Columbia-based Photographer Sean Rayford Releases New Publication Documenting the Final Days of the Old New Brookland Tavern

“When we leave this plane of existence, what do we leave behind? Do I make things of enough importance that future generations get to see what life was like during these times, through my eyes?…”

No one has documented the happenings of the Columbia area more than Sean Rayford. Rayford is a photojournalist and documentary photographer. His unmistakable images of his immersion into major national events have been seen by hundreds of millions of people worldwide who viewed the covers of the largest newspapers, print and online editions, around the world. And yet, it seems to those who don’t know him personally, a lot of his free time is spent documenting the range of day-to-day activities in Columbia and the surrounding area. 

On Saturday, April 27th, Rayford is releasing a new photo zine titled For the Record. The zine documents the last three months of the local club New Brookland Tavern, through Rayford’s lens, as it prepared to close after decades of live music at its West Columbia location. “When I learned about the building’s sale in West Columbia, I immediately began this project, knowing the days at the location in West Columbia might be limited. I had been procrastinating a personal photo project about NBT for about a year and I understand the role of photography and the passage of time,” says Rayford.

The more you look at Rayford’s photography the more you understand his burned-in ability to capture the most interesting moment between two mundane seconds of time. This imagery exists on his Soda Citizen Instagram page, and through photo books independently released by him. Part of this is that his point of view is in his DNA, the other part may be his dozen years or so spent behind the bar at the original New Brookland Tavern, watching the night unfold in front of him. Rayford explains “I went to my first show there (New Brookland Tavern) in the fall of 1998 when my suite mate’s band played. I think I was hired by my college radio co-host, Jonathan Dunagin, who was a booking agent at NBT. It’s where I’ve spent most of my adult Thanksgiving holidays.” 

Rayford has published compilations of his photography before, but a zine is a different approach for him and closer to his heart. “I look at zines as physical/analog publications that embrace a D.I.Y. mentality. It’s indie publishing without boundaries. They can be what you want them to be,” he explains. “I have more resources, knowledge, skills - but much higher expectations than when I tackled my previous self-publishing efforts. I’d always been on much smaller budgets — without viewing the project as a personal long-term investment in myself as a creator.” 

The final show at the West Columbia of location of New Brookland Tavern was December 29th, 2023, and the first show at its new Five Points location was the next day. Rayford documented both. 

“I’ve also obviously been a contributor to the smallest and biggest newspapers and magazines in the world. There’s something about challenging yourself, sharing, and delivering creative work. It’s fulfilling - and there is a grasp at immortality going on here,” he continues.

“When we leave this plane of existence, what do we leave behind? Do I make things of enough importance that future generations get to see what life was like during these times, through my eyes? What an immense privilege on multiple levels.”

The release party for For the Record will take place at the New Brookland Tavern in Five Points this Saturday, April 27th. Copies of For the Record will be available for purchase. 

Editor’s note: Rayford has previously been featured and been hired on assignment for Jasper Magazine.

-Wade Sellers

For the Record

60 pages / Color / 4.9 inches x 6.7 inches

It's Oscars Weekend -- Columbia Creatives & Film Lovers Pick Their Faves from This Year and Others by Wade Sellers

As the cinematic award season concludes Sunday evening with the Academy Awards, Jasper asked creators and film lovers around Columbia about their most memorable movie viewing experience of 2023. Some loved new film offerings from the year. Others re-visited older classics or childhood favorites and saw them with a new point of view. Some anticipated a film only to be disappointed. Our list of Columbia creators and film lovers offered a diverse list of favorites, and we invite you, if you haven’t already, to view some of their favorites when you can.

Kwasi Brown - Founder, Black Nerd Mafia  

My favorite movie this year was Thanksgiving. Horror is my fav genre, which typically has a lot of disposable content. This movie, while set in modern times felt like a throwback slasher. It also explores themes of American consumerism and how out of hand it has gotten. Great kills, light humor, and an interesting compelling story. Eli Roth can be hit or miss but I’ve been waiting for this movie since the fake trailer appear in Tarantino's grindhouse forever ago and he didn't disappoint.

Marty Fort - Musician & Owner, Columbia Arts Academy, Irmo School of Music, Lexington Arts Academy

I watched The Goonies with my daughter. As far as what was new about The Goonies was how intense parts of it were. Sloth in hand cuffs. The mobsters. And the visuals, Oregon, the music, etc.

Laura Kissel - Director, School of Visual Art and Design, University of South Carolina

I loved Barbie! It captures the powerful, fun, and imaginative play a lot of young girls have when they are full of agency and fearless. Great, nostalgic set design for Barbieland, catchy song and dance sequences, and a terrific critique of the patriarchy. And I had no idea there was once a video of Barbie with a camera in her body. I want one! 

Merritt McNeely - CEO, Flock and Rally 

Nimona was #1. And magically, was also created by a local. But we didn't watch it the first time through that lens. For me, I cried b/c I realized the struggle that Nimona was sharing with the world - about having to be someone else until you finally just have to be you, and how hard that can be. I felt like it was the exact message my child needed to hear - whether he understood that or not. I don't know why my son cried during Nimona, he can't quite explain his feelings yet, but something moved him to tears as well. 

Tracie Broom - Co-Founding Partner, Flock and Rally 

I absolutely loved Poor Things. I found it incredibly funny and creative, and it shows a version of what women *might* want to question and explore if we weren't conditioned from a very young age to see ourselves, and our usefulness, in a limited way. Plus, what a treat for a Yorgos Lanthimos movie to wrap up on a high note!

Ed Madden - Poet

The Quiet Girl. Gorgeous. Irish film, part in Irish language. Based on novella Foster by Claire Keegan. Heartbreakingly beautiful. Things unsaid. Gestures. What is family. Who is a parent. A slow revelation, the ambiguity of the ending. The cast—Carrie Crowley was so amazing, and Catherine Clinch.

Cedric Umoja - Artist

Surrounded. I found the storytelling, cinematography, and acting to be excellent. It was a great way to expand upon the western genre by making its hero a Black woman who had served as a Buffalo soldier before becoming a traveler. She was everything we, as the audience, hoped she would be. 

Sumner Bender - Executive Director, Nickelodeon Theater 

I really enjoyed AIR, Barbie, Past Lives, and Oppenheimer. I think Oppenheimer is my favorite though. It's almost cliche because it is so critically acclaimed. I didn't see it when it first came out, but I watched it later and 10 minutes in I realized why it was so hyped up, because it is incredible! I have no qualms about loving popular movies!

Jay Matheson - Musician, Owner The Jam Room 

Biggest disappointment was Leave the World Behind. Looking through the 2023 film list the only one that stands out is Jules. It was quite offbeat and dealt with quite a few subjects in a unique way. Aging being a theme. Brian and Charles had to be the standout film that I ran across. Very funny and quite absurd. Not for everyone but I thought it was great. I don't keep notes so I'm sure I've forgotten a few. It was a busy year for me, so I did not watch as many films as usual.

Keith Tolen - Artist 

I found myself watching a film I know I have seen almost a hundred times. It’s Cool Runnings. I can’t get enough of it. I don’t know why. It has the beating the odds moments and yet how to handle defeat. I also love the flavor of the film. After all you are in Jamaica. What could be better. Solid acting and my go to film when I need to recharge.

Amy Brower - Actor, Artist, & Owner, Brower Casting 

2024 gave us....Barbie. The first act of the film can only be described as a cotton candy fever dream. (Which my inner 5-year-old unapologetically enjoyed) As someone familiar with (and deeply appreciative of) Greta [Gerwig]'s work, I was bracing myself for the gut punch of unflinching reality in there somewhere. And sure enough there it was, sandwiched palpably between hysterical one liners and over-the-top costume changes. Overall, it was a mixed bittersweet bag (as is womanhood) that succeeds in offering a fresh take on gender equality and self-love amidst toxic culture patterns in society and yes, in ourselves. As much as I look forward to sharing Barbie with my daughters in a few years, I feel no need to wake them from their cotton candy dreams of childhood just yet.  

Chad Henderson - Theatre Director & Marketing Director, South Carolina Philharmonic 

My favorite film that I watched last year was Good Vibrations, a 2013 music flick based on the life of Terri Hooley - a record-store owner instrumental in developing Belfast’s punk rock scene. I heard about Hooley while watching a PBS documentary about Northern Ireland and The Troubles, then I saw there was a movie about him. Saw the movie (loved it) and read Hooley’s autobiography. Then, by chance, when I was in NYC last summer the musical adaptation of the film was playing at the Irish Arts Center in Manhattan. So I’m a bit of a Hooligan at this point. 

Debi Schadel - Co-Founding Partner, Flock and Rally

Two of my favorites were Women Talking and Nimona. Women Talking was a bold movie with little action which was so refreshing. Nimona made me so proud to see a Columbia native make it and it goes to show you that the big budgets aren't always the best and it's always about the story.

Cindi Boiter – Founder & Executive Director, The Jasper Project

A unique film that  may not be on everyone’s radar was 2020’s Kajillionaire. I was drawn to it because it was written and directed by Miranda July (You and Me and Everyone We Know, 2005) and starred some of my favorites - Richard Jenkins, Evan Rachel Wood, Debra Winger, and Gina Rodriguez, with a smaller part played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph (nominated for Holdovers this year.) I loved it because it was quirky, and Wood’s character was a huge departure for her. But more so, I loved its treatment of parenting, and the holes parents can leave in the emotional makeup of their children. In a powerful scene, Jenkins and Winger demonstrate how parenting can be a performance more than a mission. Heartbreaking but, in the end, satisfying.

— Wade Sellers

PRESS RELEASE: THE JASPER PROJECT PRESENTS A STAGED READING OF COLBY QUICK’S NEW PLAY, MOON SWALLOWER, WINNER OF THE 2022 PLAY RIGHT SERIES PROJECT

Sunday, August 28th at 4pm

Columbia Music Festival Association

914 Pulaski Street

Panel Presentation and Reception to Follow

The Jasper Project is excited to present the staged reading of MOON SWALLOWER a new play by Sumter playwright Colby Quick. MOON SWALLOWER is directed by veteran theatre artist Chad Henderson and features Michael Hazin, Lonetta Thompson, Richard Edwards, Becky Hunter, and Chris Cockrell.

MOON SWALLOWER is the winner of the Jasper Project’s 2022 Play Right Series, an endeavor in which unpublished playwrights are invited to submit their work in competition for a cash prize, publication of their play in book form, and workshopping and development of the play with skilled professional theatre artists, culminating in a staged reading. Dr. Jon Tuttle, playwright in residence at Francis Marion University and member of the Jasper Project board of directors, is the director of the Jasper Project Play Right Series.

MOON SWALLOWER is an alternative coming-of-age story of a young man who finds himself stuck somewhere between small town ideologies and big world expectations with a heavy influence of social media, domestic awkwardness, and the possibility of werewolves. It is a comedy that has kept the case laughing throughout rehearsals.

The Play Right Series is a unique machination for bringing new plays and playwrights to the forefront of local performing arts by calling on Community Producers to invest a modest amount of money in the workshopping and ultimate staged reading of the play in exchange for their intimate involvement in the processes involved in taking a play from page to stage. Community Producers for MOON SWALLOWER are Bill Schmidt, Bert Easter, Ed Madden, Paul Leo, Eric Tucker, Kirkland Smith, James Smith, Wade Sellers, and Cindi Boiter.

The first iteration of the Play Right Series involved a new work from SC playwright Randall David Cook whose play, SHARKS AND OTHER LOVERS was produced in 2017 and directed by Larry Hembree. SHARKS AND OTHER LOVERS has gone on to win multiple awards and be presented throughout the US.

The Staged Reading for MOON SWALLOWER will be held Sunday afternoon, August 28th at 4 pm (doors at 3:30) at Columbia Music Festival Association, 914 Pulaski Street. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. The performance will be followed by a panel discussion including cast and Community Producers, hosted by Jon Tuttle, with a reception following. Copies of the play, MOON SWALLOWER, will be available for purchase at the event or online at Amazon.com.

Tickets are available at  The Jasper Project.

2021 2nd Act Film Project Postponed Until Spring 2022

Columbia Filmmakers and Friends, 

The Jasper Project has decided to postpone the 2021 2nd Act Film Project until the spring of 2022. As an organization, we feel the risk to the health of our filmmaking community and those they would come in contact with during this year’s project are our top priority as our country continues through these times. 

Much discussion was had with previous participants in the 2nd Act Film Project about having an event this year. The overwhelmingly positive response to moving forward with a 2021 2nd Act Film Project gave us affirmation in the event and about the community that it has helped grow. However, this was during a time when the statistics seemed to say our country’s health was on the mend. Unfortunately, the situation has changed within the past few weeks. 

So, stay tuned for more information as we will have news on a new 2022 2nd Act Film Project calendar shortly. 

Wade Sellers

Producer/Director, Coal Powered Filmworks

President, Jasper Project Board of Directors

REVIEW: Bad Girls -- Chris Bickel's 2nd Feature Film Embraces a New Paradigm for Indie Filmmaking

The democratization of access to equipment and technology has given creators an ability to create films that are deeply personal, or in the case of Bad Girls, a film that is like a blitzkrieg with moments of Zen sprinkled throughout. When that equipment and technology is put in the hands of someone like Bickel, who isn’t afraid of putting every ounce of energy and passion into his filmmaking, you get an achievement like Bad Girls. - Wade Sellers

Whether you click your phone, hit your spacebar on your computer, or hit play on your DVD remote, when you start director Chris Bickel’s 2nd feature film Bad Girls, make sure you are in a comfortable seat because you won’t be leaving it for the next 97 minutes. 

There are plenty of accolades to spread around but the major achievement of Bickel’s micro-budget 2nd feature is the director’s ability to create an overwhelmingly inviting atmosphere from scene one. The film is violent and bloody from the start and Bickel commits to his script from the first frame to the bullet and blood-soaked end. 

At its heart, Bad Girls is a hyper-violent, drug induced road movie that follows the main characters Val, Carolyn, and Mitzi Ann on the run after they rob a strip club, steal a car, and begin a night of violence that is fueled by the search for love, and bullets. A lot of bullets.

The three women who play the leads are the beautifully balanced center of Bad Girls. Bickel flexes a lot of clever low budget filmmaking tricks throughout the film, but a director can never escape bad casting. It's hard to look away from Morgan Shaley Renew the moment she appears center screen. Renew’s “Val” is strong, on a mission, and in charge, and the actor creates a magnetic performance. Shelby Guinn’s “Carolyn” and Sanethia Dresch’s “Mitzi Ann” are expertly balanced as Val’s co-conspirators. These three actors didn’t demand your attention throughout the film. 

Bickel’s choice for a supporting cast doesn’t disappoint either. Mike Amason plays nasal spray sniffing Special Agent Mike Cannon with a fun campiness that doesn’t turn into caricature. Special Agent Cannon chases the girls during their terror spree with the help of Special Agent McMurphy played by Dove Dupree. Dupree’s straight man to Amason is a fun turn from the normally dumbed down partner roles.

It’s a night that finds the Bad Girls terrorizing young lovers, beating obnoxious bar patrons, kidnapping rock stars, and fighting redneck white supremacists. 

Bickel and Shane Silman’s script is solid, with some incredibly funny throw away lines hidden throughout the film. And Bickel isn’t too proud to put his influences in a box, shake them up, and mix them with his growing adeptness to a relatively new style of indie filmmaking that has become more prevalent in the past 5 years. 

Bad Girls couldn’t have been made more than 5 years ago.

Bickel could have raised the same money (the film was made for $16k) and pulled a crew together to shoot his script on video, but something has changed in recent indie filmmaking. The democratization of access to equipment and technology has given creators an ability to create films that are deeply personal, or in the case of Bad Girls, a film that is like a blitzkrieg with moments of Zen sprinkled throughout. When that equipment and technology is put in the hands of someone like Bickel, who isn’t afraid of putting every ounce of energy and passion into his filmmaking, you get an achievement like Bad Girls. 

No detail is overlooked. Poor production design and bad audio can kill a film. Both excel in Bad Girls. The original and previously recorded music are used perfectly. The difficulty of taking an independent voice and translating it into an independent feature film when you have limited resources cannot be understated. 

The real achievement of Bickel and his film is the ability to understand the resources in front of him, ignore those saying it can’t be done, and bring together a group of people committed to helping make your vision a reality. Bad Girls is part of the new wave of American filmmaking- stories from creators who choose only to make films on their terms because they can. 

Once you start Bad Girls, you have just about 90 seconds to decide to back out before you find it impossible to pull away for the next hour. I suggest you hop in the car with them and just enjoy the ride.

Bad Girls

Directed by Chris Bickel

Written by Chris Bickel and Shane Silman

 

Review by Wade Sellers

CORONA TIMES - Wade Sellers Catches Up with Multidisciplinary artist & filmmaker Chris Bickel

Chris Bickel - all photos courtesy of the artist

Chris Bickel has been a staple in the Columbia creative community for a couple of decades. From his imprint on the local and national punk scene to masterminding one of Columbia’s favorite karaoke show for years, he leaves an incredible mark on any genre he touches. Despite earning a Media Arts degree from the University of South Carolina, he never ventured into filmmaking until a few years ago when he directed the wildly popular THETA GIRL. After being named the 2020 Free Times Best Filmmaker in Columbia Jasper decided to check in with Chris and ask about the progress of his new film and see how he has adjusted to the new landscape we live in.

JASPER: Chris how have you been adjusting to the pandemic? How has the shutdown affected you personally?

BICKEL: It hasn't really affected me that much. My day job (record buyer at Papa Jazz Record Shoppe) never really stopped. Although the store was shut down for a bit, I was still in there working. We wrapped shooting on my new film (BAD GIRLS) right before the pandemic started, so I've been in post-production on that during my evenings and weekends -- so pandemic or no, I'd still be holed up at home working during this time. I'm not the most social person in the world anyhow, so aside from the general feeling that the world is ending, the pandemic has affected me very little. 

JASPER: After the run of Theta Girl ended it seems you went straight into producing your new film Bad Girls. Was producing a 2nd film so soon after Theta Girl your plan from the start?

BICKEL: After THETA GIRL was finished, I did the festival circuit with it for almost a year while trying to pin down distribution -- which ended up being something of a fiasco (par for the course in indie film). Once THETA GIRL had a legitimate release, I began work on a second film called SISTER VENGEANCE. I wrote that script with Shane Silman, casted it, and then set up a production schedule. The lead quit a few days before the first shoot day, having decided that traveling every weekend from Atlanta for two months was going to be too difficult. I tried to recast, giving myself six months to fill that lead role but I couldn't find anyone locally that I thought was a fit, so I shelved SISTER VENGEANCE and set about writing BAD GIRLS which was loosely adapted from a stage play called GIRL GANG RAMPAGE, written by Shane. What may have seemed to someone from the outside as jumping right into BAD GIRLS from THETA GIRL, actually involved -- to me -- a lot of false starts and wasted time.

JASPER: Give everyone a taste of what Bad Girls is about.

BICKEL: Here's the log line: "After robbing a strip club, three desperate teenage girls lead a misogynistic Federal Agent on a lysergic cross-country chase, scoring a duffle bag full of money, drugs, and a crew of willing kidnap victims along the way.” I see BAD GIRLS as a punk rock road movie somewhere at the intersection of FASTER PUSSYCAT, KILL KILL and DOOM GENERATION. It's an existentialist fantasy wrapped in the package of an exploitation film.

L-R Shelby Lois Guinn, Morgan Shaley Renew, Sanethia Dresch

JASPER: Theta Girl received great reviews and had great fan response. What was the biggest part of the learning curve for you in directing your first feature?

BICKEL: The hardest part of filmmaking is people wrangling. Working on such a small scale, budget-wise, you end up wearing many different hats and it's impossible to be a master of all of them at once.

JASPER: What experiences did you take with you from Theta Girl to producing Bad Girls to make it a better overall production experience?

BICKEL: The first time you do anything you make a million little mistakes. One hopes that in their second time around they can half the number of mistakes. The number one thing I've learned is that you can't plan ahead enough. The more you think through before the day of shooting, the easier it is when unforeseen problems arise. 

JASPER: How has the shutdown affected post-production and the release of Bad Girls?

BICKEL: The only thing affected really is the release schedule. I still don't know if a theatrical premiere is a wise decision, nor do I know if doing a festival run is a good idea. I may have to rethink the method in which the film is rolled out. I honestly don't even know if we'll have a country left after November. I'd like to have the movie out by December -- if, you know, there's still an America.

JASPER: Micro budget/indie film production can be intensely satisfying and a bit self-abusive in the physical toll it can take. How has your experience been finishing Bad Girls?

BICKEL: I'm not on a deadline, so I'm working at my own pace to make it the best thing it can be. Viewing it as an underground film, it's going to have warts by the very nature of its low budget and the lack of experience of everyone involved (myself included). But I think people are willing to overlook the flaws as long as they are entertained. So, my main focus during this time is doing whatever it takes to ensure that the movie is wholly entertaining and hopefully thought-provoking. All of this would be easier with money to pay other people to do some of the work -- money to not need a "day job." I consider this an obsessive hobby. So even when I'm pushed to the point of exhaustion, it's still FUN for me -- even if in a masochistic way.

JASPER: Any words of wisdom for new micro budget indie filmmakers?

BICKEL: Finishing is the most important thing. 

-WS

CORONA TIMES - Wade Sellers talks with 2nd Act Alum Tamara Finkbeiner

Tamara Finkbeiner - all photos courtesy of the artist

Tamara Finkbeiner is a Columbia based filmmaker and graphic artist. She is a member of WOW Productions an urban inspirational entertainment company. Through her involvement with WOW and her own independent work she has been leaving a huge creative mark in our area for many years. She is an alum of the 2nd Act Film Project. Tamara’s films took home the 2nd Act Audience Award in the 2nd and 3rd year of the festival.

Wade Sellers

film editor, Jasper Magazine; president, Jasper Project board of directors

JASPER: Tamara, how have you and your family been coping with the pandemic shutdown?

FINKBEINER: We've actually been doing pretty well given the circumstances. We've had to make many adjustments, but overall we have become even closer as a unit and that has been a tremendous blessing during this time.

JASPER: For those who don't know about WOW, tell us about Walking on Water productions.

FINKBEINER: Walking On Water Productions (WOW) is an urban inspirational theatre company founded by Tangie Beaty and is run by Beaty (CEO) and Donna Johnson (COO). My business partner, Josetra Robinson and I also run One7evenOne Productions (O7O) and we partner with WOW to mount stage productions and are also looking to venture into television and film. Josetra and myself are part of the management crew at WOW; our emphasis is in visual production and marketing.

Finkbeiner with creative partner Josetra Robinson

JASPER: Introduce us to other members of the team.

FINKBEINER: Josetra Robinson is co-founder of O7O. She's a tremendous talent and I'm honoured we get the chance to work together on so many amazing projects.

JASPER: What project(s) have you and the team been working on during the shutdown?

FINKBEINER: Through O7O, we've been editing for various projects, which has been, again, a major blessing. We've also been writing for a project that we have coming up and that everyone will hear more about very soon. 

JASPER: What is the overall mission of WOW?

FINKBEINER: One of WOW's missions is to produce impactful productions and also cultivate talent in our local community, which aligns with our passion and purpose at O7O. It's been a beautiful partnership.

JASPER: What's next for you or Walking on Water productions/One7evenOne Productions?

FINKBEINER: Many details are still unfolding but we (O7O) will be partnering with WOW again on a really cool project and are looking forward to the team coming together to do what we love and challenge ourselves as we push this next level!

Corona Times - Wade Sellers Talks with Fellow Filmmaker & 2nd Act Alum, Taiyen Stevenson

Taiyen Stevenson is an independent filmmaker and actor living in Columbia. He is a recent 2nd Act Film Project alum and is currently producing a new film project titled “Justice”. The Jasper Project caught up with Taiyen to find out about producing a new project in the midst of a pandemic

JASPER: Tell me about your filmmaking history?

STEVENSON: I have been involved both in front of and behind the camera for almost 11 years. Acting has and will always be my first passion but I really love filmmaking even more because you can tell your own stories in a way you want. During those years, I wrote and produced four short films (Images, Thanks for Everything, Follow the Leader, and The Street Lights Are On). I always want to create strong and significant movies that everyone should see. 

JASPER: Tell us about your new film project. What is Justice about?

STEVENSON: J.U.S.T.I.C.E. is about a young African American man with a bright future who gets caught up with the world’s chaos of nationalism. It's in the present day. We are talking about things that are happening now in the 21st century.   

JASPER: Why did you want to tackle these issues with a film?

STEVENSON: Racism in America has always been a disturbing topic since day one. Now with visual camera equipment, society is able to see the cycle that has not ended and to start standing together for the struggle. The challenge is society sees racism as a hoax meaning that it doesn't exist. However, through news visuals such as phones, cameras, and other recording devices, we are able to take these truths to establish corruption within our human society.

JASPER: Tell us about your production process. What stage of production are you in now?

STEVENSON: Our production process was based on a lot of media that we were seeing of the senseless killing of African Americans. We also sat in a lot of protest rallies in our hometown. The next day, Vinnis Parnell and I teamed up with Michael Mykkel and we wrote the script.  As of right now, we are still in pre-production, making sure everything's in order before filming later this month.

JASPER: What has been your biggest challenge with this project so far?

STEVENSON: Creating real facts. Not just by accident but by proving these things are bad occurrences. 

JASPER: Who are your actors in this film? Who is the crew? 

STEVENSON: We have two outstanding actors, Nnaemeka Okeke and Jason Paul Edwards and we also have the beautiful and talented actress, Skylan Kimbrell.  As for the crew, we have Michael Mykkel, the co-writer of “J.U.S.T.I.C.E,” our director Vinnis Parnell and myself along with Vincent Monaco, Tamara Abrosimova, Julia Petrucelli, Courtney Geiger, Ashley McNeil, Augustina Quick and many others that will get their names in the credit. 

JASPER: Where do you hope to screen "Justice"?

STEVENSON: Anywhere we can get it screened. (The Nickelodeon Theatre, Sundance, Tribeca, etc.)

JASPER: Tell me about your writing process?

STEVENSON: The writing process was basically viewing things that were happening around our city by jotting down notes, comments made, decisions, outcomes, and I just wrote it into a screenplay. 

JASPER: Do you have any additional comments on your project?

STEVENSON: Yes. We have a GoFundMe page that helps bring “J.U.S.T.I.C.E” to life. Our website is www.gofundme.com/justice-short-film. You could also follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/justice_the_movie  and liked the page on www.facebook.com/justicethemovie. Stay tuned with eyes wide open.

Corona Times - Wade Sellers Catches Up with Fellow Filmmaker Robbie Robertson

Screen shot from Whistler’s Mother

One of the activities artists and arts patrons report missing the most during the pandemic that we seem to be in the middle of, rather than at the end, is the opportunity to simply hear what’s up with our fellow artists. What are you working on? How’s that project coming along? Let me use you as a sounding board.

So, early on, Jasper began just checking in with various artists and arts admins to try to do our part to keep those important conversations flowing. We call this series Corona Times.

Today, Jasper film editor and Jasper Project board of directors president, Wade Sellers, caught up with artist Robbie Roberson to touch base with him about his 2018 film, Whistler’s Mother, which still seems to have legs two years later. Here’s their conversation.

JASPER: For those who aren't familiar, give us a quick recap of how the film, Whistler's Mother, came to life and what the film is about. 

ROBERTSON: Whistler’s Mother was my first film as writer/director and it was funded by the SC Indie Grants program, an incredible funding opportunity from the SC Film Office. It’s a short film that gives a fictional backstory to the woman in the famous painting by James McNeill Whistler or, as I call it, a dark fable origin story. I wanted it to have the feel of a fairy tale while also paying homage to some of my horror inspirations like the original Dark Shadows TV show and Hammer Studio horror films from the ‘60s- ‘70s.

 JASPER:  What were your initial expectations and goals for the film? 

ROBERTSON: My initial expectation was to simply get it made! As a first-time filmmaker, there were so many things to deal with on set on that I never anticipated, so it was an arduous but thrilling “trial by fire” experience. I felt we were making a good film, but you just never know until it’s all over. But once I saw the first cut (by my editor Tyler Matthews), I had the most thrilling level of satisfaction of any creative project I had ever worked on. I got weepy watching it and it’s not a weepy story! Because of my awesome cast and crew, we created something really magical and so I was then very anxious to get other people to watch it. After some educational previews, I continued to work on the film in post-production until it matched the original vision I always had in my head. From that point on, my only expectation was for people to see it on a big screen. 

JASPER: It is a short film and short films typically have a short shelf life. Whistler's Mother has been riding a continued wave for a while now. Give us an overview of where the film has been seen and where it is screening now. 

ROBERTSON: I feel so fortunate that I was able to get the film in some really great film festivals such as the Crimson Screen Horror Film Festival, the Charlotte Film Festival, the Philip K. Dick Film Festival in NYC and Screamfest LA where it screened at the former Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood. It even screened in Moscow.

With most film festivals having been canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, I feel really fortunate to have experienced that festival ride. As the festival run was coming to an end, I had some inquiries about distribution but decided to put the film on Amazon where it’s available for rent or purchase.

The audience numbers have been pretty good on Amazon (both in the US and the UK) but I got a really big bounce when Rachel Belofsky, founder of Screamfest LA, asked if I was interested in putting Whistler on her Screamfest YouTube Channel. That was a real honor for me because Rachel is the queen of horror film festivals and Screamfest’s YouTube subscriber count is over 200 thousand people. Whistler’s Mother premiered on that channel in May and, in the last three months alone, it has been viewed nearly 120,000 times. 

JASPER: Has the continued enthusiasm for your film surprised you? 

ROBERTSON: Absolutely. The global reaction on Screamfest’s YouTube channel was amazing and I have had people from all over the world tell me how much they loved the film. I had a long thread of comments from Russians who loved the film mainly because the Baba Yaga, a popular fictional character from Russian folklore, is one of the main characters in my film. I have also had some hater comments—which I also find entertaining at times—but the vast majority of the viewers have given it the thumbs up. The main comment I hear is that people wish the short was a feature film. 

JASPER: How are you hoping to leverage the success of Whistler's Mother with any new projects? 

ROBERTSON: I have written a feature length version of the short which is hugely different and am working on rewrites of it right now.

I have to say that being on the film festival circuit also allowed me to meet some really cool people from L.A. that I hope to be collaborating with on some upcoming projects.

In the last six months, I've also been working on a rewrite of one of my comedies with a prestigious production company and pitching some TV concepts with an actor/producer I met. All of these folks saw Whistler’s Mother, so I think it has given me some industry “cred” in being able to pitch new projects to a new level of collaborators. 

JASPER: Anything else you’d like to add?

ROBERTSON: I never knew I liked directing and producing so much. I have done it on commercial shoots but had only been pursuing screenwriting in my own creative endeavors. But now I know I can do it; I want to make more short films. So, if anyone is looking for an investment, call me up! I have a couple of ideas ready to go.

2nd Act Film Project Brings Filmmakers Back Year After Year

Back for its 6th installment, the Jasper Project is delighted to celebrate the 10 filmmaker team leaders whose 6 minute films will premiere on Wednesday October 30th at the 2019 2nd Act Film Project.

The brainchild of filmmaker and project director Wade Sellers and sponsored by the Jasper Project, 2nd Act Film Project is unique in its creative challenge, for seasoned and first-time filmmakers alike, in that the first and third acts of a screenplay are provided to the artists who, in turn, write the second act and create the film in its entirety.

Several veteran 2nd act filmmakers are returning to the project for the 2019 event including Ian O’Briant and Amy Brower.

Amy Brower is an actor, film maker and producer based in Columbia, SC. This is her 3rd year involved with 2nd Act. Her overall goal with the festival this year is to challenge herself as a writer and director and support and celebrate the film community in SC. It was a no-brainer for her to join the project again this year. “I just asked myself, ‘Why not?’ she says. “ I wear a lot of hats in the film world, but screen writer is a first for me. 2nd act is special because, unlike a 48, or a feature, it provides just the right kind of time line and writing prompt to fit into my already booked schedule.”

Amy Brower

Brower continues, “This year was about taking everything I’ve learned and linking arms with some of my favorite people and committing to tell a story that we hope people with connect with. As a film maker, I knew I wanted to share more of myself. 2nd Act film Project gave me the push I needed to actually make it happen.”

Ian O’Briant agrees. Having lived in Columbia since 2000, O’Briant shares a home with his wife and three children. A graduate of UofSC Media Arts, O’Briant is now an IT director after ten years as a multimedia journalist and television producer. The 2nd Act Project is his preferred annual outlet for all things sleepless and cinematic. 

Ian O’Briant

“I’m convinced that the 2nd Film Project is the best way to network with other artists and promote the very talented and growing community of motion media artists here in Columbia,” he says.

Filmmaker Jennifer Baxley is also returning to 2nd Act this year. According to Baxley, she “actually met President Trump during the auditions for Season Five of the Apprentice because of her first film (yes, hold your applause).”  For the 2019 project she is partnering with the law firm Baxley, Pellerin, and Lindley. In her other life, she is a software developer and an adjunct instructor for Midlands Technical College.  This will be her second foray into the 2nd Act Film Project.

Though this is his first experience with 2nd Act, David Axe is a veteran filmmaker based in Columbia, SC, who also writes, creates content for graphic novels, and serves as a freelance war correspondent. Axe wrote and produced The Theta Girl (2017) and wrote and directed Azrael (2019) and Shed (2019). His goal in producing a short for 2nd Act Film Project is to make something memorable and weird — and to do it quickly.

From the age of 13, Silas James Rowland has been creating and producing visual representations of his ideas through the art of filmmaking. Ten years later, he has two feature films under his belt as director (The Sinful South, Cracks), has DP'd three feature films, a handful of shorts, and most recently ne created an hour long documentary filmed in Scotland. His goal with 2nd Act is to dive back into experimental short films and enter into the festival circuit, something he has never done.

2nd Act first-timer. Henry Coonrod, says that, as a filmmaker his top priority is his cast and crew. “I chose this career because I wanted to make interesting things with interesting people, he continues. “Film is this magical medium where private, intimate, intense and beautiful spaces are created; spaces where people work their hardest to create something real. As a writer, director and student myself I seek to create sets where people aren't afraid to ask questions, learn, and build a foundation to create their own movies. My work moves between traditional narrative films and experimental, usually animated, shorts. I have been making films for three to four years now and I still have a lot to learn, I just feel lucky to be part of such a great local film community!”

 Also a cinematographer and graphic designer, Sean Parsons started out as a 35mm film photographer. He then went on to enroll in traditional film studies which eventually led to work in animation for children's education where he focused on background and layout artwork. Parsons returned to filmmaking with short films like, Terminus and Syntrifica, which he directed, photographed, edited, sound designed and did the visual effects for.

Taiyen Stevenson

Taiyen Stevenson is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelors Degree of Arts and Science. After his experiences with acting, he decided to write and produce his own short films (Images, Thanks for Everything, and his most recent, The Street Lights Are On).  He is currently in the process of launching his film production company, "Virgo Kid Productions."  This is his first time entering the 2nd Act Film Project and his main goal is to create strong and significant movies that will capture the audience's attention.

Daniel Colella is a senior undergrad student at The College of Charleston pursuing a BA in English and Film Studies. He is the president of the CofC Film Club and the executive video producer for the Campus Media Organization, CisternYard Media.

Finally, William Woody considers himself pleasantly condescending.  He busies himself in screenwriting, stand-up comedy, and illustration. 

Poster art by Cait Maloney

The public is invited to join these filmmakers and the board of directors for the Jasper Project on Wednesday, October 30th for the 2nd Act Film Project, offering two screenings at 7 pm (sold out) and 9:15. While the first showing will invite audience members to vote on their favorite film for the Audience Award, and the filmmakers themselves to select the coveted filmmakers’ award, the awards will be presented following the earlier screening and announced to the audience of the later screening following that performance. Ticket are available at Eventbrite and are only $10.

The Jasper Project wishes to recognize our generous and steadfast 2nd Act Sponsors Mr. Bill Schmidt, Precision Overhead Door, Columbia Arts Academy, Sound and Images, Trustus Theatre and Coal Powered Filmworks. We are especially appreciative of Chad Henderson, artistic director of Trustus Theatre and former winning 2nd Act Filmmaker himself, who is serving as our host for the second year, Cait Maloney who created our poster art, and Matthew Kramer, formerly of Columbia, who sculpts traditional trophies for our winning filmmakers.

Focus on JAY Finalists - Tyler Matthews in Music

Tyler Matthews - 2017 JAY Finalist in Music - photo by Forrest Clonts

We're chatting with the 2017 JAY Awards Finalists as we enter the last few days of voting and preparing for the JAY Awards (& Retro Christmas party!) coming up on December 5th.

Jasper: What made the past year so great for you as an artist?

Tyler: Just getting to go full artist mode across several different disciplines, collaborating with talented people and working on awesome projects.

Jasper: How have you grown as an artist over the past year and to what do you attribute that growth?

Tyler: I’ve grown across the board in the area of problem solving, writing, and producing fast. When you start out at anything there’s a large amount of activation energy required to get past being a novice producer. After a certain amount of hours you reach a tipping point where the technical things that used to be difficult to understand are second nature.

Jasper: How have you seen your arts community grow over the past few years and to what do you       attribute that growth?

Tyler: I’ve seen the music scene continue to thrive because the energy from artists in Scenario Collective, Moas Collective, and WUSC has been embraced in Columbia by Arts & Draughts, First Thursday, and various events/venues around town. The film scene is thriving because of the leadership from Wade Sellers. The work he’s done with 2nd Act Film Festival has bridged more connections and brought more people to the scene than anything else I can think of in Columbia. (editor’s note – yes, that’s Jasper Magazine film editor, Wade Sellers – nominated for a boatload of Emmy’s, always eager to help  his brother and sister artists, especially with a hand-up. We love our Wade and are proud to have him on our staff and Jasper Project board of directors. And yes, 2nd Act film Festival is one of the primary endeavors of the Jasper Project, so you know, yays all around!)

Jasper: Why is art so important right now?

Tyler: Art is so crucial right now. At a time when there seems to be so much division and confusion in the world, art enables people to express themselves in a healthy, productive way. For some it provides a much needed escape.

Jasper: Who have been your major influences?

Tyler: Locally: Mason Youngblood, Chaz Bundick, Tucker Prescott, Pedro Ldv, and Wade Sellers. Globally: Hans Zimmer, Led Zeppelin, Deadmau5, Wes Anderson, and Christopher Nolan,

Jasper: Who are some of your favorite local artists from an arts discipline other than your own?

Tyler: Ed Madden and Tucker Prescott (um, hello, it’s us again. We just wanted to point out that Ed Madden is our poetry editor and has been since we started Jasper Magazine – we don’t know what we’d do without our Ed. Oh, and did we mention that he’s the poet laureate for the city of Columbia? So, again, yay!)

Jasper: Is there anyone you’d like to thank for their support of your arts career?

Tyler: Mason Youngblood and Tucker Prescott for inspiring me with their talents and encouragement. Wade Sellers for being a great mentor. My family for putting music in my life at an early age and setting a high bar with their own talents. The Jasper Project for caring enough about the arts community to assemble a great team that takes interest in South Carolina’s creative talent. (Aww, thanks Tyler!)

Jasper: Why should folks come out to the 2017 JAY Awards and Retro Christmas Party?

Tyler: Everybody who’s anybody is going to be there!

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VOTE at http://jasperproject.org/jays

BUY Tickets at https://2017jays.bpt.me/

GIVE as part of #GIVINGTUESDAY at https://www.facebook.com/JasperProjectColumbia/

THANKS!

Meet the 2016 2nd Act Film Fest Filmmakers

Back for our 3rd year, the 2nd Act Film Festival, under the direction of Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Jasper film editor Wade Sellers, hits the screen Friday night at 7 pm at Tapp's Arts Center. Tickets are just $10 and are available by clicking here! Past festivals have sold out to SRO audiences and tickets are going far quicker online this year than in years past, so a word to the wise ...

But no need to wait until Friday night to meet this year's filmmakers. Here's a brief intro below to what you have in store on Friday night, October 14 at 7 pm.

MEET THE 2016 2ND ACT FILM FESTIVAL FILMMAKERS

Cory John

Film: At Last

Columbia, SC actor, screenwriter, producer, and director Cory John began performing at his hometown high school Spring Valley. There he noticed and embraced his love for theater and acting. He later became part owner of Real Records LLC where he was a writer and director for their original film series, which included "Spare the Rod" and their feature film, "Addiction: What’s Yours?" He has since gone on to star in productions such as Yesterday Is Still Gone, Finding Hope in the Struggle, and Thee Final Destination 2 Love, to name a few. His recent endeavors include being director for the EmPOWERment Corp, and appearing as co-writer, co-producer, co-director, and lead in the Horror film Bag Lady set to premiere in October of 2016. Cory is also the director and founder of Cory John’s Murder Mystery Dinner Show, which will soon celebrate its one year anniversary of bringing fun, food, and horror to the Carolinas. Cory is a lover of the arts and credits his writing and directing of his latest short film "At Last" as his best work to date.

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Tamara Finkbeiner

Film: Bait

Originally from Barbados, Tamara is married to Janson Finkbeiner and a stay at home mom with my joys; King Kai, Big Jon and Benji. She graduated from Columbia College with a Bachelor of Arts in Music. She works in graphic design and is a co-founder with Josetra Robinson of our company One7evenOne Productions LLC.

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Collins White

Film:

Collins Abbott White is a filmmaker born and raised in Greenville, SC. He directed his first film when he was a senior in high school, and went on to study film in college. Upon graduating, Collins founded Other Vision Studios, a film and video production company with the goal of producing feature films in Greenville and helping to establish an industry presence in the upstate. For the past 5 years, Collins has worked with upstate businesses to help them capture the essence of their brand in video while producing several short films and the pilot of a mini-series as well as several YouTube Channels. He is passionate about the art of filmmaking and is determined to push himself in terms of story and quality every chance he gets.

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David Holloway

Film: Botched

David Holloway is a freelance Cinematographer from Greenwood, South Carolina. He specializes in commercial and documentary projects. He is the owner operator of StoryReel Productions. He has a history degree from the University of Plymouth, UK. David is a self taught filmmaker, however, he has taken several workshops through Maine Media College. David is a passionate and dedicated film maker who is always looking to work with and learn from others.

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Chris White

Film: All Seeing

Chris White is an Irmo High School grad who now resides with his family in Greenville. His first film, ED THE MOVIE, was shot thirty years ago with a camera he bought at the old K-Mart on Bush River Road. Chris' next film is a rock-n-roll road movie about a kid who becomes a roadie for his favorite Christian hair band during the summer of 1986.

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Kendall Jason -  kendallprojects

Film: Tonewood

Kendall (Jason) kendallprojects was born and raised in Columbia South Carolina. He briefly majored in Studio Art while participating in the football program at the University of South Carolina and North Greenville College. Leaving South Carolina he attended Art school at Ringling College of Art & Design in Florida where he received his BFA in sculpture. Upon graduating from Ringling he and his wife moved to New York where they lived in Brooklyn while working at Dia Center for the Arts (a nonprofit organization that initiates, supports, presents and preserves art projects “whose nature or scale” would preclude other funding sources). Also while in New York he received his MFA from New York University while teaching undergraduate classes in the fine art department. In 2009 Jason returned to South Carolina after his twin girls were born. Now back in Columbia Kendall works as an art teacher and spends most of his time in the studio developing new projects around ideas involving southern masculinity and blue-collar work ethic.

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Ebony Wilson

Film: W H O R L

Ebony is a returning filmmaker to the 2nd Act Film Festival from the Columbia area. She currently owns and operates her own independent production company, Midnight Crow Productions, is the administrator of the Columbia Film Community networking group, and manages branding and online positioning for media, talent, and film professionals in the Film Community Directory. Her latest works include Divine Intervention (a 48 hour film project), Underground 13 (web-series), and Prelude to Infusco (feature length sci-fi drama).

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Michael Tolbert

Film: Parental Guidance is Suggested

Michael Tolbert is an actor/director based out of Columbia, South Carolina. Over the course of four years he starred in Operation Adventure, hosting the documentary travel series. Most recently, Tolbert appeared in science fiction horror film Alienography and made his directing debut with the documentary film Wood: A Family Affair. Previously, Tolbert worked as a production assistant on films such as 50% and the short film Drifts. Both films have made their way across the nation screening at both Campus Movie Festival and Frameline Film Festival.

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Jennifer Baxley

Film: Reality Really Bites

Jennifer Baxley is an amateur filmmaker whose inaugural music video “Jenny Saves Trump’s Jewels” allowed her to meet Donald Trump during the auditions for the Apprentice. This launched her very fruitful but profitless filmmaking career.  She’s produced five music videos, won a Palmetto Pillar Award and performed assorted production tasks on a few awesome films.  In her other lives she is a software developer and adjunct instructor for Midlands Technical College.

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Tyler Matthews

Film: Mr. Wonderful

Tyler Matthews is an equally adept filmmaker and music producer. After a four year stint in finance, he taught himself how to create video and music professionally. He's an artist on the Post-Echo Music label, an active member of two arts groups (Moas Collective and Scenario Collective), and a member of the SOCO Co-Work community. He produces two podcasts professionally and operates in the Vista under his business name Tyler Digital.

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The 2nd Act Film Festival is a production of The Jasper Project.

The Jasper Project is a project-oriented, multidisciplinary arts facilitator serving the greater Columbia and South Carolina arts community by providing space, resources, and collaborative engineering for emerging artists and new projects by established artists. For more information go to www.JasperProject.org.

All-Arts Trivia-Yeah w/Guest Quizmasters this Sunday Night at The Whig

How much fun was Trivi-Yeah at the Whig, back when Eric Bargeron would slam us up against the wall with what was probably the most clever (and often) most difficult questions in town? Winning was usually out of the question (thanks Les Frogs!), but placing was a thrill! Hell, just winning the best team name was a hoot, even though it was usually because someone who will remain nameless screeched like a banshee.

Well, Trivi-Yeah is back for one night only courtesy of the good folks at the Whig and it benefits the Jasper Project -- and this time Quizmaster Bargeron has created an all-arts slate of questions to spin our brains out of control. And to make it even more interesting, we've asked some guest quizmasters to come in and ask a few questions about local arts and award all kinds of fun prizes in between the standard Bargeron rounds.

Eric Bargeron, Quizmaster

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Guest Quizmasters:

Julia/Liz Elliott - Author of The Wilds and The New Improved Romie Futch

Larry Hembree, formerly of the Nick, Trustus, SCAC, and current president of the Board of Directors for the Jasper Project

Kari Lebby, musician, podcaster, pop maven, pretty boy

William Starrett, artistic and executive director of Columbia City Ballet

Wade Sellers, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, Columbia mover & shaker, and film editor for Jasper Magazine

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Prizes include swag from lots of your favorite arts organizations, books, t-shirts, mugs, pens, stickers, buttons, etc., plus the regular Whig treats and goodies.

6 - 8 pm, Sunday September 25th

$5 suggested tax-deductible donation to the Jasper Project, who brings you Jasper Magazine, 2nd Act Film Festival, Fall Lines - a literary convergence, Marked by the Water, Wet Ink Spoken Word Poetry, and more

For more info -- click here!

CALL to SC filmmakers for 2016 2nd Act Film Festival

The 2nd Act Film Festival is a unique take on the film project. Its mission is to encourage and promote the growth of independent filmmaking in South Carolina by gathering highly creative and diverse voices that represent independent filmmaking in the state.

The 2^nd Act Film Festival is a curated film project. Filmmakers submit their names to be considered for participation in the festival. A group of media and film professionals will select the final group of filmmakers based on their previous work, the filmmaking team they have organized, and their enthusiasm for independent filmmaking. There is no entry fee to participate. The level of filmmaking experience by the filmmaker can range from beginner to professional. Participating filmmakers will be featured in Jasper magazine and promoted heavily in events leading up to the festival screening.

Filmmakers are given the same first and third acts of a three act short script. The filmmaker's job is to write the second act and make the film. There is no restriction on genre or subject matter. This year, filmmaking teams will receive $100 to help produce their film.

The $250 2nd Act Film Festival Audience Award is given to the film that the audience recognizes as the most outstanding product of those created for the festival. Participating filmmakers will also receive gifts from the event sponsors.

The ten selected filmmakers will screen their films at Tapp’s Arts Center on Friday, October 14^th, 2016. Past festivals have played to overflow crowds. Complete guidelines and entry forms may be found at www.secondactfilmfestival.com. The call for entries closes August 31^st.

According to independent filmmaker OK Keyes, winner of the 2013 Audience Award, “Second Act was a wonderful experience as a young creator trying to find inspiration to do art outside of a school project. I also think the parameters for the project create a unique challenge to not be like everyone else that pushes you to really know your own style.”

 2^nd Act Film Festival Highlights

There is no entry fee for participating filmmakers and teams.

• Filmmakers will receive $100 to help produce their film.
• Selected filmmakers must currently live in South Carolina.
• The final group of filmmakers will be selected by a group of media professionals.
• Filmmakers will be selected based on their prior works, as well as their passion and commitment toward independent filmmaking.
• All filmmakers will receive the same two script pages as well as additional instructions on producing the film.

Contact Festival Director Wade Sellers at 803.467.4206 or wade@coalpoweredfilmworks.com for more information.

Line Up of Fun for Jasper Release Party Monday Night

Big Art Fun at GUESSWORK Studio

We've seen this happen before.

Jasper starts out planning to celebrate the release of the newest issue of the magazine with an informal gathering of artists and arts lovers at a local studio or gallery. Keeping it simple. No big deal.

Then someone has an idea for a cool performance or activity. A band or two is interested in playing. What if we did this? Or this? Damn Y'all, let's just do this!

The next thing we know a big old hairy artball is rolling down the hill and, this time, it's landing with a splat at Billy Guess's very cool new studio space GUESSWORK on Avondale Road.

(You know you don't want to miss this thing.)

Here's what to expect Monday night, starting about 7, at the release celebration of the 29th issue of Jasper Magazine.

Hold on tight.

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Music by Tyler Godon

Music by the Mustache Brothers

Art by Billy Guess, Khris Coolidge, and (fingers crossed) Jasper's own visual arts editor, Kara Gunter

Michael Krajewski will be channeling Dave Chappell channeling Prince and making Prince symbol-shaped pancakes - Billy will be providing a pancake toppings bar

On a big blow-up outdoor screen, Wade Sellers will be sharing his film 25 Artists, which features - you guessed it - 25 Artists from Columbia

Barry Wheeler will be creating a video of you and 100 of your closest friends playing a One Columbia kazoo in a weird blend of the arts and patriotism as we create the Columbia Arts Community's Memorial Day Message to the Universe

Bier Doc will be grilling up cheap hot dogs and supper will only cost you a dollar (Or you can wrap those dogs in a pancake to make pan dogs/hot cakes)

Annie will be selling you bottomless cups of good beer and decent wine

And last but not least, you'll get your hands on a fresh hot copy of the 29th issue of

Jasper Magazine!

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When was the last time you had this much fun on a Monday night?

See  you about 7 at 955 Avondale Drive, a couple blocks off North Main right after the intersection at Sunset

Bring a lawn chair and be ready to have a big old time!

Love,

Jasper

6 Questions with Wade Sellers whose film ANATOMY OF A FLOOD Premieres at INDIE GRITS

 

JASPER:  The work you've done for Indie Grits this year is untitled in the program literature. Is that intentional? Is there a title or could you give it a title now, if you had to?

SELLERS:  The title of the installation is Anatomy of a Flood. I don't think I had a title for it when they asked for the proposals from the artists. I had a general idea but didn't decide on a title until I solidified the concept.

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JASPER:  Tell us just a little bit about the impetus for your film.

SELLERS:  I had been asked by a friend if I would be willing to video the interior of a home for insurance purposes that had been damaged by the flooding. I agreed and realized that this was a way that I could offer what I do to those affected. I ended up capturing footage of many homes that were horribly damaged by the flood waters and during the time I spent in each one, the damage and its effect on the owners weighed on me. I though of talking to the owners then and asking about their experience but I couldn't, I didn't feel it was right to do. I wasn't gathering news, I would've asked very personal questions and it was too soon.

When I was asked to participate in the Waterlines project by Seth, I wanted to revisit those home owners and others affected by the flood and have them tell me their personal story of that night.

The narrative of the film is fairly narrow. I asked those that I interviewed to tell me only of their experience the night of October 3rd until the time they left their home the next morning.

 ~

JASPER:  Sometimes Indie Grits films are a work in progress - is yours? (If yes, how so?)

SELLERS:  The project is finished and was originally intended to be a one time screening because of the nature of how it is projected. I've changed my thinking now and think it would be appropriate to be projected as one piece on one wall.

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JASPER:  What was the most challenging part in the process of making this film?

SELLERS:  It is always hard to edit out good parts of a story and Anatomy of a Flood was no different. There were some moments of each person's story of the night of the flood that were extremely engaging, but didn't really fit in the whole of the piece. Since the film is projected on three different walls the timing of each visual was a bit tricky but turned out to be very effective when played together.

The technique I use in editing the interviews is based off of what I developed for a documentary series I directed and edited, where we interview many people about one event. The interviews are then edited together to feel as if it is one continuous story but told by many people and from their personalities in telling the story you get the idea of the makeup of them as individuals and as a community.

 ~

JASPER:  How did making this film affect or change you as a filmmaker?

SELLERS:  The project itself is the first time I have created a film to be projected on multiple screens at the same time. At the heart of it it is a narrative documentary, the only difference is that it has contrasting images projected at the same time on opposite walls. I create films that tell engaging stories. I wanted this to be the same but also wanted to add the element of other possible narratives trying to fight and disorient the viewers attention.

 ~

JASPER:  What do you hope people will take away from having seen the film?

SELLERS:  I don't feel I overstretched my limits with Anatomy of a Flood. Projecting on multiple surfaces isn't new, but I think the project does offer an engaging opportunity for viewers. My goal with it is to have the viewer struggle to watch and listen to the narrative while having the secondary images fighting for their attention as well. It is supposed to illicit an emotional response, to disorient or maybe confuse-much like the events of the night of the flooding or much like diving into water and not knowing, for a split second, which way is the way to the top.

But in the end, I want the viewer to be able to say that they had a shared experience and that they may feel closer to our community.

"If you are someone who creates, then I think it is critical that you push yourself and create something that speaks to your community after your community has suffered. The fact that our community has organizations such as The Nickelodeon and One Columbia that not only support and encourage but commission these efforts puts our city in a position to strengthen the fabric that holds it together in ways we won't realize until the years ahead." - Wade Sellers

The Top Eight Films I Didn’t See This Year -- By Wade Sellers

I watched a lot of films this year. Thanks to pay cable getting their streaming catalogs stocked with quality films, I may have watched more films than in any year prior. The frustration I have with myself is that I missed seeing many of these on a big screen. There is no substitute for a theater. Netflix will never be able to change this, no matter how dark the room, good the sound, and large the television. Others on this list haven’t made it to our part of the world yet. Either way, I’m excited to resolve myself to go through this list as my new year begins. I suggest you do the same.

45 Years

If Michael Caine taught that film acting is in the eyes, then Charlotte Rampling is one of the best in the business. Rampling co-stars with veteran English actor Tom Courtney in this film about a couple planning the celebration of their 45^th wedding anniversary. A week before the party a letter arrives for Courtney’s character that informs him that the body of his first love has been discovered, frozen, in the Swiss Alps. Directed by Andrew Haigh, this drama opened December 23^rd for a limited run. I first remember Rampling’s unforgettable longing stare as she starred with Paul Newman in the 1982 film The Verdict and have loved it ever since. They are a couple of deep eyes that can only be seen on the big screen. Find the film somewhere and you’ll see what I mean.

A Most Violent Year

In my opinion, Oscar Isaac stole the movie Drive from Ryan Gosling. It was the first time I remembered him in a role. I wasn’t the only one. The Coen Brothers picked him to lead Inside Llewyn Davis (on reflection one of the best films of the 2010’s). Along with Academy Award nominee Jennifer Chastain, Isaac stars in the crime drama from J.C. Chandor. Quite honestly, I have no idea how I haven’t seen this film. It was released at the beginning of the year, received mixed reviews, but over the following months has picked up some strong momentum. The poster image is staring at me on Netflix so I don’t have any more excuses.

Room

I’m always wary whenever I see features about a film before it’s release that focus on the production. With Room the focus was on the interior set that was built for the film and how the filmmakers created a set of rules when filming. My first thought is that the distributor’s PR department is pulling a sleight of hand away from the mass appeal of a film. The film’s star, Brie Larson, picked up a Golden Globe nomination for her role as a woman held captive for many years and the resulting adjustment for her and her young son when they are freed and have to adjust to the outside world. I’m excited to see if this film can move past the Mamet view of theater blocking caught on film to small location indie cinema in the tradition of Hard Candy and Reservoir Dogs.

Carol

Todd Haynes film Safe could be my favorite film of all time. His student film Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story is one that made me want to be a filmmaker. I don’t think the man has made a bad film and I get frustrated he isn’t more widely celebrated as one of our great filmmakers. The man just makes great films that reflect on us as individuals and a society; I’m biased. I also anticipate that his film Carol, an adaptation of the 1952 novel The Price of Salt, will do nothing to harm the opinions of his filmmaking. The fact that Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara and Kyle Chandler star only make it more attractive. The film is set in New York City and follows a young photographer and her relationship with and older woman. There is something magical about seeing a film in the city it takes place. I missed seeing this film the week before Christmas while visiting New York City and already regret it.

Tangerine

I may have been cheating so I could add Sean S. Baker’s film to this list. Tangerine has been staring at me on Netflix for over a week and at one point I think I hit play but the internet went out. Either way I’ll be watching it soon, probably before you read this list. Baker got his start as the creator of Greg The Bunny, and since then has accumulated an impressive list of small indie films as writer/director. Tangerine is his latest. The drama/comedy follows Sin-Dee Rella, a transgender sex worker just finishing a month long prison sentence who finds that her boyfriend and Pimp, Chester, has been cheating on her. I was worried that the fact that this film was shot entirely on an iPhone was being used as a hook for a film that may be one dimensional in story. After I read a couple of reviews of the film from those I respect it is the first I’ll be watching from this list.

Dope

I think I missed Rick Famuyiwa’s film Dope because I was out of the country on vacation when it was released. I saw the film’s trailer before a screening at the Nickelodeon and didn’t give it a thought afterwards until I was compiling this list. I feel like a lazy film writer for doing so. Forget the talented list of names that are behind this project, or Famuyiwa’s strong directorial history (Talk To Me was as good as a biographical drama gets), I just like seeing films that tell stories that it seems would never be told if it weren’t for the group who championed it. I also like seeing new young talent take over a big screen and hope they have a bright future. The screen will probably have to be small when I watch this movie in the coming weeks, but I’m sure the talent will still shine through.

Hitchcock/Truffaut

After graduating my college film program, I found out there was a book that was a result of filmmaker Francois Truffaut and Alfred Hitchcock locking themselves away in Hollywood for a week so Truffaut could mine Hitchcock’s brain about his approach to filmmaking. I loved Truffaut and I loved Hitchcock. I was pissed. Why was this never brought up? How deficient was my instruction? I still include it among the three publications that I feel are the only books a film student needs- along with David Mamet’s On Directing and Edward Dmytyk’s On Film Editing. Kent Jones’ documentary collects interviews with well respected filmmakers and mixes their praise with audio that Truffaut recorded during his sessions with Hitchcock. You may have to be a film nerd to make it through the whole film (I couldn’t make it through a film with famous salesmen talking about the two of the best salesmen who met to talk about how they sell), and it is quite possible the film may ruin the way you watch movies, but so what- educate yourself, Son.

The Forbidden Room

If you pushed me for an answer about my favorite filmmakers, there is Guy Maddin and everyone else. His films are, in my opinion, what filmmaking should be about. There is no grey area with this statement. He just gets what being cinematic is all about. He’s not Scorsese or Anderson or any of the great names, but that’s the point. He is his own voice and influence. I watched my first guy Maddin film from a VHS tape I grabbed off of a shelf at the SC Arts Commission Media Center- you know, back when our state supported things like young filmmakers by offering them the tools to make films at reasonably low rental rates. I popped the tape in and instantly knew that I had never seen anything else like what was in front of my eyes. The best part is that over the years I have found that his films work on big screens and small screens. Maddin is a prolific filmmaker and artist and The Forbidden Room is his latest. It may be twenty-five years too late for you, but find a film of his and make it your New Year’s Resolution to watch it.

What were the top films you DID or DIDN'T see this year? Share below!

Wade Sellers is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and the Film Editor for Jasper Magazine.

A New Foundation for Our City - Filmmaker Wade Sellers endorses Andy Smith for Columbia City Council

When I hear terms such as “our city is on the brink of…” used in magazine articles, newspaper profiles, and, most recently, at a city council candidate forum, I instantly cringe. It’s a lazy quote, cotton candy rhetoric, instantly sounding sweet but quickly dissolving without the substance to back it up. The term has been used a lot to describe Columbia for many years and recently our explosive growth throughout the city has led us to hear the term more and more. This growth is not by accident and not a surprise to many people. For a decade or more, there have been many young people in Columbia that have made the conscious decision to stay and live here. The decision was not to just live in Columbia, but to make Columbia the place that they wanted to live in. Andy Smith was one of those individuals. Andy’s work in growing the Nickelodeon Theater is not only benefitting the theater itself, but the community as a whole. He has not shied away from what the additional responsibilities of being the Executive Director of a non-profit arts organization bring. He is personally integrated into the arts community, bringing artists of all disciplines together to create and spread their talents through the city as a whole.

Andy does not just make the” appropriate appearances” at arts events in the city. He’s been personally involved and invested in our arts community, and he’s made both that and his national arts organization experience the foundation of his campaign. That kind of experience, coupled with Andy’s creative yet concrete plans for the future of our city, is what is so inspiring and new for a metropolis that has, for far too long, been stuck on the verge of…something.

In Andy we have an opportunity that we have not had in recent memory. As an arts community we have the opportunity to not only have someone who understands the arts and knows the artists in Columbia, but a champion of the arts as a new foundation for our city to grow on for many years ahead. Take time and vote for Andy Smith for the city of Columbia’s at-large seat on November 3^rd.

Film Review: Steve Jobs - by Wade Sellers

by Film Editor Wade Sellers

There was a time that being allowed to see backstage at a concert, movie set or a performer’s personal life for those not in the entertainment industry was a magical and special moment. Just hearing the words “behind-the-scenes” brought chills. We were getting to see the “real” life behind the show. Now, it is a marketing must-do. The magical, never-seen moments don’t exist anymore. A tour of a home is a promotional tool, footage of models changing or dancers stretching part of the marketing package. Every live concert event offers, at an insanely steep cost, the opportunity to take part in this exclusive backstage, one-on-one experience.

Since the death of Steve Jobs, there have been many fictional and non-fictional attempts to offer the world a glimpse behind-the-scenes of his life. Many books and movies that offer us a look at the “real” world and history of a man who was the leader of late 20^th century cultural and technological change. So when Danny Boyle read Aaron Sorkin’s brilliantly written script Steve Jobs, he must have experienced simultaneous ecstasy and panic at the chance to tell this story of Jobs’ life.

Sorkin loves dialogue. His career highlights such as The West Wing, A Few Good Men, and The Social Network are known in most casual conversations as really good television and film. But each has a lot of dialogue. A lot of words are an actor’s dream and sometimes a director’s nightmare. These Sorkin scripts had directors who knew how to wrap their creative arms around Sorkin’s words, keep it focused, understand its cadence and let the actors have their fun. Danny Boyle wraps his experienced and well-versed arms around Sorkin’s screenplay and delivers a solid film from what on the page must seem dangerously close theater. Boyle’s personal bridge of experience in theater and filmmaking is the film’s greatest strength.

The film takes place in three acts. Each act directly precedes three product launches that Jobs was responsible for; the Mac (1984), NEXT (1988), and the iMac (1998). These three vignettes are blocked backstage, behind the curtains of the venue each product is being launched in. There is constant movement backstage. Stress is high and each movement and line delivery of the actors is kinetic.  We feel the energy and movement as if we are there at each venue. Each act is filmed with cameras that are appropriate for the time; heavy grained film stock, cleaner film stock and digital. It is a choice by Boyle that seems a bit self-gratuitous. The transitions between each act are separated by appropriate historical news clips and voice overs that hurriedly transition us from the previous year to the present. This is not the most original of creative options, but at least it wasn’t a spinning clock. The real directorial strength comes from Boyle’s willingness to trust a certain playfulness with his cast.

Michael Fassbender (X-Men, Inglorious Basterds) takes on the role of Jobs. He embraces all of the characteristics that we have been told about Jobs—the lack of empathy, the narcissism, the incredible creative focus—and mixes them with his own interpretation of the man. Jobs was a very visible person. His speech and mannerisms are well-known and Fassbender has no interest in mimicry. Always at his side throughout the film is Kate Winslet (Titanic, Revolutionary Road) playing Job’s confidant Joanna Hoffman. It is the perfect role for Winslet, taking full advantage of her talent for dialect and maturity as actor, as evidenced in the film’s final act with her matriarchal ultimatum to Jobs. Winslet stands out in a crowded field of talent. A narrative thread binding each act is the appearance of Job’s daughter Lisa and her mother backstage during each launch. Makenzie Moss, Ripley Sobo, and Perla Haney-Jardin play Lisa at the ages of four, eight and nineteen, with each young actress capably taking on the character’s growth. This narrative is an interesting choice for the film. The tepid relationship he has with his daughter seems to exist as a manifestation of Job’s struggle with his own adoption, to humanize him. Early on Jobs denies that he is her father, but the relationship grows over the course of the film to suggest that Lisa has been Job’s muse throughout. That Jobs’ inspiration for each of the devices he designed were in parallel with Lisa’s own growth, finally ending with Jobs looking at her before the iMac launch and stating that he “will put 500-1000 songs in her pocket,” replacing the worn Walkman she has been listening to the entire film. Jeff Daniels stands out as the former handpicked-by-Jobs Apple CEO John Sculley. Daniels (The Newsroom, Dumb and Dumber), just seems to get Sorkin’s words. His talents have always been underrated because he is natural and inviting, no matter the temperament and compass of the character he plays. Seth Rogan takes on the role of Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. This must be the hardest role to cast in recent history because no actor I have seen in any the Wozniak portrayals has been inviting.

Steve Jobs is an original look into three small moments in the life of a worldwide cultural icon.  One can imagine that it must be much easier to portray someone as powerful and wealthy as Jobs as a complete narcissist without fear of direct litigation. When he is on, Aaron Sorkin’s dialogue is a gift, and he is dead on in Steve Jobs. In the end, the problem is not with the film. It is an overwhelmingly entertaining and stylistic biography that touts an incredibly talented cast and helmed by one of a few directors who could capably tell this story. But when the lights come up after our tour behind the curtain, it doesn’t seem as special because we have been allowed behind this curtain too many times already.

Steve Jobs plays at the Nickelodeon Theater today through October 29^th. Showtimes and tickets can be found at www.nickelodeon.org.

Tamara Finkbeiner wins Audience Award at Jasper's 2nd Act Film Festival

 

Congratulations to Tamara Finkbeiner whose film Eva's Plug, won the Audience Award at Friday night's 2nd Act Film Festival sponsored by Jasper Magazine. Selected via audience ballot, the 2nd Act Film Festival Audience Award includes a check for $250, a First Draft editing program, and a one-of-a-kind trophy designed by Columbia artist, Matthew Kramer. According to film festival director Wade Sellers, "With any short film fest there are many films that could win an audience award, that was the same with this year's 2nd Act Film Fest. There is usually a film, however, that just connects with an audience in that room at that moment and that was the case with Tamara's film Eva's Plug. You could feel the energy and enthusiasm for the film build as it played. That experience is what 2nd Act is all about."

This was the second 2nd Act Film Festival (the first was in October 2013) which played once again to a capacity house at Tapp's Arts Center and included the films of 10 adjudicated filmmakers from South Carolina including Lucas Sams, Brian Harmon, Jason Stokes, Bessy Adut, Phyllis Jackson, Caletta Harris-Bailey, Bradley Wagster,  Dustin Weibel, Jordan Young, and Tamara Finkbeiner. The selected filmmakers, who applied to participate earlier this season, were chosen over other applicants based on their abilities and the freshness of the voice the jurors thought they would bring to the project. Jurors included Lee Ann Kornegay, Lee Snelgrove,  Caitlin Bright, Wade Sellers, and Cindi Boiter. 

"This year we put more pressure on ourselves to assist the filmmakers," Sellers says. "We offered script notes, production advice and assistance, and editorial suggestions once the films were turned in. As a whole the films were more diverse in voice and just better as a whole than our first event." Sellers is the owner and director of Coal Powered Filmworks, a three-time Emmy nominated filmmaker, and the film editor for Jasper Magazine.

In keeping with Jasper's efforts to foster a multi-disciplinary arts community, both visual artists and musicians played a part in the festival and its presentation.  Visual artist Michael Krajewski created an original painting which was used for the festival poster and program; visual artist Matthew Kramer created the Audience Award; and Pedro Ldv entertained festival attendees both before the event and during intermission. In addition, original music from several Columbia-based musicians, including Stan Gardner, Daniel Machado and more, was used as background music during the films themselves.

Columbia-based writer Don McCallister also served as a consultant on the first and third acts of the screenplay which was given to the filmmakers with the challenge that they write the second act and create a film, six minutes long or less, using all three acts. Participants in the 2013 2nd Act Film Festival including Ron Hagell and OK Keyes lent the knowledge of their experience to this year's filmmakers by consulting on films and screenplays.

In the aftermath of Columbia's devastating flood last week other artists including Michael Krajewski,  Bonnie Goldberg, Kara Gunter, Nancy Marine, and Sean McGuiness voluntarily stepped up and offered the fruits of their labors to benefit flood victims through a silent auction which generated $1060 which will be delivered to the Central Carolina Community Foundation. Two large bins of children's arts supplies was also collected from audience members for distribution to children effected by the flood.

The festival staff would like to thank Precision Overhead Garage Door Service, the Mouse House, Coal Powered Filmwork, and Bourbon Columbia for their sponsorship funds and services.

"It was exciting to see these ten filmmakers create these films," Sellers says, "and it only makes us more excited for the future of the event."