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AVA DuVERNAY JOINS AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF OSCAR CONTENDER ‘A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION’ NEW SHORT DOCUMENTARY FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES OP-DOCS, CO-DIRECTORS BEN PROUDFOOT, KRIS BOWERS
NEW YORK / LOS ANGELES (Wed., January 27, 2021) – The new short subject documentary A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION tells the story of virtuoso jazz pianist and film composer Kris Bowers as he tracks his family’s lineage through his 91-year-old grandfather from Jim Crow Florida to the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker and entrepreneur Ben Proudfoot and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers (“Green Book”, “When They See Us,” “Bridgerton”), and executive produced by Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay, A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION will have its festival debut at the all-virtual 2021 Sundance Film Festival this week starting on Thursday, January 28th at 7:00AM PST as part of Documentary Shorts Program 2. The film is currently streaming at nytimes.com. The film was produced by Proudfoot’s Los Feliz based Breakwater Studios.
DuVernay and Bowers discuss the film in a pre-recorded conversation. “I was blown away,” DuVernay tells Bowers about her response to his intimate film, which she also called “a balm for these times.” DuVernay says the film captured “an intimacy within the sphere of Black masculinity that is so rare to see, that crosses the generational divide in a way that is rarely seen” and, later, that “it feels like I’m watching an exchange within my own family. I feel like Black people who have borne witness and participated in that exchange, it will feel beautifully familiar. And for folks who feel like that exchange is foreign or does not exist, it will be instructive. But more than anything, it is a record of a great man.”
Kris Bowers is one of Hollywood’s rising young composers. At 29, he scored the Oscar-winning film “Green Book” (2018), and this year he premiered a new violin concerto, “For a Younger Self,” at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Bowers also scored DuVernay’s Emmy-winning limited series “When They See Us.” For all that success, though, he says that as a Black composer, “I’ve been wondering whether or not I’m supposed to be in the spaces that I’m in.”
In the 13-minute film A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION, Bowers traces the process of breaking into new spaces through generations of sacrifice that came before him, focusing on the story of his grandfather Horace Bowers.
As a young man, he left his home in the Jim Crow South, eventually ending up in Los Angeles. Encountering discrimination at every turn, he and his wife, Alice, nevertheless made a life as business owners. Today, their legacy lives on through their family and community in South Los Angeles, where a stretch of Central Avenue was recently designated Bowers Retail Square — in case any question remained about whether it’s a place they belong.
Horace Bowers tells his grandson: “Never think that you’re not supposed to be there.”
Op-Docs is the celebrated series of short documentaries from The New York Times. Begun in 2011 by The Times’s Opinion department, Op-Docs showcases the work of both emerging and established independent filmmakers and artists who explore the most important issues facing our world. Op-Docs, has had a number of recent Oscar® nominated (“Walk Run Cha-Cha”, “4.1 Miles”) and Oscar® shortlisted films (“Stay Close”, “Alone”, “Ten Meter Tower”, “116 Cameras”).
Kristopher Bowers (born 1989) is an American composer and pianist who has composed scores for films, video games, television and documentaries including, “Green Book,” Madden NFL, “Dear White People,” and Kobe Bryant’s “Muse.” He has recorded, performed, and collaborated with the likes of Jay-Z, Kanye West, and José James. He won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition in 2011 and a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction and Composition in 2017 for The Snowy Day. Bowers worked on the score of Ava DuVernay’s Netflix mini-series When They See Us as well as the current Netflix hit Bridgerton.
Ben Proudfoot (born 1990) is a Nova Scotia born filmmaker and founder of Breakwater Studios, an emerging leader in the short documentary space. A former sleight of hand magician, Ben has pioneered alternative models of short documentary financing and distribution including noteworthy and award-winning collaborations with The New York Times, Charles Schwab, Annapurna Pictures and the LA Phil, earning him a spot on the 2020 Forbes 30 under 30 list. In addition to his work as an entrepreneur, Ben is an award-winning artist and filmmaker, having directed over fifty noteworthy original short documentaries. Ben’s work as a director has been selected by HotDocs, Sundance, Tribeca and Telluride. He resides in Los Angeles.
FILM TO HAVE FESTIVAL DEBUT AT SUNDANCE 2021 TOMORROW
FULL FILM NOW STREAMING ON NYTIMES.COM
The post AVA DuVERNAY JOINS AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF OSCAR CONTENDER ‘A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION’ appeared first on The Nerd Element.
Job Coach Stephanie Heath Talks Why Soul Alignment & Facebook Groups Are Essential To The Job Search
Source: Delmaine Donson / Getty
Job searching is stressful already and doing it during a pandemic is more nerve-wracking. Some people are just looking for a position to pay their bills and get them by. Getting a dream job seems unrealistic to some people. That’s where job coach Stephanie Heath comes in. Heath is a job search coach who has been focused on helping people get the job of their dreams through her company, Soul Work & Six Figures. She offers a 10-week program called the “Career Catalyst” where she assists professionals in getting the position they always wanted.
One of the main focuses of Heath’s work with her clients is assisting them in finding a position that is soul-aligned. Heath explained to me that a soul-aligned position not only exceeds your pay expectations but also leaves you feeling fulfilled and your coworkers feeling like your family.
“Finding a position that is soul-aligned for you is one where your coworkers are like friends,” Heath said. “People have fallen out of love with that idea but there are people who work with their coworkers and it’s like a family. I found that for minorities, because we have our guards up we don’t find that as easily as others. A soul-aligned position is one that also pays right, which means you’re getting more than expected.”
When you don’t have a position that is soul-aligned, you could be cutting years off of your life. A lot of folks experience what Heath referred to as the “Sunday Scaries,” where a person feels dread and fear the night before they have to start a new work week.
“If you’re working a job and you have this gut wrenching fear where you don’t want to think about what’s happening on Monday, every time you think about that negativity you’re shortening your life,” she told me over the phone.
So how can you search for the job of your dreams? Heath recommended using Facebook groups of professionals in your field so you can create a virtual networking experience.
“It’s a goldmine,” she said about Facebook groups. “There’s a Facebook group for everything. There’s women in tech, Blacks in tech, and even for human resources people or people in marketing. There’s all these groups that are started by people like you and me that want a place to vent and share new tools. It’s a goldmine because they are in there talking about who’s hiring. People are just more friendly and open. That’s one of the first things I do with my clients.”
When it comes to networking, Heath added that it is imperative that a person’s view of networking is intact. Some people feel awkward about networking because it entails seeking something from someone who isn’t a friend or family. That may be the basis of it, but that’s not a negative thing because people actually like helping people. Heath said that it is important to know how to navigate networking opportunities with a direct approach.
“When you’re direct people respect it more,” she said. “When you come right out and say it people respond to that more.”
When it comes to talking to new professional connections, Heath recommended four tips:
- Don’t waste anyone’s time.
- Don’t ask about their family.
- Express how much you appreciate their time.
- Ask your questions and get off the call.
Heath’s clientele includes those who are good at what they do but are soft-spoken, people pleasers and “yes men/women.” By the time her clients exit her program they not only have the position of their dreams but they are know how to ace an interview, are more assertive, confident and have a job that they consider a safe space. Learn more about her work and programs here.
There’s something to be said about a television show using long form story telling to slowly doll out a mystery, allowing the audience to really think on it and follow the clues. This ain’t it. With only 9 episodes this season, possibly this series depending on what plans Marvel actually has, the mystery behind what is actually happening to Wanda and Vision has been revealed, or so it seems. It feels that there is a deeper level to what, and who, is behind everything. Pull out your magnifying glass as we review WandaVision, episodes 3 and 4.
Warning! There will be spoilers for these episodes.
Groovy Baby
When we last left our couple, a mysterious bee keeper man couldn’t spoil the joy of an immaculate pregnancy and technicolor. The sitcom style has moved into the 70s age a la The Brady Bunch and Wanda is not only pregnant but already months along in the span of a night. Vision is noticeably concerned, but Wanda just seems happy and aloof. More sitcom high jinx ensues such as trying to (poorly) hide the pregnancy, and Vision freaking out over the baby. The sitcom aspect is still quite charming and because they switch eras each episode it doesn’t get stale. The interesting part of episode 3 though is the mystery taking a bit more of a creepy form. More hints are being dropped but it’s super eerie watching Herb (David Payton) timing his hedges on second only to start blankly staring off and cut into the wall.
The crux of the episode is when Geraldine (Teyonah Parris) helps Wanda give birth to twins and absentmindedly mention Ultron. Geraldine was one of Wanda’s closest friends and to see how quickly Wanda dropped her fun-loving persona was unnerving. At the same time, Herb and Hagnes (Kathryn Hahn) try to warn Vision about Geraldine…and about something else it seemed. It seems that Vision is picking up that something is wrong, but it is possibly also being blocked somehow. We’ve seen hints of an outside world in the first two episodes and as Wanda ejects Geraldine from her home and town, we get our first real look at it when she ends up in a field surrounded but military agents. We don’t have to wait long to find out what’s happening here.
A Larger Universe
I was not expecting episode 4 to happen this early in the season but here we are. Not only does this episode truly connect it to the rest of the MCU, but they also bring in a couple familiar faces. We start out with Geraldine blipping back into existence in the real world from the events of Endgame. We soon find out that Geraldine is in fact Monica Rambeau, who we met as a young girl in Captain Marvel. She is a member of S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient Weapon Observation and Response Division) and her mother, Maria Rambeau who we also saw in Captain Marvel, was the founder. She is sent to Westview to investigate a missing persons case and comes into contact with Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) from Ant-Man and the Wasp. There they discover that not only is everyone in town missing, but also erased from peoples’ memories.
From here, we basically get an explanation for everything that happens since episode 1. We see Rambeau send in a small helicopter drone that we saw as the colored toy helicopter in episode 1, we see how Rambeau got trapped in the sitcom, who the bee keeper man was, who was watching the show from the outside (Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) from the Thor movies), and more. We also see that whenever Wanda changed something within the sitcom that it was “censored” for those watching it with a quick cut. It makes it feel that there may be more than one person at play here, but Wanda is definitely keeping the town trapped.
We get an extended scene of Wanda ejecting Rambeau from the town, and it’s a lot more intense than initially shown as she throws Rambeau through multiple walls on her way out before repairing the damage to hide it from Vision. And now the question is, is that even Vision? The show makes a point to call out that Vision was not blipped, he died. “Like, dead dead.” And after Wanda loses her cool she sees vision as the dead infinity stone ripped out of his head version for a moment. Creepy
Keep ’em Coming Marvel
In these two episodes, the mystery deepened before a huge info dump. It doesn’t feel like a red herring or misdirect, but it also feels like Marvel has a lot more up their sleeves. Episode 4 felt like a more traditional Marvel property compared to the first 3, and while I liked getting more information, I hope they aren’t dropping the mystery angle. It was really working, and I want Marvel to keep experimenting. With 5 more episodes, I really have no idea where the show will go, but I can’t wait to find out.
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The post Mystery Solved!? Not Quite: ‘WandaVision’ Episode 3-4 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Euphoria has never been as rich as these past two episodes. Maybe it is the constraints the pandemic has put on us all, but these concentrated episodes are giving us the chills and deep emotional cuts. In Euphoria Part 1, we saw Rue fresh off of abandonment and opening up to her sponsor. This episode we get a sensitive Jules in her first therapy session. I applaud the genius use of setting, but the magnificence of this episode lies in the visuals and poetic elegance of the writing. Be aware spoilers are ahead!
Where is My Mind?
If you follow Euphoria, you know the visuals for Jules scenes are out of this frickin world. From the moment I saw her spotlight ride through the trees, I knew this show was here to give me a mind f**k. This special episode even flashes back to that scene in an instant memory while Jules finds the words to describe her situation.
We see Jules, no makeup, plopped on the therapist couch more reserved than usual. Jules’ face is holding back much of what she really wants to say and from her expression remorse is what we see. Her therapist played by Lauren Weed (Arrested Development) sits in a very calm demeanor balancing out the anxiety on Jules’ face. Cut to, we see a full recap of Jules’ journey through their eyes – no really it’s a beautiful shot displaying the colorful blurred images of Jules’ experiences through season one. The light is delicate and the eye movements telling. How can one sight for three full minutes make me want to cry?! As a slight tear begins to well up in her eye, the emotion of it all starts to wash over.
Just My Imagination
For the rest of the episode, we are given stunning visualizations of Jules mental images. Laying on the beach being washed over by water, to memories of a home life we have yet to see, and a past that will be revealed. The arc of the imagery is an episode unto itself, with multiple fantasies and multiple lives Jules has led. We find out how she truly feels about Rue – we knew she cared for Rue, but never truly knew to what extent. The emotional transparency is in the fantasy Rue shared from Part 1. The fantasy portrays both Rue and Jules living in New York on their own, Jules heading to her art presentation while Rue bids her adieu. They both look so happy. Cut in between this fictional life are the images of Jules and Rue’s true time together set to a melodic soundtrack that makes your heart pump with equal parts sorrow and pure adoration.
Side by side happiness with Rue is misery over Jules’ mother’s addiction. A massive reveal that Jules’ pressure to help Rue stay clean stems from her experience with her mother, aaaand now we’re all crying. The imagery does not let up – if emotions were stylistic photography these images would be despair, because inside despair was a place where immense love once stood. This episode plays with these two emotions. We then take a trip through Jules text message relationship with the fictional Tyler. Images of bodies rolling around in lust and adventure flood the screen personifying her back and forth messages with ‘Tyler.’ It’s a whole ass relationship, one which she says was the best sex of her life. Once she finds the relationship was a ruse the imagery takes a sharp left. The scenes take the same lustrous images and turn them into fear and betrayal. Trigger warnings are in order here.
Lithium
Hunter Schaffer is up next on that Emmy’s list. Whether it is for writing or for her performance when given the spotlight, we truly see how Jules has evolved and Schaffer has really grown with the role. Jules’ ability to lose herself in the moments is so visceral in this episode. Things we had not noticed before are being highlighted from Jules point of view, the first kiss with Jules and Rue, where we thought Jules was caught off guard and she was instead frozen with emotion.
Shcaffer’s performance goes from indifference to anxiety to pure elations to the pits of despair to remorse and fear. And sadness remains throughout the emotional trip. It is a marathon for just one person. My heart aches as her fantasy with Rue turns sour, and she spends the better part of five minutes trying to rescue Rue behind a locked bathroom door. Girl where is the ballot ‘cus you got my vote. I hope a nomination is calling your name.
Once the credits began to roll, my jaw was snatched when I saw “Written by Sam Levinson & Hunter Schaffer.” You better get it Hunter – you go Glen Coco! I knew Schaffer had to have at least consulted on the script. The detail of experience in gender and trans existence came so effortlessly to Schaffer in a way that seemed deeper than just relating to the text. She begins by saying, “I think I want to go off my hormones” then continues a high-level self-reflection on gender and transitioning before it is “too late.” The idea that puberty marked a point of which a body could not return. That their body would become thick and rough – but also thinking of the beauty in thick and rough.
“I think about the ocean…Because the ocean is strong as fuck and feminine as fuck.” – Jules
The imagery was the wrapping, the fantasy, the box, and the writing was the gift – hands down. I’d find it hard to believe that someone finished this special without being affected. The last scene we are back in reality, and our two characters have finally met up weeks after Jules left Rue at the train station. Both feel they are inadequate to sustain the love that they feel. Rue stands close to the door while Jules sits on the bed, neither able to properly speak the truth. Rue leaves abruptly and we leave Jules sobbing through the rain on her window pane. Where do we go from here? This is some teenage ish with some grown ass issues and you are rooting for the both of them to win. We’re not likely to see season 2 of Euphoria until late 2022, but these performances have enough of a lasting effect until then.
Cover Image courtesy of HBO Max via Screen Rant
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The post ‘Euphoria Part 2: Jules’ – A Visually Therapeutic Session appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.