In a near-future, war-torn country, a close-knitted group of survivors, the Grain Family, endeavor to deliver justice onto desperate looters who have occupied a house of worship and massacred the war relief volunteers within.
Jody, played by Austin Greene
This is the world the proof-of-concept episode Rupture, our latest published work, explores. It was published today, August 5th, 2020, on the Reel Nation Cinema page and can be watched for free after signing up.
Rupture would be the third episode of the war epic web series tentatively titled The Wintriest Storm. The episode picks up at the end of the show’s first act when the group’s strongest voice for justice, Jody, finds his best friend, Sylvia, injured by the looters, and vows vengeance. However, his confiscated rifle is with the group’s pacifist matriarch, who is already finalizing orders for his exile.
This episode explores the relationship dynamics that will be tugging away at audiences throughout the series. Friendships will be forged, enemies will be made, family will be lost, and sacrifice will sometimes be the only option. The inspiration for the story comes from the stories of a war civilian life my mother would share to me from her own experiences. Comparable stories would be the likes of The Pianist (2002), and This War of Mine (2014).
Cinematographer Claire Collison studies the Rupture storyboard
The Story Behind the Story
The episode itself was developed in the Sundance Collab Directing Fundamentals program and it will be used as a tool to gauge audience interest and as part of a pitching package for film financing. By the nature of film development, the story, characters, and set pieces are all subject to change.
Tracy, played by Lisa Budwig
Get Involved!
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Nearly six months in self-quarantine without filming something was difficult to bear. Setting a camera up while creating a breathing drama and feeling it come to life is an irreplaceable experience that I fell in love with at a young age. My half-year fast from that was finally broken when Austin Greene and the rest of The Mimic band hooked me into directing an irresistibly fun, whacky story for their song “Who’s Yo Daddy.”
You can watch the music video on YouTube now! The Mimic will be releasing their first album on July 17th.
Laughs on Laughs on Laughs
In my own words, the “Who’s Yo Daddy” music video tells a story of cautious, yet extremely hypocritical, man departing from a self-quarantine but finding himself being chased by an Easter Bunny. It’s hard to explain the rest in words and you’ll have to watch the music video yourself to experience the insanity.
More important than the story for me is the experience behind it. Austin and I put in about a week into the video and the only thing I really remember from it all was laughing from beginning to end. While planning the story, we told ourselves that we’d take it easy on this shoot and aim to have a good time above all. Ideas were totally flexible and so were jokes; there were plenty of those.
I think this whole thing started with a dream Austin had and then him committing to buying a $100 bunny costume. The whole story was then based on that, and I think it worked hilariously. It was definitely a blast while trying to draw it in our storyboards.
The idea that made us laugh the most was the one we committed to. My favorite moment from the whole video is when Austin runs up to a random passerby, spontaneously played by Chris Laurer, and uppercuts him in the male privates. It was an idea that was initially a joke from one of the cast members, but there was no way I was passing on at least seeing it.
Editing all these crazy moments was also a thrill. Austin joined me via live stream and we pulled a 22-hour workday to get it done. I recorded some of it and you get an idea of how things went in this video:
A New Way
With COVID cases rising on a national scale, who knows how the future will change filmmaking. I fear that it is likely for “low budget” productions to cease and what will only remain is skeleton sized productions like this music video (I was the sole crew member) or large budget films/shows that can afford the extra cost of running sets under strict COVID prevention protocol. If the economy shuts down again, productions may shut down completely for the year.
For now, Reel Nation Media will continue developing conscious media art. Our first original web series is in development and potentially our third feature-length documentary. That’s all news for another day though…
Don’t miss out on the ever so catchy song, ‘Who’s Yo Daddy” and the music video! You can follow the artists, “The Mimic” on their social media:
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What is conscious media art? Why should we seek it?
“Entertainment” or, to me, media art, is a huge part of human lives. The word “entertainment” carries two meanings: to divert attention and to contemplate an idea. Its pure purpose is to serve as humanity’s method to deliver meaning.
the human spirit will always seek meaning. The search for it is a primitive instinct beating within our souls.
The Bad News: What Media Today Sounds Like
With entertainments purpose in mind, I cannot help but wonder that if today’s entertainment isn’t serving us as well as it should be. Television, film, and even literature compete for “buzz” to climb over the noise of one another; a noise that is drowning us in distraction until we cannot hear anymore and we become oblivious to it. The main concern for me is what this noise, lacking in meaning and substance, doing to us in the long run? Is it desensitizing us? How does it change our hearts?
The Good News: A New Hope
Still, after all the noise, there is great news: the human spirit will always seek meaning. The search for it is a primitive instinct beating within our souls. If one turns away from it, observe how it bothers his/her demons. It’s never too late to tell good stories that awaken the soul, that beat the drums harder, and that arm us against the weapons of heedlessness. These stories are how I choose to define Conscious Media Art.
Media Art: Its Definition
And by the definition of media, the plural of medium, it can connect, communicate, influence, etc. Which means you can see conscious media art literally anywhere: books, TV, movies, speeches, podcasts, music, plays, news, the internet, etc. My great question for these industries is if they can have a powerful influence on the planet—on people—while telling the stories they love (horror, superhero, action, romance, rock, rap, etc.), then wouldn’t creating media like that be worth the effort? What reason is there not to?
What Counts as Conscious Entertainment?
So it comes in many forms, but what makes it conscious? I can find no better idea of conscious entertainment than what Derek Rydall has written in his book There's No Business Like Soul Business. He says:
Entertainment is the most powerful tool of change on the planet. How many people around the world partake of some form of media every day - usually many times a day? Imagine what would happen if the majority of that input was "Conscious Content." That doesn't mean it's preachy or has a "message". It simply means it is content created from a conscious intention to bring people into a deeper connection with their life and world- rather than distract them from it- ultimately transforming them and their environment. And doing it all in an entertaining way!
Why Not Conscious Entertainment?
As audiences, if we can enjoy stories we love through TV, literature, music, podcasts, etc., then why not seek a little bit of medicine with our sugar? Why keep voting with our cash through our TV, phones, and internet access for media that leaves us feeling emptier the more we fill ourselves up with it? Media, as we can see through the Arab Spring and past USA elections, is powerful. We need to give that power to the right sources.
Reel Applications for Conscious Media Art!
So how do we start this? How do we find conscious media art? How do we support it?
For now, I think we can do our best by simply understanding the power of media and helping to spread healthy dosages of “sugar that helps the medicine go down.” This can mean creating “media art” appreciation clubs or asking critical questions of the next film your household watches. It can mean telling a friend about a book or a song that’s changed your life. It can also mean challenging ourselves to grow the next time we choose to create stories and relate truths. Individually, it can be about making the decision to be more conscientious of what you are choosing to consume and support, thinking carefully about what kind of value that form of media will add—or not add—to your life.
Distracting entertainment will always be out there, but understanding, seeking, and promoting conscious media art/entertainment will help us filter through the noise and hone our hearing in on that primitive drum, starving for meaning.
Jump into Action!
If you’re looking for a place to start conscious media consumption, we, Reel Nation Media, have started a club of sorts on Facebook to “seize, embrace, and uphold” conscious media art. Surprisingly the name of the group is Conscious Media Art! So check it out, join, and I encourage you to post about what has influenced your life for the better!
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