Had a chance to direct & write a short film close to home—a DWIF film, where the ASL is written and then handed over to the actors. In addition to that this was one of my most valuable directing experiences, working with such talented actresses, Kalen Feeney, Amber Zion, Antoinette Abbamonte, in addition to a fantastic girl team (save for the makeup artist, Brian Barnett and the assistant director, Kevin Huie).
Producer Jen Losi, Cinematographer Eunsoo Cho, Gaffer Sherri Kauk, Gaffer Rachel Elias, Grip/1st A.C. Sophia Berman Fotiadis, Composer Carrie Glover, Sound Designer/Editor Amie Farquhar, Editor Jessica Continenza, Production Sound Gilda Garcia, Production Designer Katherine Hunt, Production Design Assistant Catherine MacKinnon, 2nd A.C. Carolina Espiro, Stunt Coordinator Abby Walla, and a wonderful Extras cast—Nick Zerlentes, Mary Beth Baierl, Ashley Griffith, Michael Fox, Arezo Moazezi, Awet Moges, and the list keeps going.
here’s some recent videos i’ve produced & directed for your perusal. they’re educational-related but with my touch. i’ve been able to learn how to write in American sign language, and i’m really enjoying it!
“Glee!" a short film musical has been released online. it’s available in english subtitles, and hope you do have the opportunity to see it.
i think this film is one of my best works but only because i had a major team, and was able to pull it off. it’s a musical, so naturally it’s daunting, and it has to be done carefully with each step of the way. i still learned extremely from it. it was crazy how much work it took to do a musical. it’s not because i was deaf… i don’t feel like that was an issue at all, but it was more likely just because it’s a musical. it requires more planning and careful thinking in terms of singing, blocking, dancing, and so on. the crew i worked with was amazing. no one gave less than 100% for this film.
i also discovered my feminism on that set. i know it sounds nuts, but i really was internally sexist without realizing it. after i had seen so much empowerment occur on set, i was just thrilled. i loved working with sherri kauk as the gaffer, catherine mackinnon as the producer, chantal deguire as the 1st A.C., marjorie alexander as a grip, amazon beard as the key grip. was a supercool experience working with them all.
I directed and produced “RAW.” Check it out. Erik Call wrote, shot it, and edited it. He did a great job. Lexi Marman, Braam Jordaan and Jenn Kuhlman did a great job. Russell Wiener did the original music, and Nelson Oliveros did the sound mix and editing. Cat Elrod beautified everyone in the movie. Let me know what you thought of it!
check this music video in american sign language. i shot & directed it. jessica continenza edited it. aaron drake is the composer. erik call is the gaffer & digital colorist. nyke did the performance & wrote original lyrics. enjoy.
ryan commerson, wayne betts, braam jordaan, dirksen bauman (and well, me...) were the key players of a short film entitled, “gallaudet.” unfortunately, it hasn’t been released online yet for all to see, but it was indeed a fantastic film for myself as a deaf individual to watch. it had the essence of humanity with splashes of american sign language as it should be indeed told. and not only that, it showed a glimpse of how gallaudet university surpassed the world-- one of the most resourceful places in the world in the viewpoint of language and the brain.
there was an hour long presentation at the premiere emphasizing how important gallaudet was to the world in terms of using american sign language, amongst other things that we could be advanced in. ben bahan, melissa malzkuhn, laurene simms, ryan commerson, dirksen bauman, hansel bauman was among those who were involved in this presentation to an audience of 150 people at the Atlas Theatre on H street, only blocks away from Gallaudet University. It was indeed a night of truths to remember-- something that we, the deaf and hard of community, must never forget, and completely give it full recognition.
the point for the film to be shown was to raise the bar, and wake us all up. we must recognize that we are indeed important people of the world, not just a group of people who need help and support and be left in isolation together. no. indeed not. this is the new frame of thinking: we are hot and awesome.
SYNOPSIS OF THE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE SHORT FILM, “BEYOND ESSAYS”
A college writing professor, Genevive, frantically tries to finish her dissertation before the deadline tonight. When a disgruntled student, Wanda, unhappy with her grade refuses to leave her office, Genevive is forced to cross boundaries with the student in order to finish on time.
BUDGET OF THE FILM (2-DAY PRODUCTION & 3 WEEK POST-PRODUCTION):
Items to create & design the office & classroom (i.e., books, papers, pencils, trash cans...) - $200
Food & drinks to feed the Actresses & Crew of 15 people for a 2-day shoot (12-hour work-days) - $200
Wardrobe for the Actresses - $50
Makeup & Hair for the Actresses - $150
Creating a great sound design for “Beyond Essays” in Post Production - $200
Camera & Lights to create a great look for the film - $550
Extra little expenses (papers, printing, photos, office for production) - $100
Photographer for documenting this important shooting event - $100
For letting us use the locations to shoot on - $200
Everyone else is volunteering their services & equipment for free to contribute to this important film. With your help, we will be able to get all of these things!
it’s exciting to me that bigelow won. regardless of what people thought of the film (i thought it was an amazing film, although, perhaps it wasn’t quite too entertaining for the laymen out there) i still feel that it’s an excellent way for many of us to keep chugging forward with our stories to be told.
“beyond essays” - a short american sign language drama
well, it’s time to be raising lots of money for “beyond essays.” my producer, bridgette and i agreed that it’s too special a short film to go no-budget, so we’re hoping to raise enough money to enhance the quality of the film. we are in need of your help, and if you are interested in donating, please do go to this kickstarter link: kickstarter for beyond essays.
We’ve got a ways to go, so with your help, in spreading the word and understanding what we’re trying to do, please do join us in this innovative short film in ASL!
I was able to create a logo that was decent enough and I hope that it’s memorable enough for all to know. We are deaf women in film, and please spread the word. we need more members in order to support each other and create events.
we deaf women in film need each other, wholeheartedly, i know this!
i was invited to act in something--and this is what it was! it’s actually silly. i did a bit of improvising there.
for the deaf people-- here’s what the hearing people said (thanks to dania douglas, a old friend of mine) NOTE: This is a loose translation.
Girl 1 (on right red shirt & grey sweatshirt)
Girl 2 (in center white sweatshirt)
Girl 3 (on left black jacket & red scarf)… See More
:26 “Woah” (Girl 1)
:27 “Woah” (Girl 2)
:29 “What do you think you’re doing?” (Girl 1)
:30-35 “Don’t litter; It’s a public park guys” (Girl 1) (with a chorus of woah & hey in the background)
:36 “What is this?” (Girl 1)
:37 “Hasn’t Al Gore showed you anything?”
:41-:42 “What the eff--?” (Girls 2 & 3)
:43 “Hello? We’re talking to you” (Girl 1)
:52 “Has anyone seen the movie Wally?” (Girl 3)
:53 “You have to clean up after your planet earth.” (Girl1)
:58-1:00 “Hey, hey, hey girls” (All 3 girls)
1:02-1:03 “Two words Fern Gully, the last rain forest” (Girl 3)
1:03 “Hey, hey, hey you left your trash.” (Girl 1)
1:11-1:12 Indistinct murmurs of “Oh, oh, oh...ah, okay”
1:15 “Aaah have a good day” (Girl 1)
1:17 “Sorry, carry on."(Girl 3)
1:18 “Aah..we should probably go” (Girl 1)
1:20 “Call me...ah...no...” (Girl 3)
1:25-1:26 Camera turns away so you can’t tell who is speaking, but the girls say “Well, that made me feel good...now I feel like a good person...hmm.”
for the hearing people—here’s my LOOSE translation:
1:04 - “who are they?” (lexi - black top)
1:05 - “stop talking!” (jules - pink sweatshirt)
1:06 - “oh i see… okay...” (jules - pink sweatshirt)
1:07 - “okay, obviously they’re green party environmentalists.” (lexi - black top)
1:08 - “yes, obviously.” (jules - pink sweatshirt)
1:12 - “OKAY, VERY GOOD, SEE YOU LATER!” [to the 3 speaking girls] (jules - pink sweatshirt)
(indistinct conversation as lexi & jules walks up the hill).
turns out they posted something about the play i was in… my roles were maria gable and marilyn castaline. good roles. i had a bit of fun in it. i had the opportunity to play a deaf person and use my voice-- and even SANG. can you believe that?? i sucked as heck, too, but hey, i dismissed it as a character thing that my character was doing…
and these were based on real characters too. pretty awesome. it was so exciting to be acting in an original piece written by a deaf author, no less. his name is David Kurs, but I always call him DJ. he’s a cool guy. i’m sure anyone would agree with me about him. he’s a great screenwriter, as well!
Quote meon an estimate et non interruptus stadium. Sic tempus fugit esperanto hiccup estrogen. Glorious baklava ex librus hup hey ad infinitum. Non sequitur condominium facile et geranium incognito.
i’ve been able to learn how to write in American sign language, and i’m really enjoying it!
http://www.lastageblog.com/2009/10/26/hearing-the-deaf/