April 20, 2017

Filmmaker In Focus Series: Texas Filmmakers Part One

Our next Filmmaker In Focus features two accomplished Texas filmmakers Sandra Adair and Karen Skloss. The Secret Life of Lance Letscher marks Adair’s directorial debut. She is an Academy Award nominee for her work on Richard Linklater’s SXSW alum film Boyhood after editing 18 of Linklater’s films over 22 years to great acclaim. Writer/director/editor Karen Skloss is also an award-winning filmmaker with work shown on HBO, in MOMA, in wide theatrical release and in film festivals internationally. Her feature doc Sunshine premiered at SXSW in 2009. The Honor Farm is her first narrative feature as director. Learn more about these exciting projects below:

The Secret Life of Lance Letscher

Q: Tell us a little about your film?

A:“The Secret Life of Lance Letscher is a deeply intimate and psychological portrait of internationally known, and Austin based, collage artist Lance Letscher. As we journey inside the studio and inside the mind of Lance Letscher, the artist’s inner life is revealed. Told through memories of trauma and triumph, the film provides intimate access to Letscher’s profound insights on creativity, the subconscious, work ethic and spirituality. Through his intricate artistic process, we witness Letscher’s unwavering determination to stay in the moment—free of mind, thought and preconception. Featuring detailed images of more than 100 of Letscher’s collages, sculptures, and installations, viewers are given poignant insights into Letscher’s methodical techniques and come to know this profoundly interesting and insightful artist.”

Q: What motivated you to tell this story?

A: “Initially, I was motivated to follow Lance as he took on a new medium, metal, for a commissioned piece to hang in Austin’s South Congress district. Lance is known for his intricate and beautiful paper collages and I wanted to document this transition. But, as I came to know Lance, an intense and thoughtful man, he revealed his profoundly moving personal story with a poetic ability to articulate his ideas about creativity and the subconscious. I was struck most of all by his evolution as an artist and how his tumultuous life was reflected in the work.”

Q: Tell us a random fact?

A: “I’ve always been interested in art, attending art school in college until I dropped out to become an assistant editor. I have 2 grown kids and a sweet grandson who I am intent on teaching to appreciate art and creativity. I’ve cut 20 films for Richard Linklater and this is the first film I’ve directed.”

The Honor Farm

Q: Tell us a little about your film?

A:“When Lucy’s prom night falls apart, she finds herself jumping into a hearse headed for a psychedelic party in the woods. Looking for a thrill, the party wanders deeper into the forest, to a haunted prison work farm. A secret wish and a summoning of the dead sends the group on a mind-bending trip that may be a dangerous trap.”

Q: What motivated you to tell this story?

A: “When I was a teenager, a handful of powerful experiences really set the stage for the rest of my life and who I would become. I wanted to make a film that captured a bit of that magic – so I set out to make this freaky art thriller for young adults and the young at heart.”

Q: Tell us a random fact?

A:“I’m a drummer and play with the band Moving Panoramas. I used to teach preschoolers how to swim.”

Explore More Content From SXSW 2017

Get inspired by a multitude of diverse visionaries at SXSW – browse more 2017 Keynotes, Featured Sessions, Red Carpets, and Q&A’s on our YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SXSW News for the latest SXSW coverage, recaps, late-breaking announcements, and updates.

The post Filmmaker In Focus Series: Texas Filmmakers Part One appeared first on SXSW.

Source: SxSW Film

April 19, 2017

Be The Best Host Ever With The Help Of This Checklist

When you throw a party, you want your guests to enjoy themselves and return home safely, without endangering themselves or others. You certainly don’t want anything unpleasant to happen to anyone while they are in your home, on your property or at an event you have organized. A little advance planning and awareness of the kind of issues that might arise can go a long way toward reducing the risk of drinking-related problems while making it easier for you and your guests to have a good time.

Some things to keep an eye out for during your party is intoxication levels. You’ll definitely want to pay attention to any signs, such as loss of inhibition and loss of coordination, and be sure to have a plan to help guests that need assistance getting home. The last thing you want is for a friend to get behind a wheel after having too much to drink. In 2015, there were 38,784 arrests in New York State for impaired driving and 8,998 impaired driving crashes. You don’t want your guests to be part of those statistics so be sure to review this “Good-Host Checklist” to ensure you and your party guests have a plan for everyone to arrive home safely.

If you want to learn more about DWIs and what to do to prevent them, head over to Stop DWI.

Source: Visual News

April 19, 2017

Use This Flowchart To Help You Plan A Safe Night Out

After a night of fun and debauchery with your friends, it can be easy to lose sight of your designated plan to get home safely. You always want to be sure that you make the right decision when finding a ride home. In 2015 alone, there were 32,502 alcohol-related arrests in the state of New York and 8,998 impaired driving crashes. If you’re concerned about spending money on cab fare, keep in mind that the average cost of a first-time drunk driving conviction is anywhere between $5,595 and $9,140. That’s a lot of money. With so many options, there’s no reason to risk getting behind the wheel after having a few drinks. So how can you establish the plan ahead of time so this doesn’t happen in the future? Use this flowchart to help you stay on the safe side before you head out to your friend’s party.

If you want to learn more about DWIs and what you can do to prevent them, head over to Stop DWI.

Source: Visual News

April 18, 2017

StoryCorps Champion: Esther Choy

Our generous donor Esther Choy has agreed to help support the StoryCorps Listening Challenge by offering a challenge grant opportunity to match every gift dollar-for-dollar up to $5,000 until the end of our campaign on May 16. Given this generous opportunity, we wanted our community to learn a bit more about Esther and why she gives to StoryCorps.  

Esther is the President of Leadership at Story Lab, a training firm dedicated to teaching classical storytelling to modern leaders. She also lectures in Kellogg’s Executive Education Programs. Since 2010, she has coached hundreds of executives, helping many gain promotions and motivate their teams and customers through storytelling. Esther also recently published her first book, Let the Story Do the Work. She is a storyteller at heart and understands the power of our stories and the impact they can have on others.

We wanted to get a better sense of what drives Esther to support our work, so we asked her to share with us why she is passionate about StoryCorps.

Why do you love StoryCorps?

Why do I love StoryCorps? Where do I begin?! Listening to StoryCorps’ stories makes me smile, cry, laugh, ponder, reflect, think. Most importantly, I feel hopeful when I listen to StoryCorps.

Why do you think listening is important?

A very wise person once said, “To become a great storyteller, one must first become a story collector.” Without listening, how can anyone collect stories?

Since I train executives on becoming more persuasive through the application of storytelling, I see listening as a prerequisite for this very critical 21st-century skill set. Though most clients I’ve met understand why listening is important — at least in their heads — they don’t know how to do it well. Modern life is incredibly distracting, after all. That’s why I devoted a whole chapter on how to listen even when you feel like you can’t in my upcoming book, Let the Story Do the Work, which comes out in July 2017.

Listening, however, is about more than becoming great storytellers. We live in a divided, partisan world. At times, it seems like there is no way back to any sense of unity. In fact, there is a way.

Years ago, I was in a week-long mediation training. The most important message that the trainer stressed over and over again was how important acknowledgment is. He likened acknowledgment to stabilizing patients in the ER. It’s the first thing you do with people in conflict. When people are hurt, it’s nearly impossible for them to think rationally and work constructively until they feel listened to. Listening is acknowledging. Listening is healing.

Why do you give to StoryCorps?

Like all good public services, we can’t sit back and wait for someone else to pitch in. We all have to pitch in. It’s my job. It’s your job. It’s everyone’s job!

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We are beyond appreciative of Esther’s generous matching gift for the StoryCorps Listening Challenge. If you would like to take advantage of this amazing opportunity and double the impact of your gift, take the Challenge today. Listen! Donate! Share!

Source: SNPR Story Corps