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Mind the Gap

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 05:44:00 +0000

I'm wearing my tried-and-true Gap khakis and can't help but recall the late 1990s:

Baby baby it looks like its gonna hail
Baby baby it looks like its gonna hail
You better come inside and lemme teach ya how to jive and wail

Ten years ago, one ad campaign - one thirty second spot - sparked a revival of swing dancing and put a spotlight on an optimistic and exuberant young generation. Khaki Swing, produced in-house by Gap's creative director Lisa Prisco, took Madison Avenue by storm, went on to win awards, and landed in the Whitney Museum's 20th Century retrospective alongside its siblings: Khaki Country, Rock, Soul, Hip-Hop, and A-Go-Go.

With the help of flicks like Swingers, a newfound love for cocktails in the bar scene, and a rediscovery of frenetic swing on the dance floor... the sounds of Brian Setzer Orchestra, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Royal Crown Revue, and Squirrel Nut Zippers were suddenly everywhere (Zoot Suit Riot, anyone?). Life couldn't be better.

It was 1998. The millennium was just around the corner, peace talks were making strides in Israel and Northern Ireland, the internet and the economy were booming, the Clintons weathered their marital storms, Michael Jordan won his final championship, and John Glenn returned to space. I stood alongside my fellow 354 high school graduates in a sleepy town tucked away in the mountains of Virginia... and was filled with a sense of boundless possibility. I was heading to college, I had a dear group of friends (who loved to dance), and all the golden opportunity we had grown up with in the '80s was spread out in front of us, ripe for the taking.

Gap introduced a cheeky new commercial, Boyfriend Trouser, in 2007... a nice throwback to their old dance ads, featuring Claire Danes and Patrick Wilson. And while we've grown up a little (at least beyond the Matrix-style filming and chunky, uncomfortable shoes), I'd like to think that our generation still embodies the same hopeful spirit we exhibited as teenagers. A spirit that knows how to find the good and praise it (hat tip to my college graduation speaker Lamar Alexander), turn lemons into lemonade, and step in from the bad weather with the prospect of learning some exhilarating dance moves.

Sunny Days

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:12:00 +0000

This is a big year for Sesame Street. Big Bird, Grover and the gang are celebrating their 39th season on PBS... and in hi-definition no less. The award-winning preschool series premiered on Monday with some cool new learning concepts. The show is merging mathematical reasoning and language skills to help kids talk about how to solve problems (instead of just thinking 1+1=2). Leela, a new cast member from India, moves to Sesame Street and starts introducing her heritage and culture with her new friends. And after a successful start last year, Word on the Street, an outdoor segment filmed in NYC, returns to introduce new words in rich and meaningful contexts.

Fortunately, Sesame Workshop has recruited plenty of help. Among this year's A-list celebrities: Will Arnett (with some magical math), Jessica Alba, David Beckham, Brian Williams (with an update about sharing), Jenny McCarthy, LL Cool J (rapping with Elmo), Neil Patrick Harris (as the Shoe Fairy?), Sandra Oh, Heidi Klum, Jack Black (who is looking for octagons), Megan Mullally, and Jonah Hill.

Not enough? How about the new parodies: Preschool Musical (singing, dancing three-year-olds), 30 Rocks, the Plain White Tees (yup, they're actually teeshirts), and Dirtiest Jobs (with Mike Rowe and Oscar the Grouch of course), and a winning performance of Feist's 1234 ("1 2 3 4 chickens just back from the shore"). If last season's highlights are any indication, it's going to be a great season:

Tina Fey as a pirate
Anderson Cooper for the Grouch News Network
Sugarland singing with Elmo
James Blunt and his lost triangle
Rachael Ray sharing her favorite words
Chris Brown seeing the signs

And to top it all, Sesame Workshop just launched a new website with their incredible archive of live-action Muppet videos. The site will introduce new educational themes every day, so there's no end to the learning. See you around the neighborhood!

Leo's Song

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:41:00 +0000

This is Leo's Song, a hand drawn animation by Impactist, a husband-wife creative team in Portland, Oregon. From their description: "When a geometric visitor from another planet becomes your new roommate and shares with you the tragic state of its home world, you drop your guitar and see what you can do."

This is also my 100th liked video on Vimeo. After 18 months on this video sharing site, I'm continually blown away by the creative community that has grown around their simple mission: people connecting through video. From group projects and curated channels (or one of your own)... to high definition experiments and a cheerful staff with incredible ideas... there's never a dull moment.

The pessimist says it won't last: that the site will be discovered by massive hordes who disregard the ground-rules and will get bought out by suits. But I think Vimeo has found the right recipe: a healthy dose of discussion between its members and a steady balance of joy within its videos. It just keeps getting better. No matter what happens, I've found camaraderie and delight within... a creative spirit that outlasts the latest fads, economies, and hardware. And with folks like Kelly and Daniel sharing their talents, I'm so there.

Update: Scratch that... 101st liked video. Lucky number 100 goes to A Tiny Piece of the Year by Kristen Schaal (who you might know from Flight of the Conchords). Yeah, she hangs around on Vimeo. Along with Kanye. Just saying.

Continuity Through Change

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:03:00 +0000

The United Kingdom's Royal Mint unveiled their much-anticipated new coin designs, the first redesign since 1968 (thanks for the heads-up, Charlie). The Mint opened a public contest in 2003 and generated an unprecedented 4,000 entries ranging from amateur enthusiasts to professional coin engravers.

Matthew Dent, a twenty-six-year-old designer from Wales, took the contest by storm. Committee members, including Andrew Stafford, director of the Mint, were singing his praises today in the release announcement:

Matthew has taken something that relates to the fabric of Britain in a very real sense, and given a contemporary look and feel to them... he's kept the heritage in the symbols, introduced modernity into the design, and avoided anything fashionable and flippant that might lose some of the gravitas that people have come to associate with British coinage.

One of the more remarkable things about Matthew's design is the way he incorporated the heraldic symbols (central to the theme of British coinage for centuries), specifically the Royal Coat of Arms. "The analogy I always try to use is that it is like a jigsaw," he explains. "The different elements of the shield of the Royal Arms which appear on the coins, once arranged, form the complete shield." Together, the new collection also symbolizes the tribes that joined to create the United Kingdom.

My favorite new coin is the five pence, that sits right at the crux of the Royal Arms, where you can see details from all four quadrants: the lions, the harp, and the fleur de lis border. It's a really fantastic example of honoring the rich tradition of currency while opening a new chapter for a little piece of art that fits in your pocket.

A Light Within

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:54:00 +0000

People and trash don't go together. And yet, in the city dump of Managua where they are inextricably attached, a bright hope abounds. This is a new two-part series produced by Aquafluence for Love Light & Melody.

I've just returned from an exhausting and wonderful trip to Nicaragua with my LL&M family, my second trip to visit my friends in the trash dump community over the past year. I can't wait to go back. But my body would beg to differ. A week of burning toxic fumes and I've been wrestled to my knees. My throat is raw, my head pounds, and my lungs scream for air. I'm surely on the mend (that's what the world-class doctor, high-dose prescription, and 24-hour pharmacy tell me)... but what of the beautiful families who live there every day? What keeps them smiling?

During my first trip, I wrote feverishly in my journal each day, wanting to preserve the intimate details and emotional turmoil:

"You turn the corner and are greeted with what seems like a backroad entrance to hell, or the extent of a volcano's debris strewn across the path of what surely was once a proper street. Smoke is everywhere. Trash and plastic is in every direction. And, unthinkably, people are here. My heart is still not ready to accept what my eyes see. All whelms up inside me, reducing me to silent tears."

I filled every inch of that journal, barely squeezing in the final reflections as my plane ascended into the clouds. And for seven months, my heart stayed there until I could return to it again. This time I was surrounded by family from around the world to celebrate Dia De Luz, a day of joy, color, music, and laughter. My buddy Brad explains:

Why would you go into a trash dump? Why would you bring people into a place where there's no life? There has to be one thing that lasts through all that stuff. It's what we have in us: it's light. When we love people just for the sake of love, light comes out of us."

If there's any way we should be living, this is it. From sunrise to sunset, we flew kites, we painted a mural, we helped collect recycling, we danced and sang... and we walked arm-in-arm with our precious brothers and sisters.

This time I've come away with something less tangible than a journal. While the soot in my lungs is quite real, I've left a part of my heart that's deeper under the surface and an unspoken love. A deafening silence and a peaceful chaos. Here I remain.

Growing Up In Virginia

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 04:14:00 +0000

This week, I had the incredible priviledge of speaking at Saint Joseph's University to three hundred college kids getting ready to spend their spring break in the Appalachian Mountains. The students will venture into one of ten towns in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia as part of an immersion program, where they get to lend a helping hand and experience life in these rural communities. As it turns out, one of the newest sites for this year's service project is my hometown: Pulaski, Virginia.

So when SJU asked me to come speak about growing up in Appalachia, I turned to my photos, letters from home, and a few good reads for inspiration. Ultimately, I came away with four major topics: mountains, hometown, family, and mission. Each holds a special place in my heart...

Mountains: environment defines Virginia. The mountains and rivers influence everything in our state, from train routes and farming to folk art and bluegrass music.
Hometown: community defines Pulaski. While not a mining town, Pulaski shares an important part in the history of coal that still impacts school, church, recreation, and neighborhood life.
Family: values define the Booker Family. I am who I am today because of Mom, Dad, and my brother David!
Mission: service defines me. From rural Virginia to Camden, NJ, New York City, and Nicaragua, I'm passionate about walking alongside people in need (and you should be too!).

I wanted to provide my slides and notes, especially for my friends at SJU, so you can enjoy the photos and stories I shared in my presentation.

Download the slides (14mb PDF)

Thanks to Matt, Mary, Jeff, and everyone at St. Joe's for welcoming me into your community. Can't wait to hear about the Appalachian experience this year! Thanks to Cheri, Pam, and Kathy for helping me prepare for the talk. And special thanks to Mom for helping me track down some old photos.

The Year in Review

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:19:00 +0000

OK, I know what you might be thinking. February probably seems like a strange time to write-up a retrospective, but I have two good reasons. The holidays were stupid crazy: this is quite literarly the first time I can come up for air. This month also marks the tenth anniversary of the Student Information Network, the revolutionary college network I help start. My experience paving the road for an era of social networking continues to impact the way I think about community and its important presence on the web.

So I thought it'd be worth taking a look back what defined 2007 for me... both online and offline. My freelance work has taken off like gangbusters, and I'm grateful for the many relationships and rich conversations that come from these projects. What projects, you ask? Here's a few stats I compiled...

15253 emails
527 photos
365 blog entries
100 email newsletters
32 videos
10 posters
7 websites in 5 languages
4 myspace layouts
3 postcards
2 music cds
1 rarely used bed

I've also been blessed to join friends and family around the world in some incredible adventures over the past year. Far from comprehensive, here's some highlights worth sharing...

Learning to ride the waves alongside pro surfers in Florida
Laughing and playing with kids living in a trash dump in Nicaragua
Watching my brother, David, fly helicopters on a windy morning in Alabama
Dancing my feet off at a beautiful wedding and cross-country tour in southern Brazil
Celebrating a five year reunion at my alma mater
Filming a soon-to-be-released music video in the heart of Times Square
Singing with 20,000 of my new best friends at Madison Square Garden
Helping the Museum create a virtual field trip to the Moon
Moving from Lower Manhattan to Park Slope in Brooklyn
Road-tripping to Niagara Falls and points northward
Partying with good friends and great causes

What a year! I can only dream of what comes next... stay tuned! Eph 3:20

Ser Parte Da Família

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 06:12:00 +0000

I'm headed to a wedding in São Paulo, Brazil this week with some dear friends. Ciao!

Minha terra tem palmeiras onde canta o sabiá; as aves que aqui gorjeiam não gorjeiam como lá.

Nosso céu tem mais estrelas nossas várzesas têm mais flores; nossos bosques têm mais vida nossa vida mais amores.

My homeland has many palm trees and the thrush song fills its air; no bird here can sing as well as the birds sing over there.

We have fields more full of flowers and a starrier sky above; we have woods more full of life and a life more full of love.

-Song of Exile by Dias

Le Petit Nicolas

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:44:00 +0000

I like to read children's books. Yes, I have a college degree in fascinating things like geology and art history; I work for reputable institutions like museums and orchestras; and I enjoy a good conversation about Henri Nouwen, Darren Aronofsky, or Thomas Jefferson over a glass of merlot. I can even get dressed up to the nines, waltz into Harvard Club or Madison Square Garden, and act like I know what's up. But when it really comes down to it, I really just want to curl up with literature written for my inner-eight-year-old. The more illustrations the better.

So it will come as no surprise that I spend time with the likes of George, Tintin, Violet, Brother, and Ramona... among many others. I've discussed how I grew up reading the Tintin series before, but he wasn't the only "exchange student" I entertained as a kid. In the late-80s, my Swiss cousins introduced me to the boistrous and zany exploits of Astérix, a series about a village of Gauls resisting Roman occupation. René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo produced these comic books from 1959-1977, and like The Adventures of Tintin, the popular Astérix series continues to make new young friends in popular tv and film projects today.

Now with the exception of a few good new entries to children's literature (the brilliance of Scieszka and Smith comes to mind), I'm often re-reading my favorites. But every now and then, I get the pleasant surprise of discovering a old classic for the first time. That's how I met Nicolas.

Le Petit Nicolas series follows the everyday antics of a little French schoolboy in the 1950s. Cleverly written by Goscinny and wonderfully illustrated by Jean-Jacques Sempé (of New Yorker magazine cover fame), Nicolas tells the stories himself... complete with the run-on sentences, naive perspective, and uncomplicated style of an eight-year-old. Interestingly, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince (written about ten years before the Nicolas series) also employs an idealistic childlike worldview, particularly in how it points out the flaws of grown-ups... something I haven't let go of since I was that age either (but that's a story for another day).

It's absolutely hilarious to read. So much so that I decided it'd be worth sharing a chapter with you. Chapter Four: A Game of Soccer follows Nicolas and his schoolmates into the local empty lot for a really excellent weekend soccer match. If only the game would actually get started...

Download the mp3...

Flying Over Manhattan

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:04:00 +0000

Flying Over Manhattan from Armistead Booker and Vimeo.

The city sleeps, the sun rises, and a quiet Sunday begins. Music by Rosemary Clooney.

Christmastide

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 03:07:00 +0000

"If music be the food of love, play on; give me excess of it, that surfeiting, the appetite may sicken, and so die. That strain again! It had a dying fall: o, it came o’er my ear like the sweet sound, that breathes upon a bank of violets, stealing and giving odour! Enough; no more: ’tis not so sweet now as it was before. O spirit of love! How quick and fresh art thou, that, notwithstanding thy capacity receiveth as the sea, nought enters there, of what validity and pitch soe’er, but falls into abatement and low price, even in a minute: so full of shapes is fancy that it alone is high fantastical."

Duke Orsino, Twelfth Night

The Relief Project, Vol. 2

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 04:23:00 +0000

Several friends of mine are jamming this week in Denver for a little project I've been working on for a couple years called The Relief Project, where artists unite to use music as a tool to rebuild lives. The first album was released to great acclaim in 2005, raising funds for people around the world affected by tsunamis and hurricanes. And a little closer to home, this new release, Volume 2, promises to be just as big. Proceeds from the concert and album will help lift up kids in Colorado with rough family and emotional issues. With 35 musicians lending their talent across two CDs, it's an awesome reminder of how we can care for humanity in big and creative ways.

I'm so thankful to work alongside Brad and Jon-Erik in this effort! If you're in the Denver area, definitely plan on coming to the show. As for everyone else, be sure to check out the album. Just in time for the holidays!

In Loving Memory

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 05:51:00 +0000

Fall Out Boy: Me and You

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 05:16:00 +0000

Invisible Children and their connections to Hollywood and the music scene continue to amaze me. One band in particular, Fall Out Boy, has been so moved and excited by IC's work that they scraped a studio-produced music video and went to Northern Uganda to film a new video themselves over a week in July. It was entirely shot on location in Gulu Township with kids and parents from a local IC-sponsored school... and released to wide acclaim on Friday.

As the elder tells the story: "We have to do better... if not for us, for our children."

Communion

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:41:00 +0000

One of my childhood heroes has passed into light. Madeline L'Engle was author of over sixty books including the Newbery award-winning children's book, "A Wrinkle In Time," and so I thought it fitting to share a bit.

Why does anybody tell a story? It does indeed have something to do with faith. Faith that the universe has meaning, that our little human lives are not irrelevant, that what we choose or say or do matters, matters cosmically.

Madeleine L'Engle told her stories through the lens of darkness and light; the struggles of life transformed by love. Her books afford me an escape and retreat unlike any other... where the champion fumbles along, beset by the evil within, and yet is surrounded by seraphs and starlight of such profound beauty and starts to understand and live in wild, glorious truth. And then I step out of her books and return to my own adventure and battlefield, better equipped to fumble along myself.

Read any daily paper: you've got to survive, you've got to walk through the dark to get to the light. It isn't free. It takes courage to walk through the dark.

Alongside the ranks of Richard Bach, C.S. Lewis, and Susan Cooper, L'Engle's Time Series is one of the most influential writings in my life. The simple, cheerful, and warm moments of a family paired with massively, soberingly, and cosmically significant missions. At once a part of a time that stands still and all that is timeless and eternal. And yet, Madeline L'Engle challenges me to walk further: "The deepest communion with God is beyond words, on the other side of silence."

Download the mp3...

Life Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 21:16:00 +0000

Over the summer, I've treated myself to a bit of radio silence. My days were instead filled with amazing adventures, road trips, and fruitful projects. Dropping off the grid was just what my head and heart needed to experience life to the fullest. I earnestly recommend it. So, here's a few life updates that blissfully blur the line between my personal and professional worlds:

For two weeks in July, I poured every ounce of my energy into Dispatch:Zimbabwe, three sold-out concerts at Madison Square Garden featuring my friends Brad, Chad, & Pete, the awesome African Children's Choir, and the coolest drummers around. I hosted, danced, handed out merch, laughed, toured, schmoozed, prayed, and sang along with 20,000 people each night. What a thrill!

I released my travel documentary, The Road Trip, that follows four friends into upstate New York for a wedding. It's thirty minutes of hilarious antics.

At the Museum, we introduced a new planetarium show called Field Trip to the Moon, and produced a rich collection of educational materials to go with it.

In August, I spent an incredible eight days in Nicaragua with my Love Light & Melody family. We worked with the La Chureca community in Managua, where hundreds of people live in a trash dump, rode the waves in the Pacific, and started vision-casting our organization's next steps. There are so many stories to share: I filled an entire moleskine journal!

The Deutsche Bank Building across the street from my apartment caught fire, forcing me to evacuate for a day. Yikes.

I relaunched two incredible sites this week. Dispatch Foundation, who is distributing the proceeds from the Dispatch concerts to grassroots organizations in Zimbabwe and inspiring fans to change the world. And Metropolis Ensemble, a NYC-based orchestra of young emerging musicians and composers.

It's been a busy and abundant summer of opportunity. And this fall promises to be more of the same. Haven starts up in a couple weeks. Mom and Dad are planning a trip to visit the city. I'll be in Florida, Virginia, and moving (yup you read that right) to Brooklyn.

This weekend? Headed to Long Island to visit my cousins. We're never at a loss for fun things to do...

Summer Rewind

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 12:14:00 +0000

Perhaps it's the movie theater five blocks away. Maybe it's because I spent a few sick days languishing on the couch. Or the fact that we get an vast number of movies for having only ordered HBO. Regardless of the reason, I felt it was high time I spoke up and made my opinions known; the good, bad, and campy. I usually prefer to future-cast... and there indeed are still a few more newbies worth seeing into the fall (Stardust, Across the Universe, Paris Je T'Aime). But this time I'm ready to be the critic. Well that and I need to record this list before my memory slips away...

Let's start with something fresh on my mind: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix wins for the series' best soundtrack, the sharpest villain yet, and beautifully minimalist closing titles (oh and did I mention that Emma Thompson is my hero?). I finally watched Back to the Future: Part Three, and I'm one step closer to understanding the 80s. Spiderman 3 on IMAX is wicked awesome. A Scanner Darkly is incredibly boring. Little Miss Sunshine is brilliant. And I think I'll be enjoying (and quietly weeping during) The Fountain for years to come.

Ice Age 2 doesn't have the same brand of dry wit as the first... but that might have something to do with all the glaciers melting. Glad I waited to see MI3 on-demand. Cate Blanchett's Elizabeth is stuffy and distant compared to Helen Mirren's royal performance in the HBO film. Cars, Casanova and Chicken Little get funnier each time I see them (yes, I did just mention those three in the same sentence). The Illusionist is a fantastically underrated and remarkable film.

And finally, my top summer pick and animated masterpiece of the year goes to Ratatouille. To paraphrase Anton Ego's exquisite closing monologue: "To say that both the film and its maker have challenged my preconceptions is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core... I will be returning to Pixar's soon, hungry for more."

Elias: We Are Unite

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 17:32:00 +0000

Dai Jesu achoinekwa
Ndaizofara naye
Taizofara naye
Kwaziwai, Makasimba here?
Ndakasimba kana makasimbawo

If I could meet my Jesus
I would be very happy with Him
We would be happy with Him
Hello, Are you strong?
I'm strong if you're strong

Hold my hand just one more time
To see if you're really gonna meet me

Dinner Is Served...

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 05:22:00 +0000

Today's the day for a comedy with great taste!

Turns Out I've Got A Rose Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 07:50:00 +0000

Until today, I had forgotten there were some real gems in The American President, including this monologue about freedom:

America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, "You want free speech?" Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country can't just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the "land of the free."

Sweet Escapes

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 16:14:00 +0000

Returning for its annual romp in the summer sun, here's my hand-picked music videos to help you bring the sexy back.

Headlining this year is Justin Timberlake's icy cool My Love with dance moves that could make a girl swoon. And in a more serious moment, enjoy the epic What Goes Around Comes Around, featuring a tragic Scarlett Johansson. The new kid on the block is Ne-Yo (not to be confused with this guy)... and while the vid itself is lackluster and a bit cheesy, Because of You is one tight pop number. Looking for the girls of summer? Christina Aguilera channels her inner-USO with a modern throwback to the 40s and 50s in Candyman, producing herself in triplicate no less. Not to be outdone, Gwen Stefani also goes for a trio (albeit flanked and chased by harajuku girls) in her silly, sparkly fantasy, The Sweet Escape, featuring Akon. Finally, a passionately jet-set Maroon 5 heads for the runway with their new hit, Makes Me Wonder. Andiamo!

Not enough, you say? Well there's always my own attempts at music video gold.

Real Teaching Leaves A Mark

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 17:46:00 +0000

I've promised it before, and now I'm super excited to tell you all about CHALK, a new film about a year in the life of teachers. In the comedic spirit of mockumentaries like This Is Spinal Tap and Best In Show, CHALK follows three teachers and an assistant principal through a frenetic, awkward, and memorable school year.

Not only do I have the honor of knowing these brilliant actors, but I enjoyed a screening of director Mike Akell's film this past year, and it really delivers. The industry seems to think so too: CHALK has taken film festivals by storm, including Austin, Boston, and LA (where they won an unprecedented Best Ensemble award). This is a portrayal of teachers and what they put up with that's so true, it hurts. Not like a raw Half Nelson hurt. More like Knocked Up or The Office for its sincerity and sharp wit.

You see, I also have the dubious/distinct honor of having two parents who are teachers: my dad spent 20+ years as a high school teacher and administrator; my mom still teaches first graders how to read, something she's been doing since before I was around. And I can't expound enough on how close the cast of CHALK (all former teachers themselves) capture the inner-workings of teachers' lives. One dear friend in particular, Shannon Haragan, plays the role of Mrs. Reddell, hilariously trying to maintain control of the school (walkie-talkie in hand) as the new assistant principal. Just watch the trailer and you'll see what I mean.

Now what I'm really excited about is that CHALK is getting released in select theaters around the country this month! Thanks to Morgan Spurlock, the film is showing at theaters like the Sunshine in New York and the Ken in San Diego, with special discounts for teachers. In fact, the cast and crew have been at many of the openings to host a Q&A with the audience! All the more reason to get a ticket now...

Virtual Insanity

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Wed, 30 May 2007 01:54:00 +0000

Lip Dubbing: Virtual Insanity from Armistead Booker and Vimeo.

This is what happens when my roommates go out of town and I'm left in the apartment with nothing but a camera and some free time. Music: "Virtual Insanity" by Jamiroquai

Update: Watch the first take from this production...

Moi, Tintin

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Tue, 22 May 2007 20:01:00 +0000

Growing up just outside of Charlottesville in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, my brother, David, and I had the treat of regularly visiting our grandparents on Barracks Road when Mom and Dad needed to come into the city. The house was always abuzz with activity: my grandfather rushing off to the hospital where he was a professor of pediatrics; my grandmother taking orders for floral arrangements that made her the talk of the town. Which often left the two of us to our own devices in a lofty old house with plenty to explore and an massive wooded lawn that was perfect for adventures.

One of the more extraordinary adventures came from an inconspicuous stack of colorful books sitting in a pile of random treasures on the creaky wooden bench at the bottom of the stairs. Each book was filled with the most wonderful illustrations of a slight, wiry little boy and his clever and comical dog who embarked together for destinations all over the world. We had stumbled upon The Adventures of Tintin. Unfortunately, these editions were all in French and it wasn't until our aunt from Geneva brought us some crisp new copies of Tintin (recently translated into American English) that the stories themselves finally came to light.

To this day, I can sit for hours on end, completely transfixed by the enthusiastic and raucous chapters about Captain Haddock, The Thomsons, Calculus, and the rest of the gang. My parents (both English teachers) attribute a lot of our early vocabulary lessons to the complex narratives and expressions we learned in the series. Tintin's creator, Hergé, had the seemingly innate ability to capture emotion and rich cultural history in a way that breathes new life into the story with each new read. And with such massive, global appeal, Tintin clearly resonates as much today as it did when the series was first published in the 1930s in Belgium.

Today marks Hergé's birth, one hundred years ago, and with appropriate timing, Steven Spielberg announced today that he'll bring Tintin to Hollywood for the first time. This new chapter comes on the heels of a popular tv show (that I followed avidly as a teenager), a centenary exhibit, and countless other tributes. But all the fanfare aside, I contend that it's the simple joy of an six-year-old reading about the adventures of an ingenious boy reporter and his snowy white dog that will personally remain the biggest chapter of them all.

The Vintage Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Armistead Booker) — Fri, 04 May 2007 00:35:00 +0000

The Vintage Collection from Armistead Booker and Vimeo.

I have a big set of old, random clips taken over the past year using the silent film feature on my Casio Exilim camera. So I decided to piece them together into this montage. Highlights: hanging out on the beachfront in Destin, Zach playing Ms. Pac-Man and David juggling at my apartment, goofing around with my cousins in Long Island, Saks light show at Rock Center, opening Christmas presents with my family in Virginia, and Shannon's birthday dinner in Midtown. Music: "New Day" by Josh Garrels

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