South Florida Filmmaker

Short Film: Go Back To The 80s with Jessie’s Girl

Dan Perez — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:00:54 +0000

Last month, I was invited to shoot a video for one of New York City's hottest 80s cover bands, Jessie's Girl. Their "Back To The Eighties" show at Canal Room has been hailed as "one of the best things to do in New York on a Saturday night" by Time Out New York. The band, which is made up of some of NYC's best musicians and singers, is managed by Canal Room owner Marcus Linial and has performed onstage with 80s superstars like Bret Michaels, MC Hammer, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, Colin Hay (Men At Work), Naughty By Nature, Tone Loc, and many others.

This short documentary-style film I produced along with my brother Ruben not only takes a candid look at the rather surprising personalities behind the band but features some colorful live performance footage that illustrates why this dynamic show has grown in popularity over the past four years. Oh, and if you happen to be in New York and haven't done so already, check out the definitive 80s experience that is Jessie's Girl. Enjoy the video...

Click here to view the embedded video.

Jessie's Girl are:

Eric (Guitar), Sky (Keyboards), Drew (Bass), Mike (Drums), Mark/Jenna/Chris (Vocals)

Produced & Directed by Dan Perez & Ruben Perez

Shot & Edited by Dan Perez

Music by Small Colin and Pinklogik via freemusicarchive.org

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Le Poisson Rouge Celebrates Five Years in New York City (Video)

Dan Perez — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:55:01 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

(Le) Poisson Rouge (often referred to as LPR) is a music venue and multimedia art cabaret in New York City founded in 2008 by classical musicians David Handler and Justin Kantor on the former site of the historic Village Gate. The venue is dedicated to the fusion of popular and art cultures in music, film, theater, dance, and fine art. And it hasn't gone unnoticed. The New York Times heralded LPR as "a forward-thinking venue that seeks to showcase disparate musical styles under one roof" and "the coolest place to hear contemporary music", while the Los Angeles Times hailed LPR as "a downright musical marvel."

Kantor and Handler, who met at Manhattan School of Music, had a vision of establishing a venue that offered the highest quality eclectic programming; focusing on classical, avant-garde music, indie rock, and jazz, but also playing host to readings, comedy, film, DJs, theater, and even burlesque. The adjoining gallery space - The Gallery at LPR - functions as an art gallery, secondary bar, and event space and allows the venue to offer a variety of performance set-ups from a seated classical performance to a standing DJ set.

Le Poisson Rouge also changed the classical music landscape, creating a new environment in which to experience art music and in so doing expanded the classical music listenership with the formation of Ensemble LPR, an elite assemblage of the finest New York-based concert musicians. Under the direction of Tito Muñoz, increasingly recognized as one of the most gifted conductors of his generation, Ensemble LPR personifies Le Poisson Rouge’s commitment to aesthetic diversity and artistic excellence.

There’s also a history to the space that can’t be denied. The Village Gate opened to the public back in 1958 and featured such musicians as John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins, Billie Holiday, The Velvet Underground, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Jimi Hendrix, Nina Simone, and Aretha Franklin, who made her first New York appearance there. Moreover, LPR’s state-of-the art performance space, endowed with recording studio-level acoustics and a 5.1 surround sound system, was engineered by the legendary John Storyk of The Walters-Storyk Design Group (WSDG) who completed Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Studios in New York City in 1969 and has since designed private studios for Bob Marley, Alicia Keys, and Jay-Z.

As a video producer, I'm always looking to sink my teeth into projects that not only challenge my creativity but that I'll enjoy. Having already produced a series of videos for the venue over the past year and a half, I must say I've gotten my fill of both; especially being the music lover that I am. So, if you haven’t done so already, scroll back up and check out the five year anniversary video I produced that features interviews with founders David Handler and Justin Kantor as well as highlights from the past five years by acts like Florence and the Machine, Norah Jones, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, Atoms for Peace, Marc Ribot and the legendary Yo-Yo Ma (to name just a few). Enjoy...

THANK YOU

to David, Justin and the whole staff at Le Poisson Rouge for their great hospitality and cooperation; Dustin Nelson, LPR Marketing Director, for arranging the interviews and for supplying the additional video footage; and an extra special thank you to my "baby brother" Ruben Perez - this video most certainly would not have been half as good (or as fun to make) without your involvement. Cheers!

PHOTOGRAPHS (FROM TOP)

ACME plays the complete quartets of Steve Reich by Mark Shelby Perry

Atoms for Peace by Lina Shteyn

Ensemble LPR and the Wordless Music Orchestra by Mark Shelby Perry

Florence and the Machine by Ryan Muir

Doveman by Alexis Sumsion

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Comments

Wow Dan I feel like I am there, oh wait I was! Cool to see the ... by Joseph Ruiz

MCH Anywhere: Cutting-Edge Technology meets Global Healthcare

Dan Perez — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 15:00:47 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Miami Children’s Hospital (MCH) is delivering specialized pediatric healthcare on a 24/7 basis to virtually any location in the world with its cutting-edge MCH Anywhere initiative. Located on the hospital’s main campus and staffed by experienced pediatric specialists, the MCH Global Telemedicine Command Center is a 2,400-square-foot working area with advanced two-way voice, data and video technology with the capacity to send and receive high-resolution visual images, radiology reports, laboratory tests and other information.

Utilizing the hospital's high-speed broadband wireless network and advanced contact center technology, the specialists staffing the MCH command center can consult with local physicians, nurses or other medical professionals; examine pediatric patients, provide diagnoses, counsel children and parents, write e-prescriptions, and consult with EMTs or paramedics preparing a child for emergency air ambulance transport.

MCH is deploying an integrated suite of specially equipped iPads, medical kiosks, mobile robots, mobile medical carts, and mobile "field kits" for remote global locations. All these devices have interactive audio and video features purpose-fit for specific telemedicine uses and fully integrated to the MCH data network. Data captured by these mobile and stationary devices would also be incorporated into a patient’s electronic medical record (EMR).

I've been producing videos for Miami Children's Hospital for over five years now and I must say I was pretty excited about this particular video shoot. I mean, the telehealth center is pretty darn cool. Of course, I can go on and on about MCH Anywhere and the global healthcare technology it introduces but I think I'll just let my video do the talking, yes? So if you haven't watched it already, scroll back up the page and check it out...

You can view my other Miami Children's Hospital videos HERE.

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Video of the Week: “AT-AT Day Afternoon”

Dan Perez — Thu, 30 May 2013 14:53:40 +0000

Buddy the Mischievous Pug), the AT-AT. You know, the primary assault vehicle during the Battle of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back? Well, French Canadian stop-motion animation filmmaker Patrick Boivin has turned this behemoth of a war machine into a house pet that would be the pride and joy of any dog lover. Seriously.

Just watch it. Woof.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Oh, and here's the "Making of AT-At Day Afternoon" for all you stop-motion buffs. Enjoy...

Click here to view the embedded video.

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V.A.C.C. Camp: Memorial Service for a Fallen Camper (Video)

Dan Perez — Sun, 26 May 2013 20:23:44 +0000

Miami Children's Hospital and V.A.C.C. Camp, a free week-long overnight camp for ventilation assisted children hosted by Miami Children's Hospital each Spring. My most recent film, V.A.C.C. Camp: Camp Can-Do, documents the 25th anniversary year of this most special camp and is currently making a film festival run.

One of the sobering realities of V.A.C.C. Camp is that in many cases, life expectancy for these special needs children isn't very long. Since the making of the film in 2010, we have already lost three campers (two of which appeared in the film). One of those who left us this past April is one of the most popular of the campers, Tyler Fauerbach.

I was asked by the Fauerbach family to record the memorial service, which took place at Providence Road Church in Miami. Here's a video recap of a service that reminded all those who attended of the impact a child bound to a wheelchair, who needed the aid of a ventilator to breathe...could make on the lives of so many people.

Click here to view the embedded video.

NOTE: V.A.C.C. Camp: Camp Can-Do will screen at the ReelHeART International Film Festival in Toronto on Tuesday, June 25th, 2013.

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Movie Poster REDUX: Comic Book Movie Art by Nathan Thomas Milliner

Dan Perez — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:00:41 +0000

Nathan Thomas Milliner decided he wanted to make comic books after watching 1989's "Batman". After publishing his own set of graphic novels and horror comic "Girl Number Three" which was adapted to film in 2009, Nathan has recently published Volume One of his Monsters and Madmen artbook series.

Enjoy the movie posters...

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Fear and Loathing in the Social Media Space: An Observation

Dan Perez — Sun, 19 May 2013 17:00:35 +0000

A few times, yes?

Now, how many times has said post actually named a particular person? Identified by name the object of their scorn and/or frustration?

Not too often.

This past week, I came across yet another such post titled "Is it time to embrace the social media faker?" by Matt Ridings, a popular internet marketing consultant. In the post, he calls out the authenticity of "this guy" (and “others like him”) in the social media business scene whose garnered quite the online reputation but, in the opinion of Mr. Ridings, “tweets nothing unique”, “writes nothing original” and seems “more concerned about image than reality”. Fighting words for sure.

Unfortunately, at least for me, this nefarious person’s name is never mentioned in the post. Why?

Now, I don’t know Mr. Ridings personally but I’ll hazard a guess that he didn’t want to shit where he sleeps; divide the so-called “leadership” of the social media world and have people choose sides. Perhaps, he’s concerned that he’ll be excommunicated from the social media fraternity; cast out like the leper. Maybe he just feels it ain’t nice to call people out publicly.

Then why write the post?

Sure it’ll get you plenty of, “I totally agree with you!” comments but is it really effective in creating change? If there's this level of frustration in the social media space with who’s a real expert, a perceived expert, or a poseur (and it has existed for quite some time now), how the heck is anything supposed to change if these frustrated people don't start not only identifying those who frustrate them but, more importantly, explaining why?

Without the name, it’s merely sound and fury signifying nothing. Barking without the bite. Blog fodder.

It's really not a matter of whether Mr. Ridings is right or wrong in his observations about "this guy" but at least it presents an opposing viewpoint; another perspective for folks to consider. I mean, a large percentage of people on the social media space are just sheep and/or stupid; you just have to show up with 100,000+ twitter followers and many of them will follow you like the rats enchanted by the sweet melody of the Pied Piper.

Most of them won’t bother checking your past history, real work experience or credentials anyway. Heck, if you’ve got that many twitter followers, you’ve gotta be pretty dang smart!

One-eyed Jacks is what they are - why not show the sheep the other side of the card?

We have no problem publicly expressing our views and engaging in healthy (and heated) debates on politics, religion, gun control, immigration, etc - but when it comes to social media, it appears it's better to stay shut and keep your social media club membership than to speak out against the practices of an industry whose credibility has fallen just short of used car sales. And guess what? It's the fault of its own "leadership" that it has become so.

Again, it ain’t about who's right and who's wrong – it’s about giving people something else to consider.

Maybe one of the sheep will say, “Gee, I never thought of that” or “Wow, why didn’t that guy ever disclose that?” or “Boy, I’m glad Mr. Ridings pointed that out about how that guy handles his business – I’m gonna go find someone else to follow and this time, I’m gonna do my homework!”

"Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" John 9:25

Ridings, when asked in the comments section of his post why he didn’t name a name, defended the point of his post as merely “that internal struggle with my dislike for something I find distasteful with the objective point of view that perhaps it can sometimes drive positive change.”

You wanna really drive positive change? Start naming names. It may make for an awkward situation if you and the person you call out are both attending the same social media conference but if you’re gonna take issue with how a person handles their business then give them a smile and a bro-hug at SXSW or Blogworld, then you’re a just a hypocrite anyway, right? Why not just draw a line in the sand and choose your side?

{But Dan, many of these social media "A-listers" are used to having their egos stroked by their following - they're a bunch of thin-skinned cry-babies who take the slightest disagreement with their ideology as a personal attack and sic their zombies on you, call you a "hater", say that you're just "jealous", "trying to make a name for yourself", mock you to their followers (Guy Kawasaki, anyone?) or even ban you from ever commenting on their blog again!}

So what?

If these people are gonna proclaim themselves as experts by merely regurgitating the words of Dale Carnegie, Jim Rohn, and Stephen Covey; label themselves as "thought leaders" by introducing fantastic ideologies that are totally disconnected from reality, and write "How To" business books despite never having held an executive position in any company AND PUT IT OUT THERE FOR THE WHOLE DANG WORLD TO SEE - shouldn't we be able to challenge its validity? Yes. Yes we should.

If not, then keep silent and simply repeat to yourself over and over again the words of Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone in “The Godfather II”, “This is the business we’ve chosen" - and then go write a post about Klout or something.

People love those, too.

Now, where's my "Serpico" dvd?

[Photographs by George Christakis]

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Comments

I have binders full of sheep..does that make me a sheppard? by David McGraw
Agree. I think he made a good point there. I've never believed ... by danperezfilms
Wait, I thought you were *my* proof that we can make people see ... by Steve Birkett
After reading all these comments, I'm feeling like maybe it ... by danperezfilms
The problem is that you'll get the dogs sicced on you. The ... by danperezfilms
Plus 5 more...

Video of the Week: “Reflection New York”

Dan Perez — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:26:46 +0000

This week's video is a unique look at New York City through the eyes and lens of French director Paul Mignot. It's a quest of pictures and portraits, the night disappearing for a new day...a new beginning.

It's pretty damn cool. Just watch it...

Click here to view the embedded video.

You can see other works from Mignot's "Mood Collection" HERE.

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Touching Miami with Love: Empowering Children & Families (VIDEO)

Dan Perez — Sun, 12 May 2013 17:00:11 +0000

Touching Miami with Love has been empowering the families of Overtown since 1995. Located just northwest of Downtown Miami, Overtown, an area that once thrived as the center for commerce and entertainment in the African American community in Miami and South Florida during the late 19th through the mid-20th century, has become one of the poorest and most crime-ridden neighborhoods in the state of Florida. The area experienced serious economic decline from the late 1950s through the 1960s with the construction of interstate highways like I-95 and the Dolphin Expressway. The-controversial urban renewal decimated the population by nearly 80 percent from roughly 50,000 to just over 10,000 today.

The children and youth of that beleaguered community need a safe haven from the negative influences and a place to develop essential life skills. Touching Miami with Love is that place.

The husband and wife team of Jason and Angel Pittman, who serve as the center's director and assistant director, have been serving inner city communities for the past 20 years. The Pittmans and their two sons, ages 9 and 14, live in one of Overtown’s small developments. "We think it's important to live in the place that we work", says Touching Miami with Love's director Jason Pittman. "Some of the practical reasons are really to experience what the folks that we work with experience."

I got to meet the good folks at TML while doing a short video shoot of TML's assistant director Angel Pittman for the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce's "Business Women of the Year" awards luncheon. I was so enthralled by their mission that I returned to shoot a longer version of the video. Here it is - hope you enjoy it.

Oh, and help spread the word, yes? Thanks, in advance...

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Video of the Week: “What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains”

Dan Perez — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:50:19 +0000

Epipheo Studios interviewed acclaimed technology and culture writer Nicholas Carr, the author of "The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains," about how the Internet is influencing us. Carr's book, which was a finalist for the 2011 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction, elaborates on Carr's own celebrated essay "Is Google Making Us Stupid?", which he wrote for The Atlantic back in 2008.

With the Internet encouraging the rapid, distracted sampling of small bits of information from many sources, are losing is our capacity for concentration, contemplation, and reflection? The results will astound you...

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here's a bonus video hosted by Kole Ross, the producer of "What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains", which gives you a "behind the scenes" tour of the hidden aspects of that video...

Click here to view the embedded video.

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South Florida Filmmaker

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