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The Lightfield Blog is taking a TEMPORARY BREAK
as we take time to RE-MODEL OUR SITE.
WE WILL be notifying you in the fall when we plan to relaunch!!
In the 14th-17th centuries, our world had The European Renaissance. In the 1920’s and 1930’s the U.S. had the Harlem Renaissance. These were periods of the greatest creativity with the arts, music, literature, visual art… People during these periods worked in a community creating artistic breakthroughs that would dramatically change our societies. One of the reasons why I think these are such incredible periods of history is because both began after long periods of struggle. The European Renaissance came after The Dark Ages. The Harlem Renaissance was born with a generation of African Americans who had seen slavery come to an end.
Yesterday, Lewis reflected on Nashville’s most imminent struggle, recovery from a devastating flood. He commented on the thousands of people, including artists who are taking steps to bring hope to this community. In a way, I am seeing this season in Nashville as the beginning of a new renaissance of creative compassion for this city. Our community is banding together using, their gifts to help others in desperate need. (E.g. Take a look or purchase this STELLAR designed T-Shirt, where 100% of proceeds benefit flood relief.)
Lewis left asking the question, will the creative community continue to serve Nashville in the weeks, months, and years to come? Right now, the heartache and struggle of the flood is right in front of us. What will happen when things begin to feel more “normal”?
Regardless of the type of trauma taking place, I have heard people describe a specific experience happening months after the traumatic event (I have also had the same experience on several occasions). When the certain disaster first occurs (whether be natural disaster, death, etc…) people pour in their care and concern. Eventually, after several months pass, people begin to forget. The victims oftentimes begin to feel forgotten and neglected. They still need the compassion and care they received at the onset of the traumatic event. Unfortunately, this need oftentimes goes unmet.
In Nashville, in the months to come, this same thing WILL OCCUR unless we make a decision NOW to continue caring in the months and years to come.
Lightfield was born with a desire to care for the community. For the past year, as we have continued to develop this organization, the primary output of Lightfield has been filtered through this blog. However, today will be the last of regular blogging until the fall. It is our desire to inspire artists to leverage their creative abilities with the purpose of serving and impacting their communities. And so, over the summer, that is exactly what we intend to do. As the summer comes, Lightfield plans to spend the majority of their time connecting with artists in the city providing opportunities to help play a part in continuing this renaissance of creative compassion.
The challenge we are giving ourselves, and invite you to join is to start today asking yourselves these questions: “How can I leverage my creative abilities to serve my community this next week, month, year…? What are some CONCRETE PLANS that I can make?
We look forward to being a part of this renaissance, and we look forward to seeing you there!
I know most of our readers hail from Nashville and are all too aware of the tragic floods that occurred last week. If you are not from Nashville and want more information on the flood, you can check it out here.
We have seen the pictures and many of us know families who have been devastated by this event. Even the “lucky” ones have water damage of some kind or have lost some personal belongings in the flood. Travel has been disrupted in every part of the city and Nashville’s ailing utility infrastructure is being pushed to maximum capacity. A water treatment plant was flooded, so Nashvillians have cut water usage by 50%. (if they haven’t, you can report them here :-0 ) The water is still receding and the recovery process is only beginning. All we have left is mud, sewage, ruined property and intense human suffering. Or is that all? Where do we go from here?
In watching the facebook/twitter accounts of my peers, it’s evident that a sense of camaraderie is taking shape in a powerful way. Random acts of kindness are popping up everywhere, whether it be buying a stranger a dehumidifier or letting a them use your truck to haul debris from their home. Nashvillians are coming together and rallying around their city and each other. It’s really amazing…and no, I haven’t added a twibbon to my twitter avatar yet, but I am getting there. As I watch, one of the most powerful effects of this event might be a resurgent belief that people really are kind and helpful and they love their city!
I want to ask another question. How will the artists of Nashville respond? There are benefit concerts going on all weekend for the next few weeks in and around our city, and that is fabulous. The money is needed. But will the ripples go beyond a few weeks? Will we use creativity to comfort, support and remember this flood for years to come? Will the flood be remembered for the art that was produced in its aftermath? Will art be a key way that this city processes all that has happened? I think this is a great opportunity for every artist in Nashville and Lightfield certainly hopes to play a part in all of it. In our next post, we will continue to think about these questions and look at ourselves for the answers.
In yesterday’s post, we began our list of eight films that can facilitate great discussion. Today we will complete this list featuring four international films. Let me give a brief predecessor for these next four films…If you’re looking for movies with fast paced scripts and conclusive film endings…these four films may not be for you. However, the pace of these films are executed with exceptional intentionality and taste. You’ll find many great moments with these films in the small details and space between dialogue. Each movie can facilitate tremendous conversations. I highly recommend all four, so here they are!
1. The Son (Belgium)
A film about a man who teaches carpentry to teenage boys in a community center/rehabilitation program. Without giving too many details, he encounters a boy who is connected to his past in some way and this new student/teacher relationship could drastically change both of their lives. (Netflix members can stream the movie HERE. This movie is hard to find to rent, but you can easily purchase it for about $5 HERE.)
Why is this film worth your time?
This film has tension that slowly builds from the first minute of the film until the final scene. In the midst of this thriller-esque movie, the story digs into some incredibly deep aspects of human nature.
“To call The Son a masterpiece would be to insult its modesty. Like the homely, useful boxes Olivier teaches his prodigals to build, it is sturdy, durable and, in its downcast, unobtrusive way, miraculous.” A.O. Scott, The New York Times
“It is as assured and flawless a telling of sadness and joy as I have ever seen.” Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Discussion topics include:
1. The tension that exists between the desire to forgive and the longing for revenge
2. The communal power of education
2. Summer Hours (France)
A film about a three siblings and the grieving process that takes place after their mother dies.
Why is this film worth your time?
This simple story allows us to visit the subject of bereavement without having to feel overwhelmed by their grief. A major aspect of this story deals with the choices the families have to make with their mother’s estate, and this part of the film is definitely engaging as we reflect the importance of another person’s “things”.
“Summer Hours is a lovely rumination on the meaning of things, but one that remains rooted in its human subjects rather than the inanimate objects that are more easily graspable.” Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
“Brims with life and loveliness even as it meditates on the loss of childhood.” Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
Discussion topics include:
1. The family/collaborative process of grieving the loss of a parent
2. The importance of “things/heirlooms”.
3. The Pool (India)
This film (actually directed by American documentary filmmaker, Chris Smith) tells a story about a Indian teenager whose job as a maintenance worker is frequently distracted by his interest with the private swimming pool next door.
Why is this film worth your time?
This movie allows us to be a fly on the wall with a particular culture that most of us have never visited. This teenage boy trapped in poverty, forms a relationship with his wealthy neighbors, and we get to see how these relationships impact his self-concept and perspective of the world around him.
“Uplifting without a drop of sap, the tale of a boy’s obsession with a glittering swimming pool and how it changes four lives offers numerous pleasures and one of the most satisfying and resonant conclusions to be seen in recent cinema.” Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter
Discussion topics include:
1. A great conversation can be found in the general observations of this world very unfamiliar to us
2. How does American class-separation compare/contrast with the class-separation we witness in this film?
4. Nobody Knows (Japan)
A film (based on a true story) of four children living alone in an apartment for months without any adults being aware of their lack of parental care.
Why is this film worth your time?
This is an incredible story told with subtlety and eloquent detail. The acting ability of the children (in particular the oldest boy) is something that has to be witnessed (not an ounce of over-acting, and by the way, the oldest son won best Actor for this film at Cannes in 2004) The story breaks your heart without feeling emotionally manipulated. You care for these children, and you wonder why the majority of their surrounding community ignores their solitude.
“…Hirokazu [the director] finds a gentle…mesmerizing way to convey the connection among the children, and to admire the society they build” Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
“In a sense, “Nobody Knows”is a troubling counterview to Peter Pan. It tells us the child’s world of make-believe simply cannot exist without adults.” Desson Thomson, The Washington Post
Discussion topics include:
1. The value of family and the importance of parenthood.
2. How does this film influence the way you view children you know or encounter in public?
Those are the EIGHT FILMS. Each movie has its own weight and deserves a good week to reflect and discuss. I hope these films encourage great conversations. Happy viewing!!
By the way, NETFLIX MEMBERS CAN STREAM ALL OF THEM!
I believe that film is one of the great facilitators of thought and conversation. Schindler’s List, Kramer vs. Kramer, To Kill a Mockingbird…these are only a few of many films that have served as catalysts of discussion for so many people over the years. Conversations like these can oftentimes be facets that facilitate life and/or societal change.
Over the next two days, I will be listing eight movies that I believe serve as excellent discussion starters.
We’ll start with FOUR documentaries today.
1. Deep Water:
A story about the first yacht race around the world that took place in 1969, focusing primarily on a participant named Donald Crowhurst whose voyage led him down a path towards madness.
Why is this film worth your time?
This film will engage you from beginning to end, and take you on a psychological journey you might not expect to come from a film like this.
“…one of this years better studies of the human soul” G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
“the film evokes a visceral understanding of solitude at sea”, Toddy Burton, The Austin Chronicle
Discussion topics include:
1. The tension between our human need for solitude and a need for community
2. How our personal aspirations can test our character
2. A Walk to Beautiful
A film about several Ethiopian woman and their journey seeking personal and physical healing from obstetric fistulas, an injury that takes place after a failed childbirth.
Why is this film worth your time?
This heartbreaking documentary takes you to a place of empathy with individuals who live in a drastically different cultural context than our own.
“A Walk to Beautiful will leave you speechless two times over — first with despair, then with joy.” Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times-qtd. in Metacritic.com
Discussion topics include:
1. How does serving others impact the soul?
2. How does our blindness to international issues impact us and others?
You can watch the entire film here!
3. Moving Midway
A film exploring a family that moves their southern plantation home from one location to another in efforts to preserve the cultural mystique of the house.
Why is this film worth your time?
This movie challenges us to explore how our generational and cultural backgrounds impact the way we view others.
“In its 98 minutes, film critic Godfrey Cheshire’s documentary “Moving Midway” records an amazing architectural feat, and that’s the least of its virtues.” Maureen M. Hart, Chicago Tribune
“[This film's director turns] this deeply personal film into a potent meditation on our nation’s past.” Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
Discussion topics include:
1. How do you see America’s “old south”?
2. How has your family upbringing impacted your view of the American south?
3. How important to you is the idea of the “family legacy”?
4. Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport
A film about the 10,000 Jewish children that left their families as refugees to England in order to escape the impending doom of Nazi power.
Why is this film worth your time?
This movie is engaging, haunting, horrific, and inspiring. It’s another story from our global history that must be told and must be heard (Won the Academy Award for Best Documentary 2000). I never knew this story until I saw this film.
“…the film gives a human face to stories of unimaginable suffering and unexpected triumph.” Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
“…proves there are Holocaust stories still to be told.” Mike Clark, USA Today-qtd. in Metacritic.com
Discussion topics include:
1. One lady in this film talks about how remembering history is not enough. How do you believe this to be true?
2. How can this story taking place almost 70 years ago impact us today?
CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR FOUR MORE GREAT DISCUSSION STARTING FILMS!!
Insecurity has always created a heightened awareness of detail in my musical career and it is, frankly, exhausting. I’ve written before about music and its ability to transcend. There is something special when a performer seemingly gets lost in the music and you get lost with them. When I am playing, this rarely happens.
My musical satisfaction is much greater in those moments where I feel like I’m really able to just let go and play. But most of the time, I find my focus on the details, the notes, what passage or movement is coming next. This isn’t even because I don’t know the music, because I do; I just can’t turn my brain off. It’s possible but these events are the exception, not the norm.
I’m wondering what the answer is. How do I consistently turn off and let it happen? I don’t know, but I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Insecurity has always created a heightened awareness of detail in my musical career and it is, frankly, exhausting. I’ve written before about music and its ability to transcend. There is something special when a performer seemingly gets lost in the music and you get lost with them. When I am playing, this rarely happens.
My musical satisfaction is much greater in those moments where I feel like I’m really able to just let go and play. But most of the time, I find my focus on the details, the notes, what passage or movement is coming next. This isn’t even because I don’t know the music, because I do; I just can’t turn my brain off. It’s possible but these events are the exception, not the norm.
I’m wondering what the answer is. How do I consistently turn off and let it happen? I don’t know, but I’d love to hear your thoughts.
I have learned that the quality of a performance is often a matter of perception. Be it taking in a concert or considering my own performances as a musician, I find my perception often varies greatly from those around me. This was very clear to me this past weekend.
My family and I traveled to Baltimore for my cousin’s wedding. It was a small, outdoor event and I was asked to provide the music. My cousin requested a number of traditional classical pieces I had either never played or not attempted to play in many years, and in the weeks leading up to the wedding, I found learning them quite challenging. The day of the wedding, I reminded myself that just because I wasn’t performing the pieces up to what I considered a concert standard, the people at this wedding would never know the difference. It was cold that afternoon, my hands were stiff, and I certainly hoped this was the case.
Throughout the wedding, I was well aware of every mistake I made. I even forgot part of one of the songs and improvised until I could remember what came next, hoping and praying no one would notice or find it distracting. When it was over, I talked to various members of my family, including my wife who frequently hears me play the guitar, and they all had kind, encouraging things to say. None of them held my performance to the same standard that I did, and honestly, they probably enjoyed hearing the music more than I enjoyed playing it. I was caught up in the technicalities; they were caught up in the event.
I found myself wondering what it would take for me to let go and give in to the atmosphere of the event. Tomorrow, I’m going to dig a little deeper into that idea.
I have learned that the quality of a performance is often a matter of perception. Be it taking in a concert or considering my own performances as a musician, I find my perception often varies greatly from those around me. This was very clear to me this past weekend.
My family and I traveled to Baltimore for my cousin’s wedding. It was a small, outdoor event and I was asked to play acoustic guitar before and during the ceremony. My cousin requested a number of traditional classical pieces I had either never played or not attempted to play in many years, and in the weeks leading up to the wedding, I found learning them quite challenging. The day of the wedding, I reminded myself that just because I wasn’t performing the pieces up to what I considered a concert standard, the people at this wedding would never know the difference. It was cold that afternoon, my hands were stiff, and I certainly hoped this was the case.
Throughout the wedding, I was well aware of every mistake I made. I even forgot part of one of the songs and improvised until I could remember what came next, hoping and praying no one would notice or find it distracting. When it was over, I talked to various members of my family, including my wife who frequently hears me play the guitar, and they all had kind, encouraging things to say. None of them held my performance to the same standard that I did, and honestly, they probably enjoyed hearing the music more than I enjoyed playing it. I was caught up in the technicalities; they were caught up in the event.
I found myself wondering what it would take for me to let go and give in to the atmosphere of the event. Tomorrow, I’m going to dig a little deeper into that idea.
Don’t know if you’re like me, but the summer movie season is something I look forward to every year. Jurassic Park, Forrest Gump, The Dark Knight all huge summer movies and all hugely entertaining. Oscar contenders? Not often…but,, you can be sure that summer movies will provide an over-the-top, carefree, amusement park ride for two hours of your day.
Sometimes the plethora of summer movies can be overwhelming, so to get you prepped, we’ve provided you a collection of 10 trailers from 10 movies coming out this summer. Do they have potential for summer movie greatness? Are you eagerly anticipating their release? Are you overwhelmingly cynical of their release? You be the judge.
Yesterday, Disney’s Lyric Street Records announced their plans to close their operations. This record company is home to several country music artists such as Rascal Flatts and former American Idol contestant, Bucky Covington.
While Rascal Flatts will be transferred to another Disney owned record label, most likely, other artists will be left to pursue their careers by themselves.
This leads to a question that we would love to hear feedback…
On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being the least….) how great of an importance does money play in the creative process?
In keeping with the classical theme this week, today’s Hi-Fi Friday features what may be the single most famous piece of music created out of personal pain. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (DUM DUM DUM DUUUUM!!) is an entirely essential piece of music, from symphony repertories to a child’s first piano lesson. Often called the “Fate’s Symphony”, I once considered the piece a joke of sorts, thanks in large part to “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and the serial “Beethoven” family movies, but my music history professor set the record straight.
Many scholars consider Beethoven to be the greatest composer to have ever lived. Mozart composed so quickly and prolifically he often failed to connect the stems to his notes, but Beethoven famously labored over his scores, his manuscripts marked with coffee stains and eraser marks. And where Mozart composed dozens of symphonic works and hundreds of pieces in his lifetime, Beethoven only composed 9 symphonies. Even still, he is the only composer to typically have an entire chapter devoted to him in music history textbooks.
But if there is anything Beethoven is famous for apart from his music, it is that he was deaf, but Beethoven wasn’t born that way. His career was well established, his brilliance as a composer lauded across Europe, before his hearing began to fade. I can only imagine how hard it would have been to come to terms with this. Obviously, though, Beethoven collected himself and poured all of his frustration and determination in his 5th Symphony. Hence the nickname.
As we’ve considered creation in the midst of personal pain, give this a listen. Have a great weekend.
In keeping with the classical theme this week, today’s Hi-Fi Friday features what may be the single most famous piece of music created out of personal pain. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (DUM DUM DUM DUUUUM!!) is an entirely essential piece of music, from symphony repertories to a child’s first piano lesson. Often called the “Fate’s Symphony”, I once considered the piece a joke of sorts, thanks in large part to “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and the serial “Beethoven” family movies, but my music history professor set the record straight.
Many scholars consider Beethoven to be the greatest composer to have ever lived. Mozart composed so quickly and prolifically he often failed to connect the stems to his notes, but Beethoven famously labored over his scores, his manuscripts marked with coffee stains and eraser marks. And where Mozart composed dozens of symphonic works and hundreds of pieces in his lifetime, Beethoven only composed 9 symphonies. Even still, he is the only composer to typically have an entire chapter devoted to him in music history textbooks.
But if there is anything Beethoven is famous for apart from his music, it is that he was deaf, but Beethoven wasn’t born that way. His career was well established, his brilliance as a composer lauded across Europe, before his hearing began to fade. I can only imagine how hard it would have been to come to terms with this. Obviously, though, Beethoven collected himself and poured all of his frustration and determination in his 5th Symphony. Hence the nickname.
As we’ve considered creation in the midst of personal pain, give this a listen. Have a great weekend.
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