated element 54 × 96 inches (137 × 244 cm) Mara De Luca, Western Gate 2, 2024 acrylic on primed and unprimed canvas with brass plated element 59 x 132 inches (150 x 335.5 cm) Mara De Luca, Cut Western Clouds, 2024, mixed media on cut canvas with copper plated elements, 48 x 42 x 3 inches (122 x 106.5 x 7.5 cm).
Queer Spectacle, Polaroid Realities, and the Art of Wrestling with Identity with Christopher Anthony Velasco In this illuminating episode of What's My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza welcomes artist and educator Christopher Anthony Velasco—a polymath of performative personas, analog photography, and speculative queer mythologies. Known for his immersive character work and deep engagement with the aesthetics of subversion, Velasco brings an electrifying mix of vulnerability, irreverence, and narrative dissonance to a conversation that resists containment. Anchored by his long-running alter ego The Doctor, Velasco charts a performative lineage from backyard wrestling and horror cinema to body horror and experimental drag. His work collapses boundaries between art and entertainment, sincerity and satire, fiction and lived experience—what he terms “the art world as a wrestling ring.” Through characters like Krystal Carrington and Doctor Barbie, Velasco reclaims and retools identity through spectacle, queering archetypes from within. This episode explores: The influence of Japanese wrestling and horror film on Velasco's photographic performance work The metaphysical potential of Polaroids as portals into alternate dimensions Drag as worldbuilding and trauma alchemy Navigating academia as a queer artist of color—from community college through CalArts and UC Santa Barbara Sobriety, creative resilience, and re-emerging with purpose Velasco speaks candidly about substance use, identity crises, and the emotional minefields of higher education, particularly the lack of institutional support for artists of color. Yet, the episode also brims with humor, warmth, and geeky tangents—from Transformers lore to micro machines, Proenza's Miami coke-snobbery, and the joys of analog photography. This conversation is a living archive: disorganized, alive, and expansive. Like Velasco's art, it makes space for contradiction, chaos, and camp without apology. Follow Christopher Anthony Velasco on Instagram at @caver83 Check out his podcast with Dakota Noot: Two in the Pinku — a deep dive into queer-coded Japanese cinema and cult classics. Hosted by Javier Proenza
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
Award-winning author, founder, and editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Review of Books, Tom Lutz, took a timeout to talk with me about his early years as a literary ne'er-do-well, what it's like to hang out with your heroes, and why you can assume every writer is faking it just a little bit. "Writing has never felt like a chore to me. It always feels like the space of freedom, and that I'm stealing the time from my job to do something I love." – Tom Lutz In addition to editing the Los Angeles Review of Books, "... a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and disseminating ... engaging writing on every aspect of literature, culture, and the arts," Tom also founded The LARB Radio Hour, The LARB Quarterly Journal, The LARB/USC Publishing Workshop, and LARB Books. He's a Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing at UC Riverside, and the author of multiple bestselling and award-winning nonfiction titles – translated into dozens of languages – including Doing Nothing (American Book Award winner), Crying, and American Nervousness, 1903 (both New York Times Notables). His fiction debut is, “A literary thriller that wanders the globe,” novel Born Slippy is described as part "... literary thriller, noir and political satire ... a darkly comic and honest meditation on modern life under global capitalism.” Bestselling novelist James Ellroy said of the book, "Lutz has the seven deadly sins nailed and rethought for our 2020 world. You've got to dig this book!" Tom's writing has appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, New Republic, Chicago Tribune, ZYZZYVA, and many other newspapers and literary venues, as well as in dozens of books and academic journals. He previously taught at Stanford University, University of Iowa, CalArts, and the University of Copenhagen. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you're a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Tom Lutz and I discussed: His early years as a juvenile delinquent and the teacher that duped him into becoming a writer Why "... if you want something done, ask a busy person to do it." How he's happiest (and most creative) when playing hooky On impostor syndrome and sneaking in the back door of an exclusive club of writers What it's like to hang out with Salman Rushdie and Margaret Atwood And why you may not be the type of writer you think you are Show Notes: TomLutzWriter.com All things LARB Born Slippy by Tom Lutz [Amazon] Tom Lutz's Amazon Author Page Tom Lutz on Facebook Tom Lutz on Instagram Tom Lutz on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In today's episode, I dive into the rich tapestry of Aaron Johnson's life journey from the "sexy town" of Phelan, California to his transformative work addressing touch deprivation among Black men. Aaron's storytelling is magnetic as he recounts discovering the sacredness of his desert homeland through acapella singing with his siblings, navigating dyslexia and special education, and finding his way to CalArts despite the odds. What strikes me most is Aaron's profound concept of "magic" – that ineffable quality statistics can't measure but that fuels human potential beyond paper predictions. His candid revelation about the creation of his Chronically Under-Touched Project hits like lightning; when he asked a young Black mentee "When was the last time you received three minutes of thoughtful platonic touch?" and discovered it had been fifteen years, Aaron unearthed an urgent and overlooked epidemic. His work now challenges the violent touch narratives dominating Black male experience while offering healing alternatives, reminding us that sometimes transformative work begins with the simplest question nobody thought to ask.Bio: Aaron Johnson is a public speaker, facilitator, and touch activist, fostering environments where Black-bodied individuals can express their full selves. As a founder of Holistic Resistance, Grief to Action and The Chronically UnderTouched Project, Aaron takes the time to hold the stories of Black people around homophobia, transphobia, and internalized racism. Aaron's journey began, as it does for many Black men, with lack of loving and platonic touch. Now, Aaron assists other Black men in developing holistic touch practices to move from a Chronically UnderTouched state into touch balance. Aaron aims to create spaces for Black people and People of the Global Majority (PGM/BIPOC) to connect with each other and the earth. He and his team are establishing retreats and workshops on Black-owned land in the Mojave Desert and beyond to promote emotional and physical tenderness, platonic connection, and singing, which enhances the healing process for those overlooked by mainstream society. Website
024: Scott Boyett On Shooting ShootingMilitary historian and weapons and armor expert Scott Boyett joins Film Fights with Friends for a comparative analysis of three films, depicting different time periods, from historic, tactical, technical, and theatrical perspectives. On the dissecting table are LAST OF THE MOHICANS (1992), WAY OF THE GUN (2000), and MOSUL (2019).Scott is a consultant for the film, television, and gaming industries. He grew up in a family of antique arms and armor dealers and mentored under one of the world's premier military historians, Dennis Showalter. Scott holds a Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree, the latter from Norwich University, specializing in both European and Japanese medieval weaponry. His career began in England as an antique arms buyer, and he has since lectured on historical and theatrical combat at Dartmouth, Loyola Marymount University, CalArts, University of Georgia, and DeSales University, among others. Scott is a graduate of the Orange County Sheriff's Regional Training Academy, is a California DOJ Certified Firearms instructor, and has 20+ years of training with modern firearms and tactics. He has trained extensively with former and current LAPD SWAT officers and former US Special Forces members. Additionally, Scott works as an 911 responder EMT. Scott's study of historical weapons and combat opened avenues in the theatrical world. He achieved degree certificates from the Baliol College (Oxford University), Circle in the Square (New York City), and teacher training from Shakespeare & Co (Massachusetts). After traveling for several years teaching and performing on Broadway, the National Shakespeare Company and Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festivals, Scott moved to California, where he continued acting, teaching and consulting on various productions. He holds a current California Entertainment Firearms Permit. Some of his credits include 50 YEARS ON THE DMZ and BIBLE BATTLES for The History Channel, INDIAN COWBOY and the BBC America drama COPPER. He was a weapons adviser for the popular video game RED DEAD REDEMPTION. Scott has worked with such notable talents as Tim Roth, Ron Perlman, Placido Domingo, Mercedes Ruhel, Anthony LaPaglia, Benny “The Jet” Urquidez and Richard Lawson. Outside of his weapons expertise, Scott has a Shodan in Budo Taijutsu and throughout his career has trained Lama-Pai Kung Fu, Okinawan Go-Ju Ryu, American Freestyle Karate and Brazilian Capoeira. Scott's Website: https://www.scottboyett.com/ MENTIONS:LOTM - Ambush on route to Fort William Henry: https://youtu.be/_GlYa20-JZY?si=kz0cCcRn-2kirJTG LOTM - Ambush of the defeated British: https://youtu.be/kKWSZXHahjc?si=Sq-ymkoZv8q__ai7 LOTM - Last of Mohicans Final Fight: https://youtu.be/q8ZisDHg6v0?si=sqpeWgpn8MqC4Pof Way of the Gun final fight: https://youtu.be/vAvVMTbUKCA?si=tFtG5Iv6uAN8BeHSMosul - police station firefight: https://youtu.be/-M3DBpWToB0?si=8OwdBHPpW4F2h--HMosul – Humvee attack at checkpoint: https://youtu.be/I1Ixdi2QhS4?si=qqA1BsePWv8XD3HhMosul – Attacking the ISIS camp: https://youtu.be/U6N2bR9qGEc?si=BjW3aJTB8HXeiBjCMosul – End of the line: https://youtu.be/yhakuCoiFKo?si=g7Rjc6g0BePMn5gmMosul - Based on the New Yorker Article: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/02/06/the-desperate-battle-to-destroy-isisRecommendations For The Use Of Firearms, Blanks, And Dummy Rounds: https://www.csatf.org/01_safety_bltn_firearmsProhibitions And Special Restrictions On The Use Of Live Ammunition: https://www.csatf.org/02_safety_bltn_live_ammunitionFILM FIGHTS WITH FRIENDSDo you listen to our show as an audio podcast? Give video a try. Subscribe to our Youtube for the video version with awesome behind the scenes pics and video! https://www.youtube.com/@FilmFightsFriendsPod?sub_confirmation=1Dig the show? Consider...
This is the second episode in a series of conversations we're having with the deans at CalArts. Henderson sits down with Ranu Mukherjee, the dean of CalArts' largest School Film/Video, who was appointed dean in August 2024.View the slideshow used during the discussion.Our Season 3 theme music was created and performed by 2018 graduate, Nicolas Savignano. You can learn more about Nico by visiting him on Instagram at @_oknicoBeyond the Blue Wall is a production of the CalArts Office of Advancement. You can find all of the episodes at calarts.edu/btbw.Beyond the Blue Wall is a production of the CalArts Office of Advancement. You can find all of the episodes at calarts.edu/btbw.
Michael Ned Holte is a writer, independent curator, and educator based in Los Angeles, as well as the Associate Dean for the School of Arts at CalArts.He has held exhibitions at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena, the MAK Center for Art and Architecture at the Schindler House, and the Hammer Museum, to name only a few. He has also written monographic essays on artists including Charles Gaines, Richard Hawkins, Alice Konitz, Shio Kusaka, Caitlin Lonegan, Roy McMakin, Steve Roden, Clarissa Tossin, and Shirley Tse. On today's episode, Stephen Anthony Rawson talks with Michael about his recent book, Good Listener: Meditations on Music and Pauline Oliveros. This book is a result of a year-long performance of Pauline Oliveros's Sonic Meditation XXI, which asks the question: “What constitutes your musical universe?”
Art historian and design historian Tony Best knows visual culture and as president of Sunset & Madison LLC, a research-based communications firm, his work is rooted in creative services management, archival practices, and mass media studies. Tony suggested a couple of movies to discuss, but ultimately landed on Purple Rain. Prince is The Kid, a young musician facing challenges at home who strives to be the best artist, the best possible musician that he can, no matter the distractions. If you grew up in the 80s, then you know the music, featuring Prince and the Revolution, The Time and Apollonia 6. On March 5th, theaters around the country will re-release Purple Rain for one night only, an exclusive Dolby Cinema Engagement with visuals and audio that improve upon the 40th anniversary edition from May 2024.-Tony Best holds degrees in Moving Image Archive Studies and Art History from UCLA. His portfolio includes projects for the UCLA Film & Television Archive, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, CalArts, Mass Appeal/Showtime, and Amaru Records.https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyjbest/-Purple Rain (1984)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087957/ https://www.fandango.com/search?q=Purple+Rain&mode=all https://variety.com/2025/film/news/purple-rain-theater-rerelease-dolby-vision-8k-presentation-1236312227/ https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/year/1984/page/2 https://www.instagram.com/vaughnterryofficial/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parental_Advisory https://deadline.com/2023/05/jim-brown-dead-nfl-dirty-dozen-actor-civil-rights-1235373574/ https://www.npr.org/2024/07/26/g-s1-13857/purple-rain-prince-movie-40-anniversary https://www.grammy.com/news/prince-purple-rain-album-anniversary-film-legacy-influence https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/08/magazine/prince-netflix-ezra-edelman-documentary.html https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/04/25/prince-purple-rain-darling-nikki-censorship-lyrics-tipper-gore-column/83466774/ -Other movies discussed, alphabetical listBeat Street (1984)Breakin' (1984)Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984)Fame (1980)Krush Groove (1985)Missionary (2024) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho5iOnGcWas Saturday Night Fever (1977)Staying Alive (1983)Urban Cowboy (1980)Xanadu (1980)
A college student is found murdered in her apartment in California. Police are searching for a man seen fleeing through her bedroom window. A Texas judge orders a New York doctor to pay a $100,000 fine for prescribing abortion pills to a Texas woman. Drew Nelson reports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to Art is Awesome, the show where we talk with an artist or art worker with a connection to the San Francisco Bay Area. Today, Emily chats with Ranu Mukherjee, a painter, textile, and film installation artist, who was recently appointed as Dean of the Film and Video School at CalArts in Los Angeles. Ranu discusses her background, her collaborative work with choreographers, and her latest project designing a curtain for the San Francisco Ballet's 'Cool Britannia'. She shares insights into her inspirations, including forests and their literary forms, and her early experiences that led her to become an artist. The episode concludes with Emily's regular segment, 'Three Questions', discussing influential works and inspiring places.About Artist Ranu Mukherjee:Ranu Mukherjee's work has been the subject of solo exhibitions at the 18th Street Arts Center, Los Angeles (2022-2023) de Young Museum, San Francisco (2018-2019); the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (2017); the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco (2016); the Tarble Art Center, Charleston, IL (2016) and the San Jose Museum of Art, CA (2012), among others. Her most recent immersive video installations have been was presented in Natasha, Singapore Biennale 2022-2023, the 2019 Karachi Biennale (2019) and Los Angeles County Museum of Art (2016) as well as in numerous international group exhibitions. Mukherjee has been awarded a 2023 Artadia Award,a Pollock Krasner Grant (2020); a Lucas Visual Arts Fellowship at Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga, CA (2019-2024); an 18th Street Arts Center Residency, Los Angeles (2022); Facebook Artist in Residence (2020); de Young Museum Artist Studio Program (2017); the Space 118 Residency, Mumbai (2014); and a Kala Fellowship Award and Residency, Berkeley (2009). Her work is in the permanent collection of the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco; de Young Museum, San Francisco; the Escallete Collection at Chapman University; the JP Morgan Chase Collection, New York; the Kadist Foundation, San Francisco and Paris; the Oakland Museum of California; the San Jose Museum of Art; and the San Francisco International Airport, among others. In 2021 Gallery Wendi Norris released Shadowtime, a major monograph on Mukherjee's work over the past decade featuring a conversation with author and climate activist Amitav Ghosh, and an essay by Jodi Throckmorton, curator of Mukherjee's first solo museum exhibition at the San Jose Museum of Art. Mukherjee co-created Orphan Drift, a London-based cyber-feminist collective and avatar making combined media works since 1994. They have participated in numerous exhibitions and screenings internationally including in London, Oslo, Berlin, Oberhausen, Glasgow, Istanbul, Vancouver, Santiago, Capetown, and the Bay Area.Mukherjee received her B.F.A. in Painting, from the Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA in 1988, and her MFA in Painting at the Royal College of Art, London, UK in 1993. She serves on the Board of Trustees at the San Jose Museum of Art, and the Board of Directors at Bridge Live Arts. She is a Professor and Chair of Film at California College of the Arts, San Francisco. Visit Ranu's Website: RanuMukherjee.comFollow on Instagram: @RanuMukherjeeFor more on 'Cool Britannia' at the San Francisco Ballet - CLICK HERE.For more on Ranu's book, 'Shadowtime' - CLICK HERE--About Podcast Host Emily Wilson:Emily a writer in San Francisco, with work in outlets including Hyperallergic, Artforum, 48 Hills, the Daily Beast, California Magazine, Latino USA, and Women's Media Center. She often writes about the arts. For years, she taught adults getting their high school diplomas at City College of San Francisco.Follow Emily on Instagram: @PureEWilFollow Art Is Awesome on Instagram: @ArtIsAwesome_Podcast--CREDITS:Art Is Awesome is Hosted, Created & Executive Produced by Emily Wilson. Theme Music "Loopster" Courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 LicenseThe Podcast is Co-Produced, Developed & Edited by Charlene Goto of @GoToProductions. For more info, visit Go-ToProductions.com
This is the first episode in a series of conversations we're having with the deans at CalArts. Henderson sits down with Steven Lam, who has been dean of the School of Art and the Jill and Peter Kraus Distinguished Chair since 2022. Recorded in October 2024, this conversation delves into Steven's approach to leadership, his perspective on art education, and his vision for the School of Art at CalArts.Learn more about the School of ArtOur Season 3 theme music was created and performed by 2018 graduate, Nicolas Savignano. You can learn more about Nico by visiting him on Instagram at @_oknicoBeyond the Blue Wall is a production of the CalArts Office of Advancement. You can find all of the episodes at calarts.edu/btbw.
This week, Mike's good friend and talented multi-hyphenate artist Bresha Webb joins the podcast! She chats all about her move from Baltimore to Los Angeles, taking a gap year to figure out her acting goals, attending Cal Arts, finding her grit, working at Costco while handing out promos for her shows, creating her own one woman show, working on Run the World and Meet the Blacks, and so much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#TaxSeason #Creatives #Freelancers #TaxPrep #Circusarts Event Announcement : Welcome to the Nevada Labor Commissioner Circus & Cirque Arts Industry TownHall! Join us at the Nevada State Business Center- Department of Business and Industry for an exciting in-person event. This town hall is your chance to engage with the Nevada Labor Commissioner and discuss important issues within the circus arts industry. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to have your voice heard and make a difference. We are so fortunate to have special guest Founder of Amazon Labor Union Christian Smalls joining us. See you there! Nevada Labor Commissioner Circus Arts Industry TownHall Thursday, January 23, 2025 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM PST EVENTBRITE RSVP In-Person BELOW Required (Seats Are Limited) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nevada-labor-commissioner-circus-arts-industry-townhall-tickets-1141627250839Connect with Jeffrey Thompson:https://www.jeffthat.comOn this episode of the Circuspreneur Podcast, host Shenea Stiletto interviews Jeffrey Thompson, MA, MBA, EA, USTCP, a tax professional as well as a writer, actor, and magician member of the Magic Castle. In addition to filing taxes for a little over 400 clients each year, he serves as an artistic director and board member for Improv Theatre, teaches at the Westside Comedy Theater, and serves on the board of The Ruby LA and The Improv Network. He has also previously taught psychology at Citrus College and given lectures to artists at CalArts and Cal Lawyers for the Arts and for the City of Santa Clarita and County of Nevada.
It's YOUR time to #EdUpPCO In this episode, YOUR guest is Evan Tapper, Dean of Extended Studies at the California Institute of the Arts YOUR host is Amrit Ahluwalia, Executive Director of Continuing Studies at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada Some key questions we tackle: How can specialist institutions amplify their expertise to serve professional audiences? What are the key skills embedded within Arts education that are transformational for professionals in any industry? How can PCO divisions support institutional sustainability in challenging environments? Listen in to #EdUp! Thank YOU so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to EdUp! Connect with YOUR EdUp Team - Elvin Freytes & Dr. Joe Sallustio Join YOUR EdUp community at The EdUp Experience! We make education YOUR business!
Perhaps best known for working with the Polish Brothers on Northfork and Twin Falls Idaho, David Mullen has shot over 40 other independent feature films; Jennifer's Body and the Love Witch to name a few. David's resume also includes television series such as United States of Tara, West World, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.David is not only renowned for his work, but he also has a reputation for being an avid film nerd. In many ways, David's cinematographer education came from a hybrid of real world experience and film school. Before he was enrolled in CalArts, David had already mastered lighting and filming on Super 8mm cameras. He digested journals, magazines, almost any piece of literature that could give him the knowledge he needed to pursue this passion for photography.Join us as we talk to this 3-time Emmy Winner and a 2-time ASC Award Winner about how he got started in this chaotic world of cinema and pick his brain about the wealth of knowledge he's collected during his career.Let us know if we're doing a shitty job.Support the show
50+50: A Creative Century from Chouinard to CalArts is an alumni and artist-led scholarship endowment initiative launched in 2020, as the Institute prepared to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. In this episode, we explore this unprecedented project with Associate Dean of the School of Art, Michael Ned Holte, and artist, Andrea Bowers (Art MFA 92).The Beyond the Blue Wall theme music (the intro“Lima” and the outro “Salta”) was created and performed by 2018 graduate, Nicolas Savignano. You can learn more about Nico by visiting him on Instagram at @_oknico. Learn more about Beyond the Blue Wall on the CalArts website.Beyond the Blue Wall is a production of the CalArts Office of Advancement. You can find all of the episodes at calarts.edu/btbw.
Master Class EP【好萊塢動畫大師 Chris Mitchell】S3 你有沒有好奇過那些好萊塢超強動畫角色是怎麼設計出來的?今天就是你的幸運日!在這集特別的加碼篇中,泰勒和和安邀請到 Chris Mitchell,一位擁有超過 30 年好萊塢動畫經驗的大師,同時也是知名學校加州藝術學院的教授。 Chris 不只分享了滿滿的角色設計秘訣,還和我們聊了許多他參與過的作品幕後趣聞,包括 蜘蛛人:穿越新宇宙 和 大英雄天團 等超大製作!
Mark Jonathan Harris is a three-time Oscar-winning and Emmy-nominated filmmaker, as well as an award-winning author of 10 books, a distinguished professor of film of four decades, and an acclaimed journalist. His newest book, Misfits, is a collection of wonderfully character-driven short stories.I've read Misfits and can tell you the book comprises 12 dynamic stories about offbeat characters grappling with personal encounters as they try to live their disconnected lives. I highly recommend this insightful set of stories to you.Mark started his professional career covering crime for the famed City News Bureau of Chicago. He also reported national news for the Associated Press before making TV documentaries.For several years Mark was a contributing editor to New West magazine. He also wrote articles, essays, and reviews for national newspapers and magazines including: TV Guide, American Heritage, the New York Times, the L.A. Times and the Washington Post. He's also published five award-winning novels for children.Mark's early films document some of the most important political issues of the 1960s. Huelga! is a portrait of Cesar Chavez's United Farmworkers Union and the first year of the union's historic Delano grape strike. The Redwoods, which won an Academy Award for Best Short Documentary, presents the Sierra Club's successful case for establishing a Redwoods National Park. And The Foreigners explores the work of a group of Peace Corps volunteers confronting the contradictions of U.S. foreign policy as they try to bring social change in Colombia.Two films Mark wrote and directed that explore the Holocaust won Oscars for Best Feature Documentary. The Long Way Home documents what happened to the survivors of the concentration camps immediately following their liberation. And Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport chronicles Britain's rescue mission of 10,000 children shortly before World War II. The U.S. Library of Congress selected Into the Arms of Strangers for permanent preservation in the National Film Registry. Among Mark's other notable nominated and award-winning films are: Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives; Darfur Now; Breaking Point: The War for Democracy in Ukraine; and Foster. He was also a consulting producer for the 5-part, Peabody Award-winning series Asian Americans.For 40 years, Mark taught filmmaking at the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. He also taught for 7 years at the School of Film/Video at Cal Arts. In 2010, the International Documentary Association honored him with its Scholarship and Preservation Award for his educational work.
Episode Summary: Teresa Espinosa, a celebrated dancer and choreographer, joins the conversation to share her incredible journey and insights on building a dance career. Menina Fortunato introduces Teresa, known for her extensive work with icons like Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, and Justin Bieber, as well as her Emmy-nominated choreography on Janet's “Velvet Rope” special. Teresa recounts her early inspirations, sparked by icons like Michael and Janet Jackson. After graduating from Cal Arts, her career took off through connections she made at the Roxbury club in Dallas. She recalls her first major break with Janet Jackson's tour, underscoring the importance of resilience through the emotional ups and downs of auditioning. As her career progressed, Teresa embraced the power of positive affirmations and manifesting her dreams, which she credits for landing key roles like Britney Spears' tour. She encourages dancers to believe in themselves and not rely solely on external validation for confidence. Teresa details her creative process, where improvisation and flexibility allow for authentic expression. Working with Miley Cyrus, she found value in collaborative choreography, showing how openness to others' ideas enhances creativity. For young dancers, Teresa emphasizes enjoying the journey, letting go of perfectionism, and trusting their abilities. She concludes with uplifting advice to stay grounded in their love for dance, reminding them they are enough, which she believes is key to success and fulfillment in the industry. Show Notes: (0:03) Introduction to Teresa Espinosa (2:58) Teresa's Early Dance Journey (8:12) Transition to Professional Dance Career (17:38) Auditioning and Manifesting Dreams (25:01) Creative Process and Performance Creation (40:24) Audition Preparation and Mindset (44:22) Improvisation and Confidence Building (56:42) Final Advice and Encouragement Biography: Teresa Espinosa is a proud native of Dallas, Texas. After graduating from CalArts, she has been working professionally as a dancer and choreographer for over 2 decades. Teresa, who early on in her career at the age of 24, was nominated for an Emmy Award for contributing choreography to Janet Jackson's Velvet Rope HBO Special, and traveled the world as one of her dancers. This auspicious start was a telling sign of a very successful and exciting career. Teresa's extensive list of accomplishments includes working with many of the renowned artists of our time, such as Prince, Britney Spears, Missy Elliot, Mariah Carey, Pink, Rihanna, Limp Bizkit, Usher, Hannah Montana/ Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Hailee Steinfeld, and Sofia Carson. Her work as a dancer and choreographer have also appeared in numerous television shows, award shows, commercials, and films. Some of these credits consist of The Oprah Winfrey Show, Ellen, The X Factor, America's Best Dance Crew (Beat Freaks), Good Morning America, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Billboard Awards, American Music Awards, Kid's Choice Awards, Old Navy, Nike, You Got Served, End of Watch, Barbie: The Princess & The Popstar, Magic Mike, and Magic Mike XXL. She also has worked on the hit TV show, Lip Sync Battle: Channing Tatum vs. Jenna Dewan-Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt vs. Anthony Mackie. Espinosa's was an Associate Director/ Choreographer for Magic Mike Live is currently playing at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. She was also Co-owner of Debbie Reynold's Dance Studio in North Hollywood, CA. Connect on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/teresa.espinosa22 https://www.facebook.com/share/15L5MEn5dc/
This is a special sponsored episode of the Design Better Podcast Gali Erez, Head of Wix Studio at Wix, has had quite a journey, from a background in graphic design at CalArts, through transitioning from print to digital in her early work at Warner Brothers, where she helped envision media's digital future. Along the way, she has learned some principles that helped her during her time as an individual contributor, and also guide her as a leader: sharing ideas early, giving tough feedback, and using storytelling as a leadership tool. We speak with Gali about how AI is changing web design workflows, the research process her team uses, and what's kept her excited to work at Wix for over 10 years. This is a sponsored bonus episode we're excited to share, as Wix Studio is a product that helps diverse users, from casual creators to professional web designers and developers, with a platform that balances simplicity and customization. *** Learn more about Wix Studio at https://www.wix.com/studio *** Bio Gali Erez is the Head of Wix Studio at Wix and has been with the company for over a decade. She studied graphic design at CalArts, where she experienced the transition from print to digital design. Her early career included a product design internship at Warner Brothers, where she worked on innovative ways to bring media online. At Wix, Erez has held various roles, starting as a UX designer on the DIY editor and later transitioning into management. She played a key role in developing Wix ADI, an AI-driven platform that simplifies website creation, and led the creation of Wix Studio, a professional-grade platform for web designers. Erez's leadership style emphasizes transparency, incremental innovation, and adaptability to changing team dynamics and industry trends. Her work focuses on democratizing web design, balancing accessibility with professional-grade features, and leveraging AI to enhance efficiency and creativity in design processes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Christopher Akerlind, has designed lighting, and occasionally scenery, for over 650 productions of theater, opera, and dance across the U.S. and around the world, including 24 shows on Broadway. Chris's recent work includes Waiting for Godot at Theatre for a New Audience, Lynn Nottage's play Clyde's on Broadway and at the Mark Taper Forum, The Light in the Piazza, for which he won his first Tony, Paula Vogel's play Indecent, winning him both the Tony and Drama Desk Awards, Rocky the Musical, which garnered him a Tony nomination, Sting's musical The Last Ship, and The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, for which he was also Tony nominated. Among Chris's other Broadway lighting designs are: August Wilson's The Piano Lesson and Seven Guitars, Talk Radio, and the musical, Waitress.Chris's numerous shows not on Broadway include: Scene with Cranes for CalArts Center for New Performance; the premiere of M Butterfly for the Santa Fe Opera; and Martha Clarke's devised pieces God's Fool, Angel Reapers, and Cheri. Chris has also received an Obie Award for Sustained Excellence, four Drama Desk Awards, the Michael Merritt Award for Design and Collaboration, two Chicago area Joseph Jefferson Awards, as well as numerous nominations for the Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, and Outer Critics Circle Awards.Chris has taught lighting design at schools like Cal Arts, USC, CMU, and his alma mater, Yale.
Eric's Perspective : A podcast series on African American art
In this episode, Eric sits down with pioneering video artist, performing artist and painter Anthony Ramos. They discuss his background - being raised in Providence, Rhode Island and tracing his ancestor's journey to America from Cape Verde. How he discovered his love for making art at a young age and how his mother and father encouraged his interests. How he cultivated his artistic abilities. How he began his studies as a Political Science Major… to converting to art — studying painting at Southern Illinois University, where he was a graduate assistant to Allan Kaprow and eventually received an M.F.A. from CalArts. Having a video studio in New York. A conscientious objector of the Vietnam war… being jailed for draft evasion… and how all of these experiences have shaped his life. The artists that have inspired him and the many exciting adventures he has had - while traveling widely in Europe, Africa, China and the Middle East during the 1970s and 1980s. Documenting the end of Portugal's colonial rule in Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau. They discuss how his work has evolved through the years… being known as “The Grandfather Video" — to his passion for painting which is now his primary medium. Why he left the United States to now — living in the South of France and the exciting projects he has in store..! Guest Bio: Performance and media artist Anthony Ramos was among the earliest video artists to use the medium as a tool for mass media critiques and cultural documentation, and to examine media presentations of "truth." In his powerful but rarely seen video works of the 1970s, Ramos sought to combine art and activism, giving agency to marginalized individuals and communities. In his earliest black-and-white video pieces, Ramos engaged in forceful, direct performances for the camera, often using physical endurance and actions to confront political issues.Ramos has traveled widely in Europe, Africa, China and the Middle East. He videotaped the end of Portugal's colonial rule of Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau, Teheran during the 1980 hostage crisis, and Beijing just prior to the Tiananmen Square massacre. Ramos produced a number of video works that critique the media through deconstruction and appropriation, and explore the relation of mass cultural imagery, African-American identity, and the politics of race in America. In the late 1980s he turned to painting as his primary medium.Ramos was born in 1944 in Providence, Rhode Island. He received an M.F.A. from the California Institute of the Arts, where he was assistant to Allan Kaprow. Among his awards are a National Endowment for the Arts Visual Arts Fellowship and a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship. In the 1970s Ramos was a video consultant for the United Nations and the National Council of Churches. In the 1980s, he lived in Paris where he was a Professor at the American Center, and oversaw the television cabling of ten blocks of Paris for the first time. He has also taught at Rhode Island School of Design, New York University, and the University of California at San Diego. Ramos lives in Eyguieres, France.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ARTSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDnConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGX: https://bit.ly/2OMTikTok: https://bit.ly/4cv8zfg
Latest Press Release. The article was written by Beats Per Minute; Larry McClain, October 4, 2024 "LA artist Mae Deline's debut album Whole Again is a 14-song delight, and her song “Hate That I Hate You” is arguably the most wistful and beautiful breakup song since George Harrison's “All Things Must Pass”… "Another standout from Whole Again is the hypnotic country ballad “She's The Enemy”. The streaming market for country music is about as wide open as it's ever been, with newcomers like Dasha shaking things up. “She's The Enemy” sounds every bit as authentic as Miranda Lambert (or even Emmylou Harris from yesteryear). "It should also be noted that Mae's visual flair is right up there with the two Davids (Byrne and Bowie). That's not surprising because she attended Cal Arts, the alma mater of film director Tim Burton. "Watch the video for “Hate That I Hate You” below, and find Mae's Whole Again album on your favorite streamer."
What does it mean to feel truly supported as an artist, not only in times of crisis but throughout one's creative career? In our Season 3 premiere, Jennifer sits down with Elena Muslar — executive coach, educator, arts administrator, and managing director of the Entertainment Community Fund. Elena breaks down how the ECF can assist throughout one's creative journey and shares resources that empower artists to embrace their worth, achieve growth, and pursue their dreams. Together, they encourage artists to view asking for help as a right, not a last resort, reframing support as a strength, and positioning stability and self-care as essential for lasting growth. They challenge us to redefine success and resilience through a holistic approach, reminding all of us that in choosing the creative life, we deserve a community that sees, values, and stands by us every step of the way. Elena Muslar Bio: (She/Her), Managing Director of The Career Center, joined the Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund) in 2023. She oversees the national strategy and implementation of all Career Center services and programs including Career Counseling, Creative Workforce Development, the Career Transition for Dancers program, the Teaching Artist Program, and the Creative Entrepreneurship Project which all intentionally center the holistic enrichment of professionals navigating the performing arts and entertainment industries. Elena has spent the last 15 years of her career as a catalyzing advocate for creative workforce equity through various leadership roles in arts management, arts presenting, career coaching, nonprofit consulting, and higher education. Proudly dedicated to empowering creatives throughout their professional development journeys, from early career to executive moves or freelance projects into enterprising ventures, Elena, a native of South-Central Los Angeles was honored with a commendation from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 2019 for her leadership in the arts & creative economy, commitment to cultural equity & inclusion, and dedication to community affairs & civic pride. Elena is a graduate of the UC Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute, a UCLArts & Healing certified Social Emotional Arts Facilitator, holds an MFA in Theatre Management & Creative Producing from CalArts, and received her BA in Theatre Arts (with concentrations in Dance, African American Studies, and Education) from Loyola Marymount University. Entertainment Community Fund Website: https://entertainmentcommunity.org ECF Career Center: www.entertainmentcommunity.org/services-and-programs/enrich-your-career ECF IG: @ALifeInTheArts Elena's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elenamuslar Elena's IG: @lelemariecreates ECF Emails: CareerCenterWest@entertainmentcommunity.org CarrerCenterEast@entertainmentcommunity.org Download the FREE Monologue Selection Toolkit: www.jenniferapple.net/freebie Want to coach with Jennifer? Schedule a session here! https://appt.link/jenniferapple Learn more about Jennifer Apple: www.jenniferapple.net Jennifer Apple's IG: @JenniferApple_ Monologue Sourcing Promo Link! https://empoweredartistcollective.com/podcastpromo Learn more: https://www.empoweredartistcollective.com/podcast EAC IG: @EmpoweredArtistCollective EAC TikTok: @EmpowerArtistCollective EAC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empoweredartistcollective/ Nominate a Podcast Guest! https://form.jotform.com/220608577638162 Sign up for our newsletter! https://mailchi.mp/8e72e8dcb662/stay-in-touch Check Out Our Merch! https://www.empoweredartistcollective.threadless.com/ Any thoughts you'd like to share? Email us at EmpoweredArtistCollective@gmail.com
How did Walt's past impact his decision to create an experimental community of tomorrow? In this episode of Distory, we begin a new series exploring the origins of EPCOT, beginning with Walt Disney's Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. But before we dive into the details of this utopian city, we have to give some context behind WHY Walt would want to create a city when he had spent most of his life focused on animation, movies, and theme parks. From explaining Disney's impact on urban planning to understanding Walt's legacy, this introspective episode delves into the mind of Walt to help us understand why E.P.C.O.T. was so important to him. Kate also gives us some rabbit-hutch insight into the world of Disney's Hyperion studio, Kirk shares an unusual source of funding for CalArts, and we discuss how project timelines in the Disney parks have changed from 1955 to the present day. Join us LIVE on TikTok every Friday at 5:30pm Pacific/8:30pm Eastern for more Distory! Kate: @disneycicerone Kirk: @walruscarp You can also find us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and at disneycicerone.com & walruscarp.com View full video versions of each episode at Disney Cicerone's YouTube channel HERE OR on the Spotify version of our podcast. Distory T-shirts and Stickers Kate's books on Amazon WalrusCarp T-shirts & Merch --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/disneycicerone/support
Eric's Perspective : A podcast series on African American art
In this episode, Eric sits down with Dr. Makeda Best — deputy director of Curatorial Affairs at the Oakland Museum of California…! She shares how; at a young age became interested in photography… Early exposures and experiences that drew her to studying studio photography at CalArts, to eventually leading her to become a photography historian. How she began to trace the history of African Americans in California — where they settled after the Civil War… She shares how African Americans first became interested in and exposed to photography… and the ways in which they participated in making photographs early on; as makers, sitters and consumers. From Frederick Douglass as one of the most imaged figures in the 19th Century, Sojourner Truth… to everyday people — and using the power of photography to combat stereotypes against black people. The role it played in the abolitionist movement; picturing community, preserving and sharing. Notable African American photographers such as James Presley Ball and Augustus Washington… They discuss James van der Zee and how he photographed the Harlem Renaissance — using large group portraits; to document Families, weddings… capturing how vibrant the period was. The art, skill and science behind photography and the technological developments through the years… From photography studios, to itinerant photographers with traveling dark rooms. The works of Ansel Adams. Daguerreotype - metal based images and how by the 1860s — the arrival of card-based format, cartes-de-visite processes and mass production portraiture that created an influx in making images and portraits — and how African Americans were involved in that.The exhibition she curated for the Boston Athenaeum that centers around the photography albums gifted to Harriet Hayden from lawyer Robert Morris — that explores the world of the Boston-based abolitionist couple Lewis and Harriet Hayden. How photography and gifting culture played a role in the abolitionist movement, their home on Beacon Hill, housing African Americans and the extraordinary efforts of Harriet Hayden and the contributions she made to society. How the exhibition came about, the process of producing the show and what it aims to accomplish..! Guest Bio: Makeda Best, Ph.D., is currently the Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA). Best comes to OMCA after serving at Harvard University Art Museums as Richard L. Menschel Curator of Photography since 2017, and previously as Assistant Professor of Visual Studies at California College of the Arts. Her exhibitions at the Harvard Art Museums include Devour the Land: War and American Landscape Photography Since 1970, Crossing Lines, Constricting Home: Displacement and Belonging in Contemporary Art; Winslow Homer: Eyewitness; Time is Now: Photography and Social Change in James Baldwin's America, and Please Stay Home: Darrel Ellis in Conversation with Wardell Milan and Leslie Hewitt. Beyond photography, Best conceived of the Museums' curatorial ReFrame initiative, which aims to critically examine the museum and its collections. With Kevin Moore, she co-curated the 2022 FotoFocus Biennial exhibition, On the Line – Documents of Risk and Faith. Her current exhibition project with the Boston Athenaeum explores the world of the Boston-based abolitionist couple Lewis and Harriet Hayden. Best has contributed to multiple exhibition catalogues, journals, and scholarly publications. She co-edited Conflict, Identity, and Protest in American Art (2015). She is the author of Elevate the Masses: Alexander Gardner, Photography and Democracy in 19th Century America. Her exhibition catalogue, Devour the Land: War and American Landscape Photography since 1970 (2022), was awarded the Photography Catalogue of the Year Award at the 2022 Paris Photo-Aperture PhotoBook Awards.
This week, Michael speaks with director Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon) about his new film, The Wild Robot, as well as the films that inspired him to get into animation, his formative years at CalArts, and how he was 'tricked' into being a storyboard artist.Subscribe to our Patreon for ad-free episodes and bonus conversations in our Library Cafe series.Follow us on Twitter or Instagram, or drop us an email at ghibliotheque@gmail.com. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With tech giants such as Microsoft and Amazon, Seattle will be instrumental in the future of data and its effects on society. What are the long-term consequences of humanity's recent rush toward digitizing, storing, and analyzing every piece of data about ourselves and the world we live in? How will data surveillance, digital forensics, and AI pose new threats––and opportunities? In their new book, The Secret Life of Data, authors Aram Sinnreich and Jesse Gilbert explore what might happen with all the data that we collect. They build on this basic premise: no matter what form data takes, and what purpose we think it's being used for, data will always have a secret life. They show how this data can be used, by other people in other times and places, and the profound implications for every aspect of our lives––everything from our intimate relationships to our professional lives to our political systems. Sinnreich and Gilbert have interviewed dozens of data experts to explore a broad range of scenarios and contexts. To manage these possibilities, the authors advocate for creating new laws and regulations, ethics and aesthetics, and models of production. In the face of technological uncertainty, Sinnreich and Gilbert invite us to play an active part in shaping how data influences our lives, both here in Seattle, and the world at large. Aram Sinnreich is an author, professor, and musician. He is the Chair of Communication Studies at American University. His books include Mashed Up, The Piracy Crusade, The Essential Guide to Intellectual Property, and A Second Chance for Yesterday (published as R. A. Sinn). Jesse Gilbert is an interdisciplinary artist exploring the intersection of visual art, sound, and software design at his firm Dark Matter Media. He was the founding Chair of the Media Technology department at Woodbury University, and he has taught interactive software design at both CalArts and UC San Diego. Daniela Rosner is a Professor in the Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering (HCDE) at the University of Washington, co-director of the Tactile and Tactical Design Lab, and co-director of the HCDE Masters Program. She holds adjunct appointments in the Department of Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies (GWSS), the Department of Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXArts), and the Allen School for Computer Science and Engineering (CSE). Her work uses modes of design inquiry to examine sites of innovation practice and performance historically elided by technology cultures. Buy the Book The Secret Life of Data: Navigating Hype and Uncertainty in the Age of Algorithmic Surveillance Third Place Books
Aujourd'hui, je reçois Dimitri Chamblas, danseur, chorégraphe, enseignant et directeur artistique. A Los Angeles, il est directeur de la danse à l'université de CalARTS. En France, il a son studio de création. Il a choisi la danse comme véhicule de vie. Il aime être ailleurs pour penser et créer différemment, en prenant le soin de s'entourer de ceux qu'il aime, notamment Kim Gordon, Boris Charmatz et Benjamin Millepied. Takemehome, sa dernière pièce, revient en France : Du 18 au 21 septembre à Chaillot, notamment dans le cadre d'un Chaillot Expérience orchestré par Dimitri Le 24 septembre à Lux à Valence Les 27 et 28 septembre à la Maison de la Danse à Lyon On l'écoute avec joie,
Louise Sandhaus is a distinguished author, professor and founder of her eponymous design studio. She won the American Institute of Graphic Arts medal in 2022 for her exceptional achievements. Most recently, she founded "The People's Graphic Design Archive," which she describes as a "crowd-sourced virtual archive" to preserve the ephemeral nature of beautiful design. Her book, "Earthquakes, Mudslides, Fires and Riots: California and Graphic Design 1936-1986" received glowing reviews from many publications, including the New York Times and Guardian of London. She taught for years at Cal Arts and was director of their graphic design program from 2004-2006. Sandhaus has designed many museum exhibits, and one of her designs is in the permanent collection at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She was also a key exhibition designer in the millennial project of the LA County Museum of Art, "Made in California." Louise talked about growing in a mixed design household: her mother loved older, upholstered furniture and her father sleek, modernist and minimalist design. We also talked about our shared love of the work of writer and critic Reyner Banham, whose influential book on Los Angeles, The Architecture of Four Ecologies, which argued that the oft-maligned city was beautiful in its design and far ahead of its time. We also talked about our shared love of elegant typography, Theosophist history, overlooked designers and how California leads the world of design because of how we are constantly reinventing ourselves. We did not talk about cheese cultures, bauxite refining or the return of mullets to men's hair trends. You can learn more about Louise and her work, https://peoplesgdarchive.org/ or LSD-Studio.net.
In this episode of LIGHT TALK, The Lumen Brothers and Sister interview Broadway lighting designer Brandon Stirling Baker. Join Brandon, Ellen, Stan, and David as they pontificate about: Brandon's journey to Dance Lighting; The life and journey of “Illinoise”; The lighting and camera process of preparing your show for the Tony broadcast; The Journey of collaboration; Working with animators at CalArts; The beauty of collaborating artistically with your spouse; Dance stage managers; Being open and curious; "The Creative Act"; The beautiful bridge of the worlds of music and visual art; Curating Your Own Career; James Turrell lighting a B movie; Dance Touring; and The future of "Illinoise". Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.
With Coraline celebrating its 15th anniversary and returning to cinemas, Henry Selick joins us to talk about his life and career, from his days at Cal Arts to his work at the forefront of stop-motion feature animation. He talks about the process of developing Coraline, those early days during the formation of Laika Studios, and how technology has changed since his debut feature, The Nightmare Before Christmas. He also tells us about his formative influences and favourite filmmakers within the world of animation.Scroll back through our archive for our in-depth miniseries all about the films of Henry Selick and Laika, the Selick-tionary and the Laika-nography.Coraline returns to cinemas from 15th August, and the BFI's Stop Motion season runs through August and into September. For more information about the BFI's Stop Motion season, click here.Subscribe to our Patreon for ad-free episodes and bonus conversations in our Library Cafe series.Follow us on Twitter or Instagram, or drop us an email at ghibliotheque@gmail.com. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of "Reading with Your Kids," host Jed Doherty welcomes back author Rob Renzetti to discuss the second book in his spooky middle-grade trilogy, "The Twisted Tower of Endless Torment." Renzetti shares his excitement for writing the sequel, explaining how he had a clear vision for the series even before the first book was published. Renzetti talks about the challenges of meeting the publisher's deadlines, but how he ultimately decided to release the books in the summer to coincide with the Halloween season, as the stories have a delightfully creepy vibe. Jed and Renzetti bond over their shared love of horror movies and how they've used spooky content to connect with their kids. The conversation then shifts to Renzetti's background in animation, including his time at the prestigious CalArts program and his early career working on shows like "Batman: The Animated Series." Renzetti offers advice for aspiring authors and illustrators, emphasizing the importance of creating content that you personally enjoy. Later, Jed introduces author Sandy Whiting, who discusses her new middle-grade book, "Meatball Man Head Detective: Case of the Missing Pepper Shaker." Whiting shares the fun, imaginative origins of the story, which she developed with her own children. They explore the role of speech therapy and language development, and how Whiting's work as a speech-language pathologist has influenced her creative writing. With a mix of engaging interviews, practical advice, and a touch of spooky fun, this episode of "Reading with Your Kids" is sure to delight listeners of all ages. Click here to visit our website – www.ReadingWithYourKids.com Follow Us On Social Media Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/readingwithyourkids Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/readingwithyourkids/ X - https://x.com/jedliemagic LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/reading-with-your-kids-podcast/ Please consider leaving a review of this episode and the podcast on whatever app you are listening on, it really helps!
Yoko Okumura (she/her) is a genre-fluid writer and director who thrives in the intersection of grit and glamour. Born in a Buddhist temple in Japan and raised in the frostbite of Minneapolis, she is obsessed with telling rebellious stories through underrepresented perspectives. She directed the feature thriller Unseen for Blumhouse, and her episode Ball of Twine for Sam Raimi's horror anthology 50 States of Fright is streaming as a Roku Original. Yoko has also directed numerous one-hour episodes for Freeform.She is a sponsored director under the Women In Film + Sundance ReFrame Rise Program. She has participated in top directing initiatives for Apple, Warner Brothers, Ryan Murphy Half Initiative, and Fox. Her films have won numerous accolades including a DGA Award and a Webby. Yoko has a BFA from CalArts and an MFA from AFI, and lives and works in Los Angeles. She belongs to the DGA and WGA.Connect with Yoko:➡️ TikTok: @directoryoko➡️ Instagram: @fouryokowww.yokookumura.comAbout The Lot1 Podcast ✨The Lot1 Podcast is designed for anyone who is interested in or working in filmmaking. Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned veteran, we hope you gain the knowledge you need to improve your craft, achieve your filmmaking goals, or simply get an understanding and appreciation for the roles and duties of your peers and colleagues.✅ Become a VIP subscriber to get early access to our episodes, exclusive access to The Lot1 Podcast After Show, and much more!www.patreon.com/thelot1podcastListen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts!☕Tourist Hat Coffee Companyhttps://touristhatcoffeecompany.com/
What is data, and why does it matter for us to care about the data traces we leave behind? What are the implications for our lives of how this data is used by other people in other times and places? In a conversation with Joanne Kuai, authors Aram Sinnreich and Jesse Gilbert introduce their new book and talk about how we can rethink our relationship with data and stay informed to make better decisions in the face of technological uncertainty. In their latest book, The Secret Life of Data: Navigating Hype and Uncertainty in The Age of Algorithmic Surveillance (MIT Press, 2024), Aram Sinnreich and Jesse Gilbert explore the many unpredictable and often surprising ways in which data surveillance, AI, and the constant presence of algorithms impact our culture and society in the age of global networks. The book focuses primarily on the long-term consequences of humanity's recent rush toward digitizing, storing, and analyzing every piece of data about ourselves and the world we live in. The authors advocate for “slow fixes” regarding our relationship to data, such as creating new laws and regulations, ethics and aesthetics, and models of production for our datafied society. Aram Sinnreich is an author, professor, and musician. He is Chair of Communication Studies at American University. His books include Mashed Up, The Piracy Crusade, The Essential Guide to Intellectual Property, and A Second Chance for Yesterday (published as R. A. Sinn). Jesse Gilbert is an interdisciplinary artist exploring the intersection of visual art, sound, and software design at his firm Dark Matter Media. He was the founding Chair of the Media Technology department at Woodbury University, and he has taught interactive software design at both CalArts and UC San Diego. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Megan Sant is a friend of Kailea's from Los Angeles (and she is married to Jack Shih, another podcast guest from this season). Megan is a trained fine arts painter. She shares her trajectory to becoming an artist, and how her career was impacted when she became a mother to her two daughters (ages 13 and 9). After the pandemic and loss of her mother, Megan has been trying to find her way back to her art. She shares the immense vulnerability required to reclaim this part of herself, and how much flexibility she needs to let it look differently than it once did. Megan is driven by the desire to model courage for her kids - this is something we can all learn from and be inspired by. Megan's path to becoming a painter, including attending the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore and attending graduate school at CalArts in Los Angeles. “Art World” beliefs Megan was exposed to such as: “You can't be a serious artist before age 40”, “Painting isn't a legitimate art form,” and “You need to be asked to have an art show”. The dichotomy in her mind that formed: “You can either be a serious artist OR you can be a mother – you cannot be both”. Do we want to be a “serious” artist by these definitions? Who makes up these rules? Can we reject them? Who are the gatekeepers of this world and what if we opt out? Can we create our own definition of legitimacy? Can painting what is in front of me (as a mother) become radical in its own right? Moving through the fears, insecurity and voices in our heads that tell us why we can't do it. We are so grateful to our incredible sponsors. This episode is brought to you by: MacArthur's Appliances: https://www.macarthurappliances.ca/ Made with Local: https://www.madewithlocal.com/ Steff Sullivan Collective: https://www.steffsullivan.co/ Join the conversation over on Instagram @inthisnewseason. To find out more about Kailea's practice visit www.kaileaswitzer.com. In This New Season is recorded and produced by Greg Alsop at Don't Wake Baby Studio: www.gregalsop.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inthisnewseason/message
We can't wrap-up a deep-dive into How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days without talking about the most memorable part of the movie – the yellow dress Kate Hudson wears in the climax of the film. And while we're at it, it's worth obsessing over all the costumes in this film because this is a movie steeped in fashion. To help us unpack the craft of costume design, we're welcoming Colin Wilkes on the show. Colin Wilkes is a costume designer who has designed theater, opera, puppetry, TV and film in many genres. She has her BFA in Costume Design from CalArts and her design work on rom-coms includes the 2020 Hulu movie Palm Springs and the 2022 Netflix movie Look Both Ways. She's currently the designer for the Apple+ show Big Door Prize. ---If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon! On Patreon have more great romance content including a close scene analysis inspired by this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In Part 1 of our Magic Makers conversation with former Imagineer Ethan Reed, we dive into his childhood dream of becoming the voice of Donald Duck, and how that passion ignited his journey to CalArts and eventually Disney Imagineering. Join us as Ethan shares captivating anecdotes, insightful reflections, and the pivotal moments that shaped his path towards bringing magic to life within the Disney parks. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we delve even deeper into Ethan's remarkable career. Don't forget to check us out on Instagram and our brand new website!
The cover photograph for the second and final Richard Hell and the Voidoids album, Destiny Street features a woman standing in the background. For years, this woman was unfairly credited as "unknown woman." However, the truth is that the woman is Anne Militello, who would go on to become an accomplished lighting designer and professor and CalArts. Anne's journey began while working for the now infamous rapist Harvey Weinstein back when Weinstein and his brother were concert promoters in metro Buffalo. Seeking to leave The Nickel City but not yet prepared for New York City, she embarked on a five-day bus trip to San Francisco, packing a tin of pot brownies, which were completely consumed along the way. Upon arriving on the west coast, Anne leveraged her experience working with lights in college to gain work at a music venue. The manager who hired her was Sylvester, who later became a disco legend. One night outside the Magic Theater, she encountered a man dressed like a trucker who seemed to be out of place and ignored by her cohort of punker rockers. Feeling sympathetic, she struck up a conversation with him. The man told her he was a playwright and wanted her to read his new play, which she and really liked. The trucker turned out to be Pulitzer Prize winner Sam Shepard and they became great friends. With Shepard's encouragement, she relocated to New York City and immersed herself in the theater scene. Over time, Anne established herself as a world-renowned lighting designer, working with luminaries such as David Lynch, Tom Waits, The Wooster Group, and Lou Reed. Today, Anne resides in Los Angeles, where she operates Vortex Lighting.
Production designer Rick Heinrichs (GLASS ONION, STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI, SLEEPY HOLLOW) joins us in conversation on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. From doodling on his homework to drafting the fantastical worlds of Tim Burton, we cover the breadth of Rick's career in this conversation. Rick shares with us his experience studying at CalArts and learning how to think creatively from filmmakers like Alexander McKendrick and others of his caliber. Rick later reflects on his time as a starting animator at Disney and his early work in the art department before making the full transition to working as a production designer. We reminisce about our time together working on FARGO and THE BIG LEBOWSKI, and Rick shares what it was like to initially work with the Coen brothers and bring the visions in their heads into reality. During our discussion of THE LAST JEDI, Rick shares what went into creating the relatively realistic feeling prevalent throughout the film and how everyone bought into Rian Johnson's direction for its look. We also consider the importance of tone and the paramountcy of character under which we all ultimately labour. - This episode is sponsored by the Dallas Film Commission Instagram: @dallasfilmcommission