American Expat Finds Artistic Challenge in Berlin

As part of my class requirements for this photojournalism course here in Berlin, I am required to find a Berliner and profile them. We want to learn where they came from, what they do, what makes Berlin special in their eyes. We follow them around for a bit to collect photos, interview them, and make a Soundslide project. Eventually, those Soundslides will appear on a website and our work also appears in a published book that our professor puts together.

I've mentioned Pascal to you before. Pascal is my subject. I met Pascal when our group visited Dr. Pongs, a sort of simplistic, underground bar that has a ping pong table. Pascal bar tends part time at Pongs. We hung out a couple different times, sampled cappacinos and espressos together from a variety of cafes around Berlin. He also took me to his studio where I got to see a sampling of his work. Here's my little narrative on him. Soon, I'll post the Soundslide version as well:


-->

By day, American expatriate Pascal Folly paints, teaches English, takes walks, drinks coffee at his favorite cafes and volunteers with the homeless. By night, he bar tends, dances, parties and enjoys the vibrant techno-infused nightlife of Berlin. After living abroad in Brazil and Japan, Folly returned home to Washington, D.C. where he and his artwork felt stagnant. 

“I had no lady, no sword, no shield and no quest,” said Folly. After hearing many positive things about the city, Folly decided to just pick up and go. He ventured to Berlin in 2012 for the first time to challenge himself and his artistic approach in a brand new environment. He didn’t know anyone in Berlin and didn’t speak the language. For the first time, Folly felt failure. But he also experienced a city that was open and full of potential. Folly was newly inspired to develop his paintings in his shared studio space, experimenting with abstract circles and lines. He also admires the sense of community he found in the city. “In Berlin, people respect what you assign value to,” Folly said. “So, if you want to be an artist, you be one.”

Berlin is for Lovers and I Feel Creepy

I never thought I would be "creeping" on people as much as I have these past few days.
Peering at the world from behind a camera lens alters your perspective of the things around you. 

I find myself examining moments that I would look past as a tourist.

A couple shares a moment together in the Berliner Dom.

I look at people when they think they aren't being watched, and I try to capture that moment. Instead of focusing much on the buildings and monuments, which are definitely worth capturing, I'm instead looking at the people around me. Other tourists, Germans, my classmates, etc.
It can get awkward, I'll be honest. Sometimes you have to fake another photo at something in the distance behind your subject and hope for the best.

A couple stops for a selfie at Alexanderplatz.

But doing that allows you to examine people in a different way. You become aware of acute differences between people. But more importantly, you become aware of the similarities.

My favorite moments are moments shared with strangers. A smile, a chuckle over their cute kid, or even discontent and an audible "Scheiße" as the tram stops because of technical difficulties and makes you walk. 

 I'm enjoying having the excuse, or rather, the opportunity to do this, to be "creepy", in a foreign city. And I am very excited to really begin work with my subject Pascal today. I'll be traveling to his art studio to take pictures of him working and also interview him about his experience in Berlin.

Berlin is for writers, artists, tourists, history buffs, mechanics, students, teachers, lovers and everything in between.
And I love being creepy.

Another pair pauses to embrace in the cool afternoon in Berlin's Tiergarten.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of public transportation,
this couple hugged before saying goodbye at a platform in Alexanderplatz.

A man looks at a woman on a boat trip across the lake in Wannsee.

A father and son watch ducks swim by at a pond in the Tiergarten.

Berlin: Poor but Sexy

-->

Willkommen to Berlin!
This blog post is long overdue.
I'm supposed to be blogging while I'm here in Germany, as part of a Photojournalism study abroad trip I am doing with my college.
But each time I tried to sit down and write about this city and my ongoing experience in it, I got stuck.
I have found Berlin really challenging to describe. It truly is unlike any other major city I've been to, and it hasn't at all aligned with my expectations.

Shayla, me and Amanda stop for a selfie at the Wall.
You can follow Shayla's adventures here.

Not only do you have a Berlin that was once separated, now converged, but you have a Berlin that is constantly changing.

Professor Freeman, the photojournalism teacher leading our trip, says each year he comes, he seems buildings and stores come and go.

I'm liking the city so far though, I have to say.
I compared Berlin to someone who you "meet" for the first time on Facebook. You think you've got them figured out. Then you meet them in "real life" and the impression totally changes. You know at least one of those people, right? Yeah. That's Berlin.

We've done walking tours, biking tours, spent decent chunks of time on public transportation, and still this city was throwing me for a loop.
It wasn't until I separated from my group, and met up with my subject, Pascal, that I felt like I was getting to know Berlin on a more personal basis, from a different point of view.

While we're in the city, our project is to meet someone who lives in Berlin and do a profile on them. I ran into Pascal, an artist who bartends at Dr. Pongs and teaches English in his free time. I'll introduce you to him later.

For now, you can check out my photos here, and my album on Facebook.
Auf Wiedersehen!

A woman meditating near a memorial by the Berlin Wall.

A stop for ais or ice cream under a pretty
Berlin sky.

An example of "Old" Berlin and how some parts of the city
haven't changed in some time.

Prater Biergarten. You can order a beverage and complete
your meal with a bratwurst and potato salad.

"I Like To Cut" and other ways to dance

photo by Spenser Dugal

Meet Jacqui.

I should include a brief disclaimer here; Jacqui is one of my best friends. In high school it was basically like this; if you knew me, you knew Jacqui.

But the fact that we've always been close hasn't blinded me to her talent, nor does it nullify my belief in her talent.

I'll give you an example.

Jacqui came to visit me several weeks ago, and proudly displayed her newly developed YouTube channel with a single video on it. It was of an assignment she had for dance class, a "text solo" in which she had to choreograph a dance while simultaneously speaking a monologue about a childhood memory.
Jacqui chose to do her solo based upon a time when she was five years old and cut all of her brother's hair off because "all her Barbies were bald."

Jacqui slipped on her first pair of ballet slippers at the wee age of three. I went to many of Jacqui's

Jacqui starting dancing when
she was 3 years old.

dance recitals over the years. I remember sleeping over her house during recital time; carving out a space to sleep among the costumes, makeup boxes and the seemingly never ending pairs of tights. 

I always knew she was a good dancer. But I didn't realize HOW good. After watching her text solo, I was beyond impressed with my best friend; with how she used voice, facial expressions, and movement to communicate a childhood memory.

I was really proud. And I know Jacqui was too, even if she's not the type to openly boast about how freakin' awesome it was.

Through middle and high school, Jacqui always danced. But as a student at a performing arts school, instead of pointe shoes, she carried around camera equipment. Storyboards in place of leotards. Excel spreadsheets stuffed into her backpack where you might have expected to find bobby pins. Jacqui majored in communications, specializing in film, graphic design, and was a vital member of our yearbook staff.

But moving onto college, despite her skill in all of these areas, she knew her passion lay in dance. Her decision to pursue it, however, wasn't without it's challenges. Jacqui feels there's a lot of misconception about dancers, especially that dancers aren't as smart as engineering or psychology majors. In reality, however, she claims that belief is far from the truth. She thinks many dancers have plenty of other interests and capabilities in other areas, but simply choose dance instead.

"I had many career path options to take out of high school. Business. Medical. I wanted to be in marketing for a while, then I wanted to be a forensic pathologist and go into criminology," she said. 
"I chose dance because I couldn't live without it. Dancers have so much awareness of their own body, mind, the world around them, cause and effect, professionalism, and understanding of the way people function on an anatomical level and a mental level. I feel like dance has taught me so many things about myself and this world that would have taken me decades to figure out by another medium."

She now attends the University of South Florida in Tampa where she majors in dance studies.

photo by leanna scachetti

 Right now, Jacqui is preparing to dance in two pieces in USF's spring dance concert; a contemporary pointe piece by faculty member Paula Nunez. She's also re-staging a professional piece called "Lucifer's Prance" by choreographer Robert Moses.
 "That piece was an amazing opportunity and crazy awesome experience to work with Robert Moses for a couple days," said Jacqui.

Jacqui will also be competing in the American College Dance Festival in March in Georgia. Judges there will then decide which dances will perform in the final gala, and which will continue to the national division. On top of all that, Jacqui is rehearsing for two student choreographed works to the Student Dance Production on campus. She also teaches dance at a local studio. On her own, she is working on projects for her choreography class, which, hearkening back to her high school days, is a way for Jacqui to incorporate two loves of hers; dance and film.

Jacqui displays an arabesque at the Empire
State Building in NYC.

"Dance on film is interesting too because you control what the audience sees and doesn't see based on the frame of the camera as well as the use of editing, which can enhance a work to a whole different dimension. I'm just starting to dive into that kind of work and I have a few ideas I want to play with on my spare time." 

After she dons the cap and gown, Jacqui wants to work her way up to join a contemporary ballet or modern company. She counts the Spellbound Contemporary Ballet in Italy, Celli Contemporary Ballet in Italy,  and Robert Moses Kin in California as among her dream companies.

But if it doesn't work like she's planned in the time she's planned it to, Jacqui has ideas of using her other skills to continue working in the dance field, just not on the stage.

"I have said that if auditioning for companies I like doesn't work out right away that I could intern with the company's business side, using those skills to get me in. Then I could take classes with the company, get to know them, and work my way in as a dancer."

Dancing isn't always a brisé. Jacqui points out that dance is about overcoming challenges and problem solving every day. For her, the biggest challenge is to keep pushing through, even in the times of frustration and exhaustion, both mentally and physically. But it's the pursuit of improvement that keeps her going.

"Having the sense that something is just working out beautifully, and feeling that step that I always struggle with work out perfectly for the first time is always an amazing feeling." 

Jacqui (far left) poses while rehearsing a student
choreographed dance by Vanessa Vargas.

Despite being a versatile dancer with experience in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and hip-hop, Jacqui doesn't think that's what sets her apart.

"I approach each class, rehearsal, and performance with a certain mindset that I've noticed lots of other dancers, and people, don't have. Positivity and an open mind are so important, especially when working with dance because negative thoughts bring you and the whole group down and an open mind leaves so much room for creativity," she said. "Leave the judgment at the door, enter with an open mind ready to learn, create and explore."

photo by leanna scachetti

She sums it up by saying it's not perfection she's seeking. Which would seem odd from someone whose career seems to be based upon the achievement of perfection (cue Black Swan.) But for Jacqui, being "perfect" isn't the end goal. 

"Perfect means I've reached the end. I always want to continue growing and learning, improving, and creating."


--------

This is their story.
What's yours?
Email stories.about.them@gmail.com with your story (or that of someone you know).
Stories About Them are stories about You.
Pass it on.

Clarchitecture : The Mitch Clarke Project

If you spend enough time with Mitch Clarke, you'll start to realize that he speaks another language; a foreign tongue which even the most savvy polyglots may find challenging to decipher...words like  "Rendering" and "Cantilever" are just a few you may hear him spurt out as he meticulously works at his computer which may also be simultaneously blasting the best hits of the 80s. Clarke is a Clarchitect: a 3rd year architecture student at the University of Florida who's dreams are, quite literally, sky high. 

Read on to learn more about Clarke and watch as he gives you a sneak peek at his latest project. Comment, like, and share!

As an already accomplished young designer, Clarke spends a great deal of time diligently working in the design studio and has been recognized as 1 of only 200 students at UF for his outstanding for his work as a University Scholar. This measn that he'll be doing undergraduate research with the College of Design, Construction and Planning.

Clarke displays an observation pavilion he designed.
The model is made of bass wood, chipboard, and moss.
It took Clarke four days to build.  

 "I am one of 5 students from my specific college and also one of about 200 students through the whole university this year that will be recognized. What I will be researching is the effect of architectural design on student housing." Clarke says that this has recently become a passion of his that combines what he spends most of his time on-architecture and housing.

Clarke sings Fergus and Molly at his final chorale performance for the UF Men's Glee club and Women's chorale concert. Photo courtesy of Men's Glee Club.

 Clarke describes himself as "not the most normal person you'll find.
"To say that I’m over the top is an understatement. I feel that keeping things positive and lively make things better and try to brighten up everyone that I come across. Some interests of mine include musical theatre, singing, sketching, photography, event planning, student affairs, digital design, fashion design, interior design, and of course, architectural design. My hobbies are pretty limited, but I usually revolve them around singing with UF Men’s Glee Club and participating in student organizations in the School of Architecture."

As well as being fully involved in his studies and extracurriculars, Clark is also a Teaching Assistant for the Design 4 course in the School of Architecture.  

"This is the semester when students exhibit all their work over the past two years to the gain admission into the upper division in the School of Architecture. So far it has been a little time consuming, but overall a pleasurable experience. Seeing students progress with their designs over the semester, and many over the past year is uplifting. What I have learned is to be patient with people, and that when under the right circumstances, you can see people blossom and grow."

Clarke working on his context model in the design studio at UF. The context model displays the surrounding buildings of the site he plans to design on.

Though he cites the beginnings of his journey in Architecture with his freshman year at the University of Florida, Clarke says that in retrospect, he was always interested in how buildings worked and operated. 
"What interests me the most is how a building can make a statement of its surroundings and the way history can have an impact on a building. Another thing that strikes me as beautiful is the difference in scale that plays such an important role in architecture. How does a detail work into a room? The room on the floor layout? The floor layout in the building, and then the building in the site? These things become measurable and phenomenological in the sense of how one feels in the space."

Clarke is currently embedded in his work on a design of a library/research institute in Charleston, South Carolina. 

"My idea behind is the concept of an alley that shifts through the building much as an alley will do through the city itself, separating two main volumes of space on the city block. The idea stems from a mass/void relationship that builds and focuses on the walkability of the city to be incorporated into the project."

His dream building?
"My dream building would be a student housing development at a university that would incorporate sustainable features while using design techniques to help build community among its residents."

Digital model of Clarke's boathouse project.

Out of all of his projects to date, Clarke says the project he is most proud of is his final project for his 5th semester in the School of Architecture. 
"That was a design for a boathouse/clubhouse for the Florida crew team. I spent a lot of time working on details for the project, renders, drawings, and now my concept. The most striking part for me was the sustainable features that I incorporated which evolved from materials used, design techniques, and future planning for the site. Overall I had about 18 drawings and the project went well with the judges."

Clarke's work doesn't stop with the school end of the academic year. This summer he plans to study abroad in Hong Kong and Indonesia.  "For one week we will study the city of Hong Kong, the urban context, how the city plays a role in the life of an individual as well as the lives of the citizens as a whole. As we move into Indonesia, our studio takes over and we focus on a major design issue in the city of Yogyakarta. Here, we work with students of a major university to start the design process. What’s exciting (and terrifying at the same time) is that we will be working with students who may not speak English fully. This becomes a true test of my diagramming/drawing skills to communicate how I see the city and to examine how they view their home. Another major thing that I will explore is the student housing in Indonesia that will play a major role in my research back at UF. Of course, after all the research, sleepless nights, and presentations, I will be vacationing in Bali for about a week which will allow for the biggest de-stressing after a 4 week studio project."

All in all, Clarke adds that, for him, the design process does not come alone.
"Although I am proud of my achievements in the Department of Housing and the School of Architecture, I did not get here alone. If there is something I’m thankful for, it’s the group of people who helped me to get to where I am today. The professors, people on staff, peers, students, and above all, my friends who have been there with me through the good and bad."

Quote to live by?

"My quote to live by is from Walt Disney. It states “We keep moving forward, opening doors and doing new things…and curiosity leads us down new paths”. This exemplifies how I think my designs should manifest and how I manage my everyday affairs. Being stuck in the moment does you no good. Dwelling on the past hinders you. Another quote I have to remind myself of is again by Walt Disney. It states “All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you”. In the design realm, one can easily tear apart your project, not because they think less of you as a person, but because they want to see you design succeed. Taking things personally has always been an issue for me, and sometimes that “kick in the teeth” is what sets my mind right to further myself as a person and as a designer."

Listen to Labes : A preview

A preview of what's to come! 

Soon, Stories About Them will feature young actor/musician Philip Labes. He'll share with us his work, music, and musings. But for now, check out one of his original songs he released in February-Yosemite- and be sure to stay tuned for the article coming soon!

Marshall : Confessions of a Conservaholic

Marshall works the Sustainability Hut outside of a softball game, teaching spectators about sustainable living.

Hillary Marshall is an Environmental Science junior at the University of Florida. In addition to her studies and her job as a Resident Assistant on campus, Marshall is involved with the UF Office of Sustainability. She works as an intern, bringing awareness to sustainability issues on and off campus.

Click on the link below to hear what Marshall had to say about sustainable living and how she spends her time educating the public. 

Confessions of a Conservaholic

Comment and share with your thoughts! 

Med for the Web : jamii fund

CEO Robert Bodwell.
 Photo by Georgia State University

      Robert Bodwell is 20 years old. He's in college, he's a business major, he likes corgis, oh, and did I mention that he's CEO of his own non-profit? As well as working as a full-time student at Georgia State University, Bodwell also launched his own non-profit in January of this year. After seeing a beloved high school teacher fight cancer, Bodwell felt inspired to do what he could to help those going through the fight, by working to lessen their financial burdens. Bodwell is currently CEO and President of his non-profit "jamii fund." "Jamii" is a Swahili word that translates to "community." In the future, Bodwell hopes to use his business background to build his online community.

      Read on to learn about his non-profit, and how Bodwell hopes to positively impact the lives of those with hefty medical finances. Comment below and be part of the conversation!

LS:  Give us a little background about yourself. School, hobbies, interests, what you're doing now, plans for the future.

RB: I was born, and raised, in West Palm Beach, Florida. I graduated from high school in 2011, and moved on to college at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, where I am a business major. I’ve always been very passionate about sports, and most of my spare time is spent either watching or playing some sport. In the past year I’ve discovered a passion for helping others which has led me to my latest project. I started a nonprofit organization called jamii fund that works with patients to assist them in avoiding medical debt, and helping pay off the debts that they already have. I’ve never done work like this before, but it is, by far, the most rewarding work that I have ever done. I plan on building this organization into a lifelong venture for myself, and the others that support it.

jamii fund logo created by Bodwell

LS: Tell us about jamii fund. What is it, and where did the idea come from?

RB: jamii fund is a nonprofit organization focused on putting an end to medical debt in the U.S. We’re going to do this by encouraging people to give back to others in their community. I came up with the idea after one of my favorite teachers from high school was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was the first time that I was this close to such a serious diagnosis, and it was hard for me to handle. For the first time, I considered making a substantial donation to an organization that supports breast cancer research, and I did some research of my own to see what organization to donate to. What I found was that their efforts were involved with raising awareness for the disease instead of helping the people that it impacted, and you never really knew how your money was going to be spent. I felt that people would be more willing to give if they knew exactly where their money was going, and I would have given thousands of dollars had I known that it was going directly to helping my teacher. Further research showed that there was no nonprofit currently doing this kind of service, so I started one that could, and jamii fund was born.

The website features jamii fund recipients, like Holly,
where they can develop their own campaign
to raise money for their fund.

LS: How does jamii fund work?

RB: We are completely web-based. When people visit jamiifund.org they will be able to view personal profiles containing stories of individuals that are struggling with medical debt. These profiles will also have a button that visitors can click on to donate to that specific person. The money will be collected by jamii fund inc. and held in an account until there is enough to cover one of their expenses. At that point, we will write a check directly to the care provider to cover the costs. People can request a profile on the site by sending us a message on the “contact” section of jamiifund.org. Once we verify that they have a legitimate need, we build a profile and launch it on our website. You can think of it as crowdfunding medical debt, just like one would crowdfund an invention on Kickstarter.com. There are other companies that help people raise money in this way, but jamii fund is the only nonprofit. So when you give to someone on jamiifund.org you can rest assured that 100% of it is going towards helping put an end to medical debt. We do not take any percentage of these donations unless the beneficiary decides to give us a percentage on their own. I didn’t start this organization to make money, I started it to help people, and that’s what I’m going to do. 

LS: What have you achieved so far? What are you currently working on?

RB:A lot of paperwork. There is a ton of paperwork involved with setting up a legal nonprofit, and all of it needs to be done before you can do the fun stuff like fundraising. But I have been able to build a starter website to get our name out there, tailored our social media accounts, and recruited some artists that are creating content for marketing campaigns. I’m currently still working on paperwork to obtain our 501(c)(3) certification, so that we can be super official and whatnot, and, of course, keep working on getting our name out there.

jamii fund's Facebook page

LS: What do you hope for the future of jamii fund?

RB: Big things. I would love to work with this organization for the rest of my life. Right now we are focused on helping people pay off their medical debt, but, long-term, I want to be able to build an entirely new industry. I want us to create a system where, instead of just paying off debt, we can prevent the debt from piling up in the first place. We can do this by finding quality care at lower prices, and by communicating with care providers to avoid overcharges. Working with patients from the point of diagnosis will allow us to avoid unnecessary charges and use donations more effectively.

LS: Quote to live by?

RB: “It’s not that serious.” This is more of a mantra for me because I say this to myself all of the time to keep things in proper perspective. I used to have a bad habit of blowing things out of proportion, and stressing out about things that weren’t that big of a deal, so I starting reminding myself that it’s really not that big of a deal. In most cases you can make up for a mistake after the fact, and there’s no reason to freak out about it, or obsess over ways to avoid making a mistake. You just have to remind yourself that what you’re doing, or trying to do, is really not that serious.

Be sure to check out the links below to find our more information about jamii fund and ways you can help support the cause:

The website: http://jamiifund.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamiifund
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jamiifund?ref=ts&fref=ts

Rabinowitz : Getting into The Swing of Things

NYU sophomore Tyler Rabinowitz is getting into the Swing of Things....literally. 

Well into his second year at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, he's already found his passion and is running...or should I say, dancing with it. On top of all of the features and facets that come with being a college-kid, Rabinowitz is an aspiring film director, and already has numerous successes under his belt; including being named as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. While balancing a heavy course load, volunteering with kids, keeping up with friends, exercising, and tearing up the concrete jungle of New York, Rabinowitz is also working towards a career in children's programming.

Following an internship at Warner Bros. last summer, Rabinowitz gained inspiration for his latest cinematic success: The Swing of Things, a charming short film based on the 1940s-inspired by Grandpa Al.  

So swing your way into Rabinowitz's world of the 1940s and watch the film through the link below, and join in our conversation about this film, his goals, and his newest film in production!

The Swing of Things

LS: Tell us a bit about yourself. School/interests/hobbies/etc.

TR: I go to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, majoring in Film and Television and looking to do a double minor in the Business of Entertainment, Media, & Technology and Children and Adolescent Mental Health Sciences. I’m really interested in producing, directing, and writing feature films but have recently found that I also care a lot about children’s programming and am working on writing a potential pilot for an animated series. I am starting to tutor elementary school children, who need help with writing, but when I’m not in class or working on upcoming projects, I really value the time I spend with my friends. In my biased opinion, the people I’ve met in New York City are some of the most brilliant young artists and with some of the biggest hearts in the world. I feel flattered to call some of them my friends.

Additionally, I have found myself getting really involved with an exercise routine. I absolutely love going to the gym – it releases endorphins and I honestly feel like it puts me in the right mindset to work towards the ridiculous goals I set for myself. I’m also really into meditation. I give myself about ten minutes each day when I’m in the shower getting ready to just clear my mind through meditation. It helps so much. I also love to doodle, which I’d argue in many ways is a form of meditation. I find it to be one of the most relaxing things in the world.

 

LS: Where did you get the idea or origin of the Swing of Things. How did you get started?

 TR: In the summer of 2012, I received an unbelievable opportunity to get to work at Warner Bros. in Burbank, CA as an intern in their Worldwide Television Marketing department. I absolutely loved working there, but living in Los Angeles completely independently was actually one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. I was using the money I was making through my job to pay for my living expenses, and therefore couldn't afford a car. I felt so isolated because all my life I had been surrounded by commotion. I grew up in south Florida in a family of six with three dogs, and then I left for Manhattan - where I now attend NYU Tisch. So I've always been around people. I never realized how much I needed to be in the company of others. I was completely alone. But while I was alone, I found myself flipping through channels on the TV and came across a black and white scene of people in the 1940's at a swing dance party. It looked like so much fun - and keeping in mind what was happening historically at that time I found it amazing that in a world filled with tension and fear these people were able to escape to these swing dance halls. It felt magical. I became infatuated with swing dance. Every night when I felt really anxious living on my own, I'd watch clips of swing dance/lindy hop on YouTube repeatedly. This one was one of my favorites: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf55gHK48VQ

So, when I came home for about a week before returning to school for my sophomore year, I told my parents that one day I'd love to recreate a swing dance hall for one of my movies. My dad and I had a conversation about how my grandpa Al loved to swing dance, and how he loved the music - especially "In the Mood" by Glenn Miller. Unfortunately, the memories I have of my grandpa Al aren't the brightest since as I was growing up he suffered from ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). He ultimately lost control of all of his muscles. 
He couldn't even talk or really smile, yet alone dance.

Imagining my grandpa Al swing dancing was a thought that really stuck with me. I imagined him that he would be the life of the party - that if he were to step onto that dance floor all the joy bottled up inside of him when he was sick would come bursting out like a flash of light, and spread like wildfire to everyone else in the room. Some time after my dad and I had this conversation, I came across a photo of grandpa Al swing dancing. It was one of those moments where you are just overwhelmed with chills. I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I knew that I was going to find a way to capture the feeling I felt when I found that photo and share the joy of swing dance with the world. 

In memory of Rabinowitz's Grandpa Al

The class I was about to take at Tisch in the fall was called Sight and Sound: Filmmaking - a class all sophomores take where we shoot five black and white films in one semester. Somehow, some way, my final film for this class was going to bring the world of a 1940's swing dance party to life. I was so passionate about the idea that I needed to make it happen right away. I couldn’t let it rattle around in my head any longer.

Rabinowitz on the set

LS: The filming/production process. How did it go? Things you learned on set about filming/producing/yourself?

TR: The production process was an incredibly difficult yet rewarding journey. We didn’t know if we had official approval to actually make the film from NYU Production Supervision until three days before the shoot because of how many logistics were involved. But I was determined to work through every problem that came up. I didn’t have a budget for the film when I first decided I needed to make it, so along the way I worked two jobs to totally fund the project because I didn’t feel I was at a level yet where I had the right to ask others to donate money so that I could make a movie. It made me more connected to the project. Also, my grandpa Al was known for being hilariously stubborn, so in a way I felt like I was carrying on that part of him as I insisted on working to raise this money on my own. I didn’t want even my parents to pay a penny. This is just one example, but honestly in all facets of my life I was totally one hundred percent immersed in this project. It was a little bit scary because I legitimately felt like I was living in the world of the film for four months, but it was a really special experience for me. There were so many times that I could’ve given up—whether it was when Hurricane Sandy hit in the middle of our crucial rehearsal period and I didn’t even know if my cast was safe or if our shooting location had been flooded out, or when I was lugging a 100 lb. bag of 1940’s costumes five blocks down 3rd Ave. in the middle of a Nor’easter because the cab driver didn’t feel safe to continue driving. But I just laughed when things like that happened. No matter what, I was not going to let anything get in the way of me making this film. If a problem came up, I wouldn’t dwell on it. I’d immediately search for solutions. The image of my grandpa Al swing dancing was constantly in my mind, and I really do think that in a very spiritual way he helped me find the answers to the problems I faced.

“The Swing of Things” was definitely a crash course in filmmaking for me. I’m not at the level yet where I have access to a full crew, so I not only wrote, directed and produced the film but I also was the director of photography, art director, production designer, and even measured the cast for their costumes. I found that I really love so many parts of the process—I could be happy producing for the rest of my life, or possibly even art directing. But I think that what I loved most about the entire process was that I had the chance to work with some of the most incredibly kind, wonderfully gifted people. Before I knew it, we had so many people supporting the project and volunteering their time to act, to dance, to choreograph, to play music, to do hair and makeup. It was unbelievable. I felt a little like George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life. I had no idea so many people were out there who believed in me to the extent that they would sacrifice so much time and give so much effort to help make this film happen.

Opening title of Rabinowitz's "The Swing of Things"

LS: After it was all said and done, how do you feel about this project, and how did you share it? What kind of reactions have you received?

TR: For me, the success of the film was simply in making it. Going through such a grueling journey to actually reach our production date made the moment we wrapped our shoot feel like we had just won a marathon. I went home a couple days later for Thanksgiving and I don’t think I had ever stopped smiling since the shoot. But at the same time, I wanted to make sure that I was able to edit together a film that would reflect the journey we went through and the joy I felt on the shoot day. I screened it for my class at the end of the semester, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt more humbled in my entire life. I hoped they would like the film, but when one of my classmates told me it was “magical” that really stuck with me. That’s a reaction I’ve continued to hear. I screened it at Tisch School of the Arts on February 1st for the cast and crew (there were 35 people involved), their friends, and anyone else who wanted to attend, and again I kept hearing that it felt “magical.” That’s why I love making movies. They make people believe in magic again. 

LS:  What are your plans for the future? What do you hope to eventually achieve?

TR: While I’m continuing with my studies at Tisch, I would love to get started in creating children’s programming. I think that that’s an outlet through which we as filmmakers can make an immediate impact on our world, because I feel this is a tremendous opportunity for us to facilitate the social and emotional development of children by teaching them about problems that they might face and how they might deal with them. I hope to create a show that can aid child development, while still being a show that is extremely entertaining and features characters that children will love as much as I loved characters like Doug and Tommy Pickles when I was younger. Beyond that, through my coursework I’m working on screenwriting, producing, and directing and I hope to be creating work for film and television for a very long time. But more than anything, I think that at the root of all of my work really what I want to do is show people the importance of imagination and the way that art can captivate us, inspire us, and educate us. Again, if you’ve seen It’s a Wonderful Life, when George Bailey hits rock bottom Clarence the Angel comes down and shows him how important he is and shows him the good that exists in his world. I hope that no matter what it is I end up doing with my life, I can be the Clarence to the George Bailey’s of the world.

LS: Do you have any films in planning or production right now? Can you give us a sneak preview?

TR: Right now I’m collaborating with Blake Krapels, a dancer at The Juilliard School, on a dance film featuring his entire sophomore class of 26 dancers. Blake and I were roommates in Washington, D.C. when we were named 2011 U.S. Presidential Scholars. President Barack Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan honored us with National Medallions, and Blake had the chance to dance on the Kennedy Center stage, while my work was screened at the Kennedy Center and placed in an exhibition at the Smithsonian for a month. It was an unforgettable experience and we’ve remained great friends ever since. So this has been a wonderful opportunity to work together and I hope that the film will raise awareness of some of the world’s brightest emerging dancers while also inspiring other dancers and filmmakers to explore this fascinating genre of dance film. Look out for the finished product this fall!

LS: Quote to live by?

TR: There are a lot of quotes that I really love, but this video of Mister Rogers giving his acceptance speech for his Lifetime Achievement Award at the Emmys in 1997 is really something to live by. The world needs more people like Mister Rogers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upm9LnuCBUM

{Photos courtesy of Tyler Rabinowitz}