This is the award winning short film from writer and director Jacob Boyd. Jacob is currently working on the music video for Nomadic Firs “Vines.” In Conversations With Street Lights, you’ll find an array of emotion which are all captured to show the brain reflecting and processing them. Boyd does an amazing job putting you in the characters positions. I couldn’t help but feel the tension, the love, and yearning the main character is going through. This is life, without the idealism or fiction.

I decided to post the video with the creators commentary. I think its cool to hear what his thought process was, and how things stirred about. To watch the movie without writer/director commentary click here.

From The Take Away Shows:

“I was frustrated. Frustrated with years of playing in too many bands as both a drummer and a pianist, tired of the usual procedures, bored with the label talk… I set out to make music on my own. I dabbled in electronic music, but found it way too technical for my poor brain; I recorded solo multi-instrumentalist music, but left it aside after realising I’d never be able to play my songs live, unless I had a band…again.

It was only after having suffered a 48 hour workshift as a runner at the wrong electronic music festival, being bitten by hordes of African jellyfish on the Spanish coast and later driven home by a shaky ex-inmate, that the distress and sheer extremity of my physical condition allowed me to encounter my epiphany: make music without instruments…

I quickly recorded myself improvising and only after having pressed the Stop button did I realize this was the best music I had ever done. Soon, I bought myself a loop pedal and started to rehearse my new found vocal compositions in Madrid’s metro station of Tribunal. After that came the gigs, the album, the festivals…

Let’s quickly fast forward to three years later. A guy who calls himself Vincent Moon gets in touch and dares me to repeat the venture while roaming the streets of Barcelona, something to which I was initially reluctant to do, since the technical issues aroused by having to perform while walking made it look impossible. But it was this challenge, as well as the extremely tight deadline imposed (thanks Vincent…), that made me tick… Being used to my static food pedal connected to a PA system, I had to improvise and come up with a mobile setup of some sort. In came the handheld delay pedal, the cheap battery-operated amp and the microphone, all connected via my backpack: et voilá, the 21st century one man band.”

The much anticipated film Crazy Wisdom: The Life and Times of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

Director: Simon Owens
Producer: Rachel Dargavel at Steel Mill Pictures
DOP: Sam Brown
Styling: Mimi Milburn Foster
Hair and make up: Cate Hall
Editor: James Rose at Cut & Run
Grade: Andrew Daniel at Molinare

This video was sent over to the Broken Social Scene crew. Its a mash up created by someone who wanted to remain anonymous in response to the June, 2010 G20 summit in Toronto.

Trent Reznor seems to be just as busy as ever after his planned “retirement” of Nine Inch Nails. First his new How To Destroy Angels project. Now he and long time collaborator Atticus Ross are nearing the end of scoring the new film from David Fincher, “The Social Network,” better known as the Facebook movie. This may seem strange at first, ‘self-admitted social reject music star established to anything but status-quo creates music for sign-of-the-times-movie about global social phenomena.’

Upon closer inspection it seems perfect: in recent years Reznor has fueled his success through online social networking, his creatively active twitter account (although not without brief lapses), created an entire social network based on NIN media and fans and probably opened himself and his music up to his fans more than any other artist in history; and in doing so changed the future for the music industry entirely.

“I”ve always loved David”s work but quite honestly I wondered what would draw him to tell that story. When I actually read the script and realized what he was up to, I said goodbye to that free time I had planned.” Reznor states.

This isn’t Reznors first time working in film (Natural Born Killers, Lost Highway), though he has never scored a film before. Though his original music productions for the video game Doom (later versions of the game we produced by Tweaker, Nine Inch Nails ex band mate Chris Vrenna) give him plenty of experience in this arena.

Reznor and Ross are planning a stage two for the original film score “distilling the large amount of music we”ve written for this down to a satisfying record (or two).” Reznor’s comment “Speaking of the film… it”s really fucking good. And dark!” sheds new light… or should I say darkness, on the film for me.

Photo by Suzanne Dieter

Twilight Frequencies: Where did you go to school, and what were some lessons you have incorporated in your work today?

Michael Peters: I attended the School of the Arts at the University of Tennessee.  If nothing else, I took with me the ability and confidence to believe in your talent and to take with that the initiative of intentionality.  Whatever your idea is – run with it.  Really try to expand your boundaries.  Just because you’re an visual artist doesn’t mean you’re confined to a gallery.

Twilight Frequencies: I know you have had some gallery shows locally here in Knoxville, tell us a little about your work, if you can narrow it down to a few things? What’s your primary medium?

Michael Peters: By classification, I suppose you might say I’m a media artist.  But if I had to say I specialize in anything, it would probably be photography.  At least that is where my passion primarily lies.  I love the idea of pushing the medium of photography beyond just a single photograph.  That’s what my gallery exhibitions focus on – expanding the typical single photographic plane into something spacially concerned having multiple suspended panels, or photographs, creating dynamic geometric planes.

Twilight Frequencies: What’s the next year look like for Michael Peters the Artist?

Photo by Kari Foster

Michael Peters: It’s always hard to tell…especially being at the relative beginning stages of my career.  As of now, there is nothing solidified but hopefully that will change.  I’ve really turned my focus primarily on Backpod.  But as days pass, I hope to exhibit somewhere in the near future.  I would LOVE to show some photography and film work taken throughout my Backpod travels.  I truly believe that’s the direction I’m heading.

Contact Michael Peters here.

Twilight Frequencies: What types of things can people do to become active in providing a real change to the issues in Central America?

Michael Peters: Such a great question!  I really just encourage everyone to become active in any little way possible.  It’s important to remember that you don’t have to be a doctor or in the medical field to do international outreach.  I used my passion for media art along with the help of two other bright-minded individuals in their respective field to create this project.  There are so many organizations out there (I probably wouldn’t have believed it myself until I did this research for Backpod) that are striving for a better quality something for lesser-privileged individuals.  Unfortunately, many of these organizations lack the manpower to get their word out there.  It never hurts to contact them directly and see what you can do to help.  I found that many organizations have “bases” back in the states.  Something as simple as working indirectly with them by spreading the word around your college campus can be crucial in the success of their projects.

Photography by Jimmy Camacho

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Photo by Michael Peters

Twilight Frequencies: How did your expectations line up with the realities of the work being done by Non Profit organizations? What surprised you?

Michael Peters: We did countless hours of research prior to scheduling the inaugural trip.  So we were pretty familiar with the work being done.  There was a lot of communication being facilitated between us at Backpod and Global Brigades.

Personal Note: I did not anticipate the fact of how LITTLE Spanish I actually knew.   My knowledge of the language was an absolute monstrosity, but I managed thanks in large part to the organization and my Backpod Team members.

Twilight Frequencies: Was there anything you found not in line with an organizations goal? For instance did you ever feel there was corruption involved?

Michael Peters: Not at all.

Twilight Frequencies: How were you treated by the natives?

Michael Peters: Everyone was absolutely amazing!  You couldn’t ask for more hospitality.  Sometimes having a camera in your face can be a little intimidating or unnerving; but I seemed to be the only one who had any apprehension about that.  The Honduran people were just so thrilled to receive assistance in this fashion.