Check out the new videos at: http://culturesurfer.com
Improv Trick's Christmas Jam-Game One and Game Two
I met Bill Chott through my husband, Jeff, who started doing improv a few years ago. Bill studies at Second City.
Artist Chris Roberts-Antieau
Chris is a self-taught artist from Manchester, Michigan who makes very humorous and interesting pieces of art using pieces of fabric.
Lip Musician Yu Lun (Allen Lee) from Taiwan
Check out some pretty incredible whistling. Yu is currently living in Texas.
Flamenca music, song, & dance
Lliam Christy, Beth Steinbrenner, and Andrew John are all Americans. Llim and Beth are part of Los Flamencos. Lliam only began to study classical guitar 5 years ago. Before that, he played guitar for a St. Louis rock band.
Michael Henderson, producer of “Orangeburg”
Michael is a music producer who is about to go into the pre-production phase of his first film, “Orangeburg.” The film is about a police attack on blacks students who rioted in 1968 on a St. Carolina campus. This happened before Kent state & not many people know about it.
Because of You
Jenny McKay singing Kelly Clarkson’s “Because of You” at a wedding in Zurich.
Curator Andrew Walker
Andrew is the curator of American art at the St. Louis Art museum (as well as the assistant of curatorial affairs). He has curated a really unusual exhibit called “African American Abstraction: St. Louis Connections.”
French cycling pics
Mathieu Sirieix commented on the Tecos Car Footage I put on YouTube, I wrote him back, & it turns out he’s a French cycling fan. Mathieu lives in Limoges, home to the beautiful & expensive French china. Mathieu’s French cycling blog (on the Sports page of CultureSurfer.com).
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Why Interviewing Is A Total Rush
Naomi interviewing one of her childhood idols, skater Dorothy HamillI just knocked off three interviews this morning at the Saint Louis Art Museum. These were not any run of the mill interviews because SLAM (the Saint Louis Art Museum) is one of the most admired institutions in St. Louis.
My interviews were with: the curator of American art, Andrew Walker; African-American abstract artist John Rozelle; African-American abstract artist Phillip Hampton.
So I find myself at this highly esteemed institution, where I have gone since I was a tiny, tiny, kid, & I am about to interview a curator. And two artists. Mind you, I know nothing about what a curator does. I know nothing about abstract art. Except that a curator curates art & abstract art is hard to figure out because it's abstract. Was I a bit stressed & nervous this morning? Absolutely.
Yet I feel that I am completely in my element when I am in situations like this. I love "cramming" before interviews, trying to read a little about my interview subject, their art (or whatever they do) and trying like crazy to remember everyone’s' names & titles. All of that happens before I even get to the interview.
Once I'm there, it's time to take notes if there's a talk, concert, whatever, so I get a few ideas of what to ask. Then, I have to quickly review the names, titles, and the questions I've just written down. Then, I step in front of the camera. That's where the real fun begins.
I shook like a leaf my first 4 months in front of the camera. I had to keep asking myself WHY I persisted in doing something that terrified me. But I'm happy I persevered. I love being in front of the camera. This is not because I love to see myself on film. I am so happy the video player on CultureSurfer is small & have so much sympathy for people who are on HDTV.
But it's so much fun to make a connection (as quickly as possible) with my interview subject, hopefully put him or her at ease (I can completely understand why people loathe media-many reporters are really nasty!), and come up with one really thought-provoking, unique, or funny question per interview, usually at the very end. I know I've got a good interview when I ask that final question & get a slight smile or actually get the response "No one has ever asked me that before." But then there are so many elements that are out of my control.
Like background noise. The gallery at the art museum was full of people talking this morning. And I mean it was loud. I had to ignore it. I've had water pour down on my head during an interview. Ignored it. I've had friends walk by & wave at me during interviews. I ignore it. Doors slam. I ignore the noise. I like to boast that if there were an earthquake during an interview, I'd keep going. (Hope I never get the chance to find out.) All of this is nerve-wracking, but it's the challenge to stay focused that I like.
And even if everything is going great, I have to watch my interview subject to make sure he/she isn't moving out of frame (this has happened), check to make sure the microphone switch is actually on (I've lost interivews due to the mic being off), keep track of the time, focus on what the person is saying, all while trying to come up with a new question if the person just answered a question I was going to ask, or just trying to remember what the next question was. And there are times when I totally, utterly blank out on the next question. I am not religious, but this is a time when I pray. And it works. Always. Even though sometimes it takes what seems like hours for the question to come back, it always comes back. So why do I love doing this?
I get to meet all kinds of fascinating, inspiring, talented, amazing people from all walks of life, from all parts of the world, that I'd not otherwise have the excuse to meet. My only regret about interviewing is that I'd like to spend more time with just about every person I meet. But then again, I do have my own life to lead.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
New Videos for The Week of January 20, 2008
The Baghdad Ballet
John Fergusan of the American Voices Project has graciously given me the go ahead to post the organization’s videos on CultureSurfer. This is one of the many videos shot at the Unity Academy this past summer in Iraq. I hope these videos will break down some of your preconceptions of Iraq (this is what has happened to me). I found out about American Voices from Marc Thayer who does community outreach for the St. Louis Symphony. He took part in the Academy last summer & gave me a disc of photos he shot in Erbil, Iraq, where the Academy took place. Will let you know when I get the time to get his pics online.
Hand Jive
Also part of the Iraq Unity Academy. These kids are so cute! Love the shades.
I know You Know
I found the Gods of Blitz on someone’s MySpace page (can’t remember whom) and immediately fell in love with this song, that they gave me persmission to put on CultureSurfer. I guess I love it so much because it reminds me of the cool music I used to listen to in the 80’s. These guys are out of Berlin. Check out their video & let me know what you think.
Bryan Cunningham
Bryan was somewhat camera-shy, so that explains why this piece is a bit short. He is really sweet/hip/modest & a very talented, original artist. I filmed this video at the St. Louis Art Fair last summer, where Bryan won an awards. I believe Bryan lives in Michigan.
Impossible
Jenny McKay is not Irish but Swiss. She lives in Zurich where she attends college & is working on building up a singing career. I met Jen 4 years ago when she came to St. Louis to study English, back when I was still teaching. Jen is super bright (studying media now, I believe, & has a great command of English). She has a way of being very cute (she loves pink) but definitely has an edge to her. Thanks to messenger, we’ve remained close over the years & it’s been fun watching her “grow up.” I like to call her “Swiss Miss” after the hot chocolate & pudding brand.
John Sayles/Maggie Renzi
Director John Sayles and his life-partner, producer Maggie Renzi previewed their new movie “Honeydripper” during the 16th Annual AT&T St. Louis International Film Festival. This is the 3rd year I’ve been on the advisory board of the festival to help pull ethnic communities in to see the movies and, I must say, it was totally cool this year. I got to interview several directors right after having seen their movies.
John Sayles is absolutely huge for his age and I don’t mean in a World’s Biggest Loser way but in more of a Popeye kind of way. The guy does talk a lot but then again, he has a lot to talk about. Check out Parts One and Two of the conversation.
The interview with “Honeydripper” star Gary Clark, Jr. (he’s adorable, talented, & super tall) and the other director interviews as well as movie trailers can be found here. More director interviews coming online from the festival over the next few months.
Night Owl
I found Mark Forman via Twitter.com, checked out his site, & was given permission to take some of his interesting videos about his hometown of Taichung, Taiwan. He’s lived there over 20 years, so he’s got an interesting take on the culture.
Cyclist Danny Pate at the Stage 5 Press Conference of the Tour of Missouri
This is the last of about 40 videos we shot at the first annual Tour of Missouri pro cycling race back in September. This race is being taken seriously as one of the top 3 or 4 races in the US. Of interest to culture surfers will be the behind the scenes videos we shot of the Mexican team, team Tecos. The videos are bilingual & the Team Tecos car footage video has been a hit.
Watch all of the Tour of MO videos here.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
THIS WEEK'S VIDEOS ON CULTURESURFER.COM
9 more new videos coming online tomorrow morning. More details Monday or Tuesday. stay tuned to www.culturesurfer.com
VIDEOS TO CHECK OUT
A Taste of Motown
http://tinyurl.com/29puv2
Maracas Man-Adorable kid at the Three Kings Celebration
http://tinyurl.com/25tc8b
Flatline-Punk from Bosnia
http://tinyurl.com/2yqdur
Turkish march-Taiwanese lip musician Allen Lee
http://tinyurl.com/2hegsm
Acrassicauda-heavy metal from Iraq
http://tinyurl.com/yo83zd
Jena 6-March to the Courthouse
http://tinyurl.com/2ydwvk
Jena-6-Speakers at the Courthouse-Part 1
http://tinyurl.com/25o7wt
Capoeira demo
http://tinyurl.com/yovwhq
Capoeira interview
http://tinyurl.com/2yu7ut
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