Preparing to visit our hometown Chicago to meet with teenager storytellers opened up a discussion about the recent documentary, LOUDER THAN A BOMB by fellow Chicago filmmakers, Jon Siskel and Greg Jacobs.

Some might say we’re a bit bias because we’re Chicagoans and our short film is inspired by spoken word poetry but that truly is not the case here. LTAB is simply excellent filmmaking from the heart and an absolutely must see for anyone interested in discovering the poignancy and power of today’s inspired youth.

To find out more about the film and how to support LTAB, visit: http://www.louderthanabombfilm.com/

Enjoy and share.

Q&A with John LeeHancock, Ronna Kress, Kim Dikens, Jason Patric, and John August.

2011 Directors Close-Up: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 at 7:30 PM - Wednesday, March 02, 2011 at 9:30 PM (PT) - Los Angeles, CA

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It’s down to the wire now. 10 days left to raise our film budget using Kickstarter. Help us spread the word by posting this link. Thank you to all my hometown chefs for showing your support. To learn more and watch a video about our short film visit our Kickstarter funding page:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/back2oneproject/back-2-one-project

Peace.

When I attended the Sundance Shorts Lab a few months back, I didn’t know a thing about Kickstarter. So you can imagine what happened when co-founder Yancey Strickler took the stage to explain why he created Kickstarter and how we could use it to fund our projects. Each and every filmmaker in the room gave him their undivided attention.

Kickstarter.com, an interactive fundraising site that taps into an artist’s online social media network. They launched the site back in April 2009 and have helped successfully

Here’s a sneak peek at concept art for our short film and a link to some of the music we’re listening to right now.

Blast it when you hit the 4 minute mark: http://soundcloud.com/karimso/karim-so-luvstep-episode-4-aug-2010

“There is a spirit in all music, the spirit has the ability to conjure up thoughts even pictures of something that happened or you wished would happen or you anticipate happening. Music has the ability to create ideas in you and me. It has the ability to encourage us to be creative.” —Dr. Angelou

Although I enjoyed watching all eight of the films that were screened at the AFI DWW showcase this year, I found myself much more engaged in MEGAFAUNA, the short film directed by Kaz Phillips. I thought Kaz took the biggest risks, which in my mind produced the most memorable film.

A few weeks ago I reached out to Kaz to find out if she would be willing to share some of the lessons she learned at the DWW. I was so pleased to discover a generous and kind soul on the other end of the line who not only spoke openly and honestly about her struggles but who also took the opportunity to encourage me on.

To listen to our first conversation, visit the Back 2 One Preoject podcast on iTunes.

Take a moment to watch the MEGAFAUNA film trailer.

MEGAFAUNA: Feeling set adrift in her own marriage, Anna corners her estranged husband Milo in a conversation about the nature of love and commitment, but ends up getting far more truth than she bargained for. Produced in conjunction with the American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women. Shot by critically acclaimed DP, Reed Morano (Frozen River) and starring 2009 Tony-nominee and Drama Desk Winner Marin Ireland.

The CalArts Community Arts Partnership (CAP), links the Institute and the diverse communities of Los Angeles County through free, after-school and school-based arts programs for youth.

CAP provides students the opportunity to redefine their artistic abilities and to refine the role of artists, arts education, and the arts in society.

We are currently exploring ways in which we can partner with CAP to help broaden our outreach to teenage filmmakers. We will leave no rock unturned.

Six years ago, I discovered the art of Robert & Shana ParkeHarrison, the husband and wife team whose photographic work taps into the surreal imagination. I have carried their work inside of me ever since. The open, narrative quality of their work has served as a source of inspiration for our short film, THE AVIAN REVOLUTION.

Once I made the decision to proceed with this film project, I knew I would have to create a fabricated world much like the ParkHarrisons do in their photography, in order to afford to bring this story to life on screen.

Take a moment to get to know some of their work like; “Mending the Earth”, which features the artist performing the improbable act of repairing cracks in the earth’s surface with a huge needle.

You can also view the series of images that inspired me by visiting the “Architect’s Brother” section of their website.

One of two things happen when I meet someone for the first time . . . my intensity either draws them close or scares them away. Whether I’m talking to a person or in full-on work mode, I focus 100% of my attention on that individual or project. Everything I do, I do with passion. Those close to me know that when I start something new, I live, breathe, eat, sleep, dream, talk, sing, and dance about it. This is especially true when I’m working on developing a story for the screen. I think about every detail, what I want to say and why.

When I began asking teenage filmmakers why they wanted to tell the stories they’re working to develop, crickets could be heard. This got me thinking about Carl Daikeler, CEO of Beachbody.com, a multimillion-dollar health and fitness company and a man with a clearly defined “why.”

For those of you who don’t know, Carl is the Telly award-winning producer behind P90X, the #1 selling in-home fitness program in the world. Demi Moore, Aston Kutcher, Sheryl Crow, Erin Andrews and many, many more have seen extreme results by using P90X. You don’t get to enjoy this kind of success unless you have a crystal clear “why” driving every decision you make.

Whether preparing to direct a film or start a new business (both HUGE undertakings), Carl’s insight on the importance of having a clearly defined goal can help bring us all a lot closer to making our dreams reality.

To listen to Carl’s inspiring message, visit the Back 2 One Podcast on iTunes.

Kirbie Platero is the recipient of the Marie C. Wilson Young Woman’s Leadership Award. Platero, a member and organizer at Young Women United, is a 19-year old activist, mother and artist working to secure reproductive justice for girls and women.

Yet another example of why I’m proud to be connected to the Ms. Foundation. There are countless numbers of teenagers helping make a difference. Invest in our future by investing in our youth.

To join the Ms. Foundation for Women and be part of an inclusive movement for change, visit: www.ms.foundation.org

My sister is married to a wonderful man and talented chef, Bill Kim of Urbanbelly Chicago.

Chef and I have always had a good time collaborating. Whether designing the interior of his newest restaurant Belly Shack, photographing his culinary creations, or working on designing his restaurant websites, I noticed that we think about design a similar way . . . it’s all about keeping it real–no nonsense, up-close and personal, surprising and well-made. I was so happy to be a part of helping my sister and her husband bring their dream to life in any way I could. They deserve the success they’re enjoying now. They’ve worked hard and they’re both really, really good at what they do.

It was no surprise when Chef offered to contribute to the Back 2 One Project by lending his culinary talent. I know better than anyone how important it is to feed your crew good food so why fool around when your brother-in-law is Chef Bill Kim.

If there’s one thing I miss about Chicago it’s the great food. I can’t wait for Chef to bring Urbanbelly or Belly Shack to Los Angeles. Until then, our crew will get to enjoy his culinary brilliance.

If you find yourself in Chicago, don’t forget to visit: Urbanbelly (urbanbellychicago.com) and Belly Shack (bellyshack.com)

When I received an invitation to attend an afternoon garden party at Paul and Deborah Haggis’s home to honor peace and justice activists Danny Glover and Ed Asner, I never imagined I’d also find myself in the presence of Academy Award winning director Oliver Stone and anti-war activist, veteran and writer Ron Kovic.

It was one of those days that helps serve as a reminder to keep a world view.

Paul Haggis is a new filmmaker’s dream mentor.

Sometimes the universe works with you…like the time I met Suzanne Rodier. Our path crossing was totally random and something we laugh about today because had I left one hour earlier we probably would’ve never met.

When I discovered Suzanne was the woman responsible for the unforgettable work in the movie BOUND, starring Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to give Suzanne her props. How beautiful did those women look in that film? STUNNING.

I’m happy to count Suzanne as a dear friend and collaborator. The contribution made by a makeup artist can really elevate a film to iconic status. Suzanne’s work in BOUND is a perfect example of that. So you can imagine who popped into my mind when I started to think about who might be able to bring my iridescent dreams to life.

Earlier today, I met with Suzanne at LOCAL, a casual little restaurant in Silverlake, California to record a new iTunes podcast episode and discuss working together on my film project.

For over two years now, I’ve been talking about this idea I have for the look of the film. Lucky for me I met footwear designer Calleen Cordero. She and I worked together last year on rebranding her company image, web presence and national ad campaign. When it came time to photograph her 2010 fall collection, I suggested we take a different approach by eliminating clothing and dusting our models with an iridescent powder.

I explained to Calleen that I had this look in mind for a short film I was developing and thought we could both benefit from the experience. She’d get some really bold images for her 2010 ad campaign and I’d be able to get a real good read on whether or not this was as dreamy of a look as I had in mind.

I’ve been chatting with Mateo (my master DP Matthew Siegel) about Canon’s 5D Mark II and 1D Mark IV. These camera’s are pretty impressive especially when optimized with a few of Panavision’s Super Speed Primes.

These cameras are so impressive that Fox Network’s “HOUSE” series shot their Season Finale exclusively with the Canon 5D MKII.

Canon’s cameras are totally worth considering when you need some extra coverage. Here’s a link to the short film Vincent LaForte shot in downtown Los Angeles using Canon’s 1D Mark IV: Nocturne

We just got back from attending the AFI Directing Workshop for Women 2010 Showcase at the Director’s Guild of America in Los Angeles. This is the big red carpet event where all eight DWW participants from last year get to showcase their finished films.

The evening opened with a wonderful introduction by Lesli Linka Glatter, director of HBO’s TRUE BLOOD, and DGA Award winning director of MAD MEN. Leslie Linka Glatter began her career through the AFI Directing Workshop for Women. She playfully joked about how fortunate she was to have gone through the workshop years ago as she doesn’t think she’d be selected if she applied today. I highly doubt that but we all got the point…it’s selective.

All eight films were really quite wonderful with one major stand out: MEGAFAUNA by director Kaz Phillips. It’s really clear that this is a filmmaker with a vision. Well done Ms. Phillips.

We left the evening’s festivities feeling much more motivated to make it happen.

If we’re going to do this, we’re going to share the process by going viral. I’ve designed an informational website, something I don’t normally go for but this isn’t a Flash based showcase site so I’ve kept the Back 2 One website clean and simple.

We’ve also partnered with Brian Preiss for our silk screened Back 2 One T-shirt collection. We still need to raise funds for our film project so we hope the T-shirts will help us reach our goal. Sport your support and pick up a Back 2 One T-shirt. Check them out here: shop.back2oneproject.com

Big shout out to the Carney twins for lending your handsome mugs to our shop page. Thanks guys.