Winter 2008
ELF PRODUCTIONS
Ellyn Maybe
IN THIS ISSUE
VOL. 1: Exploring the Creative Impulse A Personal Memoir: Jessi Adam
Going Deeper with the iPhone
Lost & Found by Jeff Scher
Elf Productions Quarterly explores the creative impulse through stories, articles, interviews, photography, and visual art. We hope to inspire you and encourage creative expression that uplifts and contributes to community.
To see the world in a grain of sand, and to see heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hands, and eternity in an hour. -William Blake
Editor Contributors
Jan Manon Jessi Adam Thomas Bache-Wiig Ellyn Maybe Jeff Scher
Photography
Jan Manon Jessi Adam
Film: The Animated Life: Lost and Found | New York Times Video
“Lost and Found”
JEFFSCHER
I
NSIDE THIS ISSUE
Sail Away: A Travel Back in Time
7
Featured Artist: Ellyn Maybe
8
This Is Green
10
A Personal Memoir: Jessi Adam
12
An Exploration of Story - Part I
16
Film Frames by Jeff Scher
17
Going Deeper with the iPhone
18
Collaborations A Tribute to A Legend: Paul Newman
19
21
Work We Believe In
22
Sail Away Travel Back In Time
All images courtesy of Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum and Steve Gittelman.
How would you like to travel around the world aboard a sailboat? What would it feel like to travel aboard one of the world’s most luxurious ships around the world filming people and destinations with the last Vanderbilt that ran the legendary railroad empire? Elf Productions’ latest collaboration with Steve Gittelman, the chairman of the Vanderbilt Museum, explores just that.
In 1931, William Kissam Vanderbilt II fondly known as “Willie K.” set sail aboard his ship Alva, named after his mother, with his wife Rosamund, friends, and two members of the American Society of Cinematography (ASC.) One of the Hollywood cinematographers, a young man at the time, would write long letters back home about
his journey around the world and all the amazing sights he saw in some of the most remote areas of the world. Our book is of a coffee table style format, with gorgeous vintage photographs taken from that era, along with the letters, and detailed commentary.
www.vanderbiltmuseum.org
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Featured Artist: Ellyn Maybe Cinema Dance By Ellyn Maybe
We are one tin can line away from the sky. We need our exuberance more than our math. We need to let our lights shine. Cinema Dance is the longest magic hour.
Cinema plus dance Invocation, fezzes, hot chocolate UNESCO barrier reefs Unseen Griffin Deer crossed with horse a hybrid‌just like us we come from all over the Globe shaken like a snow crusted city in a Medieval handstand.
Let us leave a bread trail. Our bread crumbs are evident. Feeding the soul is society's true hunger. Dobre Chut!!!
We gleefully take towns by storm with our Merry Prankster bus selves 3 and a half days of cameras, ping pong and pivo. We compose a shot list from confetti. We are part speed of light Jules and Jim at midnight We resist the temptation to crawl into the world and pull our psyches over our heads. In a universe where dance ruled, we'd see fewer body bags. We are Cinemascope. Chromakey with chromosomes. We are taking back the ozone layer that tries to stomp artists out and put them in tiny flowery picket places. We go where others have gone and others will go. Van Gogh and Truffaut danced once. It's an everlasting dance.
This poem is from Praha and the Poet Copyright 2006 Ellyn Maybe www.ellynmaybe.com
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“A poem is a scream that lasts.� - Ellyn Maybe
Photography by Lenka Minkowski
Parallel Universe By Ellyn Maybe
Sometimes I wonder if there are one million people listening at the same time to the same Leonard Cohen song. the one that keeps people from killing themselves It's a long playing record It's a long song Where do people play each other the songs that will keep them standing when one foot in front of the other is more myth than practice? I once tried to play Beware of Darkness by George Harrison for a friend, cause its beauty and pain were singular at that moment and I wanted to share I wanted us to hear as close as we could the same thing and make of it what we would He said he heard that song when it first came out and ran out to smoke a cigarette We lost something in that moment I listen to music alone, but I imagine there are sharp notes bending the backs of the universe into more flexibility, more love, more tenderness, more a capella chiropractors Somebody is strumming 3 basic chords and somebody will live through the night. This poem is from Putting My 2 Cents In Copyright 1999 Ellyn Maybe
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Empowering the Consumer Wondering what kind of soap to buy that is gentle on you and on the environment? Looking to find ways to save on your electricity bill? Trying to figure out how to green up your office or home? This Is Green www.thisisgreen.com can help. This Is Green is a new website dedicated to providing consumers with information on green products so that they can make informed decisions. Offering detailed product reviews, articles, videos, and interviews with eco-friendly businesses and entrepreneurs, This Is Green has a simple interface, while being chock-full of good information. This Is Green has interviewed various CEOs of green businesses that follow sustainable practices such as Tom Szasky of Terracycle www.terracycle.net, a company that recycles biodegradable waste into gardening and household products and Valerie Reddmann, the CEO of Greenfeet www.greenfeet.com, an online retailer of green products.
“Our goal is to help the consumer make informed choices.” Thomas Bache-Wiig, Co-Founder of This Is Green (TIG)
Some Interesting Facts: 1 tree = 20 air conditioners 1 acre of forest = 6 tons of CO2
www.thisisgreen.com Eco Actions This Is Green has a unique system of rating products using the following set of “ecoactions.”
zBoards (on left) is the innovation of Way Basics. Made from paper, zBoards is solid and structurally sound and manufactured in an environmentally sound process that turnes post-consumer recycled paper into strong boards weighing up to 62% less than particle board. Water-resistant and easy to clean, zBoards is just one of many products featured on This Is Green.
Conserve Energy
Conserve Water
Reduce Waste/ Recycle Lower Toxicity Decrease My Carbon Footprint Save Money
http://thisisgreen.com/news.aspx?news=51
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A Personal Memoir: Jessi Adam
EPQUARTERLY December 2008
A Personal Memoir: JESSI ADAM
To have the patience to wait for the right moment, gives you the courage not to be disappointed with what you encounter.
After leaving her home in small town Iowa on a trip abroad, Jessi Adam found herself wanting to keep traveling way beyond her initial plans. Extending her stay, she continued to travel around the world, visiting many remote locations in a trip that would take two years and completely change her life. Returning home in 2008, Jessi was determined to share her story. “Getting things out,” says Jessi, “really does make a person feel better.” Her voyage was a very personal one and as she traveled to Vietnam, Indonesia, India, and Nepal, she found that she was letting go of a way of living that she had known all her life and embracing new thoughts and feelings. Her journey was a soul-searching one and at times was quite exhausting, both physically and mentally. Jessi’s enthusiasm for life and her joie de vivre is contagious. Warm hearted and vivacious, she is also thoughtful and introspective. “Forgiving yourself and others is huge too,” she adds. “For me, it’s been a cleansing process. When you have someone to talk to or you write down your own thoughts and feelings, you will be truly amazed at how much better you feel. Saying and speaking the truth is a lot more fulfilling than running away from your own lies and fears.” “Writing this book on my own life has been an investment into the self. Someday, I hope to share my story with my children. For now, I would
Jessi Adam
like to share it with the world in hopes of inspiring others to do what they have always wanted to do. I just truly in my heart want to make other people happy. Giving is so affirming. It makes you feel so good when you give. I am not talking about a dollar amount but rather an “emotional giving” where you can encourage and help others believe in themselves and in our world.” “I think it is good to get things out. It is part of living your own truth, where you find a way to forgive yourself and others for your past mistakes. This is when peace can finally come to you, to your own heart!” “Seeing all the different cultures and the way other people live has made me appreciate my life so much! I went from being a person who thought material things made me happy to knowing that happiness actually comes from deep inside yourself.”
Jessi Adam photographer & writer
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Images: Sunset in Pokhara, Nepal (2007) Page 11; Street in Beijing, China (2006) Page 12; Sunset in Nha Trang, Vietnam (2006) Page 13; Taj Mahal in Agra, India (2007) Page 14 ; Jessi herself (2008) Page 14; Monkey atop Batur Volcano, Bali (2006) Left, Page 15; Child wishing peace in Nusa Lembongan Islands in Indonesia off Bali (2006) Below Left, Page 15; Hong Kong, China (2006) Below, Page 15.
Her words are powerful and uplifting.
“Happiness,” she concludes, “comes from your own inner work and striving for what you want in your life.”
The Road To Forgiveness An Amazing Journey By Jessi Adam
Elf Productions has been working with Jessi Adam to create her travel memoir for the last year. Jessi’s e-book will be available for distribution in the beginning of the New Year. Child in Nusa Lembongan Islands (2006) All photographs by Jessi Adam.
For more information on her book and photography, please contact Jessi Adam at jessbutterfly27@gmail.com
The Road to Forgiveness: An Amazing Journey by Jessi Adam
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Story By Jan Manon
Love. War. Struggle. Exploration. Adventure. Curiosity. Drama. Laughter. These are some of the key components of stories that we revel in, cherish, and are compelled to read, hear, and retell again and again. What compels us to write, draw, and express the stories of our lives? Why do we choose to tell stories? Perhaps it lies in our collective desire to be remembered; that our experiences are worthwhile and meaningful. Perhaps we desire to tell stories to inspire future generations and to teach them what we have learned. Or perhaps, we tell stories just to get a good reaction; knees buckled over as your audience bursts out laughing. Whatever your desire, telling stories allows you to convey your thoughts and feelings to other people, whether they are your friends, family, or large unspoken audiences that you can only imagine in your mind’s eye. Do you find a thought racing in your mind from days gone by that keeps recurring and almost demanding that you write it down? Is there someone out there whose living inspires you and compels you to action? Perhaps that is the seed of a thought, a story itself that wishes to be born. What would our world be without the stories we know? From Aesop’s Fables to Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tales to classics such as Shakespeare’s Hamlet or the short stories of O. Henry, so many of our thoughts and behaviors are affected by stories told to us and by us, consciously and unconsciously. When I think of story, I feel an immediate excitement in being able to convey ideas and emotions to others and a sense o
of purpose tinged with awe and sheer wonder at the universal nature of story. Telling a story is an immediate pleasure that enables you to connect quickly and easily with audiences; and to share your heart, your thoughts, and experiences to many. You are able to expand your reach and at the same time, polish and refine your expression. Storytelling enables you to communicate most effectively by sharing your tale in a language understood by many. Therein lies the beauty of a story because in its written form, a story dances and invites you to come closer; beckoning you to explore the realms of your imagination and to bring them to life. You are able to manifest ideas that you have long cherished, nurtured, or experimented with, into reality through your story. This act of creation is the fundamental nature of a story. Master the form of story and you can share your artistry with the world. Original stories have at their heart an eternal and archetypal quality that exist beyond their initial conception and delivery. Writing a story is one method, telling is another. Sharing your story through visual imagery is also another powerful method of communicating your story. In our modern society, story has become synonymous with entertainment. Yet the most fascinating of stories invites exploration and compels you to delve a little deeper into yourself. It is perhaps in this inward journey that a good story leads you to, that you emerge more cognizant of the world you live in and who you are in that world.
REASONS TO BE GLAD film frame arrangements
Jeff Scher is a painter who makes experimental films and an experimental filmmaker who paints. His work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art and the Hirshhorn Museum, and has been screened at the Guggenheim Museum, the Pompidou Center in Paris, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and at many film festivals around the world, including opening night at the New York Film Festival. Mr. Scher has also had two solo shows of his paintings, which have also been included in many group shows in New York galleries. Additionally, he has created commissioned work for HBO, HBO Family, PBS, the Sundance Channel and more. Mr. Scher teaches graduate courses at the School of Visual Arts and at NYU Tisch School of the Arts Kanbar Institute of Film & Television's Animation program. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons. http://fezfilms.net/
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In less than 5 months, the App store has had over 300 million downloads.
Going Deeper with the iPhone At an App store near you available online via iTunes 2007’s big hit, Apple’s iPhone has been turning heads since its launch but even more so, with the remarkable explosion in software applications through the Apps (applications) store available via iTunes. At the tail end of 2008, Elf Productions has got on the bandwagon, working with a client to develop a software application for the alternative health market. Developing this program has called upon different
strengths and required both a holistic approach and working with a team of highly skilled developers across platforms. Working on this project has also triggered interest to develop more applications in the future for sports and fitness, entertainment, and green business.
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COLLABORATIONS
Artwork by Anna Ward
AC: Art Collective bringing artists together online Born out of a desire to create a meeting ground for artists, Art Collective (AC) is an online collaborative effort to showcase the work of artists, foster connections, and encourage creative potential through an art gallery and an interactive website. Initially, our goal was to act as a forum for artists in Vermont looking for exposure. Recognizing the huge exodus of talent from the state searching for a platform and a modus operandi to grow as artists, Jan Manon wanted to create an organization that could give back to the community. Further discussions have led to the desire to build a community
online for not only local artists but artists nationwide and in other countries. Contributors included artists of wide-ranging interests from painting to graphic design, multimedia sculpture, video art, silkscreening, ceramics, drawings, illustrations, cartoons, and much more. In bringing back creative control of art to the artist themselves, Art Collective hopes to create more equality while encouraging spontaneity and fostering potential. Visual art requires incubation and nurturing. Mindful of community and operating in a sustainable manner,
Art Collective will offer an online store through which artworks can be purchased and a method of connecting artists directly with potential employers, other collaborators, museums, galleries, etc. Art Collective is currently under development. Interested in learning more or joining this growing community? Write to us: artcollectivevt@gmail.com.
Paul Newman ''I didn't seek out those (anti-hero) roles. They're probably written better. ... Maybe it's because the writers, good writers try to choose people who are loners or are anti-heroes for characters. You can probably find some good connection between that and their own writing talent.'' -- 1994.
Forever immortalized in classics such as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), The Long Hot Summer (1958), The Hustler (1961), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), The Sting (1973), and The Road to Perdition (2002), Paul Newman was not only an award-winning beloved actor, but also a man equally well known for his philanthropic efforts, his commitment to his family life, and his love of car racing.
COPYRIGHT GETTY IMAGES 2008.
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A Tribute to a Legend:
moving in was when he was behind the wheel. He was already a screen legend at the time, with a vast following. Yet there was a restless spirit in him. You could see that he wanted to do more. Paul Newman has always been my hero. He is the kind of guy that inspires me to think about who I can be and how I can contribute to society and that anything is possible. He was an individual always and yet deeply committed to his family and his community. He always wanted to give and do more. That is incredibly inspiring to me. I wanted to write a story that he would be part of and sadly, that was not meant to be. I have never met him but his living deeply inspires me. Some people shine way beyond their lifetime and I believe that Paul Newman is one of those kinds of people. His humility was evident in his business model where his company Newman’s Own has donated more than $250 million to charities handpicked by Paul and in his creation Paul Newman with Robert Redford in Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid (1969) of the Hole in the Wall Camps for children with terminal illnesses, with his wife Joanne In 2002, I remember watching Paul Woodward. Newman on the David Letterman show, where Grace? If grace means aspiring to be your he was asked what he wanted next in his life. best, if it means loving your family, and Newman replied simply, “Grace.” When David contributing to your community, and being Letterman asked him to elaborate, Paul Newman yourself to the fullest - well, I think, Paul replied that he wanted to be graceful and that Newman carried that off really well. the only time he had felt that kind of spirit By Jan Manon
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Work We Support: WORLD LAND TRUST Protects Habitat for Blue-throated Macaw
Saved Forever Through the combined efforts of the Bolivian conservation organization Asociación Armonía, the American Bird Conservancy, and the World Land Trust, the world’s first protected area for the Blue-throated Macaw has been created. Current population size for the endangered species is estimated at just 300 birds.
Protected Forever saving endangered habitats for eternity With a world increasingly overtaxed by the burdens of climate change, overpopulation, degradation of habitats, and deforestation, one can easily be overwhelmed by the daunting challenges facing us in the 21st century. Yet there are those companies, organizations, and individuals whose work not only offers solutions to these modern day problems, but also provides us with deeply inspiring stories. One of these organizations is the World Land Trust. Considered one of the world’s best charities, the World Land Trust’s mission is simple: to protect threatened wildlife habitats across the globe for eternity to preserve biological diversity and to prevent species extinction. For just $50, you can buy an acre of land. As of December 2008, WLT has saved 600,000 acres of land worldwide, including threatened habitats in South America, Africa, and Asia. Due to deforestation, illegal trading, exploitation for mining and oil, and new infrastructure projects in many of these countries, habitats are being destroyed at an alarming rate. Conservation cannot happen without adequate education or support. Hence, recognizing the efforts of organizations that communicate well with locals is paramount. Partnering with numerous local, regional, and national organizations worldwide, the World Land Trust effectively works with other conservation agencies to ensure the protection of species and habitat, while being sensitive to local concerns such as agriculture and forestry.
Support WLT by making a donation online For more information on WLT, you can contact them directly at: info@worldlandtrust-us.org
World Land Trust-US
2806 P St. NW Washington, DC 20007 tel: 800-456-4930 www.worldlandtrust.org
www.worldlandtrust.org