Interview with Dennis M. Size, Design Consultant and Senior Vice President of The Lighting Design Group, Inc.

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Dennis M. Size is a lighting designer and the Senior Vice President at The Lighting Design Group, Inc. He has over 30 years of experience as a lighting designer, and, before working at The Lighting Design Group, Inc., worked at ABC Studios and in many regional theaters. He has been nominated for the prestigious Emmy Awards ten times and won four. In June 2012, he received the Frank J. O’Hara Alumni Award in Arts & Letters from the University of Scranton, from which he graduated with two B.A.s.

Can you tell me about yourself? What made you you?

I grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, which was at one time the anthracite coal capital of the world. My father ran a bar, my mother was a nurse, and I think that shaped a lot of where I was going in life.

Growing up in a bar, you have a lot of electricians and carpenters and tradesmen coming for drinks. My father, who wanted to keep me out of trouble, would say, “Take my kid with you on the job.” So I would go out and help build houses and wire houses and all this sort of manual labor stuff that my father felt that if I ever flunked out of pre-med, that at least I’d have a trade.

That being said, when you’re doing shows, you have to build scenery, you have to hang lights, you have to make costumes, you have to do a lot of what’s considered “manual work.” While I was in college, I was directing the local high school’s dramatic productions, and all of a sudden, I had a background at 19, 20 years old, that most people strive to get when they’re in their 20s. But I didn’t really know anything, I was kind of learning by doing. So I decided that I either wanted to direct or I wanted to do design.

As I was doing more and more of these shows, I became aware that there’s a designer. There’s somebody who’s creating that look. When you’re sitting in a theater and the curtain opens, the audience will very often go, [whispers] “Wow.” And I thought, I wanna be the guy that makes that “wow.” I realized that I had an affinity for creating a look, an environment, something that made the audience go “wow.” I had a hard time rationalizing that, because it wasn’t the upbringing I had. I think my father figures that I’m just kind of a high-class electrician or carpenter because he didn’t understand the art of design.

So then I went to grad school, pursuing my Master of Fine Arts degree at Penn State. And so that’s where I developed the craft and as a scene designer, which is what I was studying, learned about the elements to make a visual picture on a stage, but also what goes into the overall production, that enhances it—such as the lighting and the costuming. Once I graduated from grad school as a scenery and lighting designer, I found myself plugging away in regional theaters, and I started marketing myself as a scenery and lighting designer.

The problem with scene designers is, when you design a show, you’re there forever. Whereas the lighting designer comes in when the scenery’s done, hangs the lights, focuses the show, queues the show—he’s there a couple of days, the curtain goes up, the audience goes “ooh, ah, wow,” and you’re in and out of town! I thought, this is better. Instead of spending two or three weeks in a town, I could spend one week and do more shows. So I started marketing myself strictly as a lighting designer.

If you had to explain your profession to someone in five to ten sentences, how would you explain it to someone who’s never heard of it?

In the world of television, if I didn’t exist, it would be called radio. Because without a lighting designer in television, that’s what you see right there [gestures to a black screen].

There’s a wonderful scene in Lawrence of Arabia where Lawrence is in the desert, and Stanley Cooper, who directs the movie, starts it like that—it’s just a black screen and then all of a sudden, Lawrence lights his cigarette, and in a 50-foot screen, you see a match flame light up. It’s just so incredible, what lighting can do in creating an emotional response in an audience. And essentially, that’s what we do. We use that ephemeral thing called light to create an emotional response in an audience.

Do you find that there’s a certain science you employ to achieve a certain effect—is it more technical than it is art?

There’s a great deal of science, and certainly a modicum of art. I tell people, and oftentimes students, that the one thing that you need to remember at all times is that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. Angle of incidence is basically where the light bounces off a surface, so I have to put that light so that the incident light isn’t reflected into the camera, otherwise you see all the lights. If we’re trying to create the illusion of reality, and we see the studio lights hanging there, what kind of reality is that? The lighting cannot distract.

What was your favorite project you worked on?

The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Why?

[sighs] I hate when people pay their good money to hire me to do a job, and then when I do the job, they ask a lot of dumb, stupid questions. They hired me to do the job. They have to assume that I’m doing the job to the best of my ability for their needs. Why are they questioning all this? “Is this the way this is supposed to look?” What, are you kidding me? I spent all night doing this, do you think I came in to make it look like shit? No, this is the way it’s supposed to look. Oprah is one of the few people I’ve ever worked with in my career that respects the work that her people do, and she respects her own confidence that she has hired the right people. I worked with her for twenty years. Never, ever, was anything I ever did questioned. You want to work with people that trust you so much, that put their complete faith in you, that you’re gonna do the best you possibly can, and it’s gonna be what you say it is. Harpo Productions, because of her, is the only company I’ve ever worked for that does that.

Does it matter more that people know you as a lighting designer in the field or that the common man knows you?

Oh, I think it matters in the field. Those people who are at my level in the industry can talk amongst ourselves and recognize what’s good and what’s bad. A group of five or six lighting designers sitting down, having supper—we could rip things apart like nobody, because we understand where we come from and what we do. The common man, as you say, doesn’t understand that. So it’s very hard for me to take platitudes from someone who doesn’t know. It means more coming from someone who really knows what it took.

Thank you very much for your time.

An Interview with Guixuan Zhuang of Dance China NY

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Four years ago, Guixuan Zhuang arrived in New York, hoping to gain more opportunities to foster his passion for dance. Mr. Zhuang graduated from the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy in 2009, and immigrated from China to the United States shortly after. Specializing in Chinese folk dance, he received his first job in Manhattan as a member of the New York Chinese Cultural Center’s resident arts company, Dance China NY. Since his arrival, Mr. Zhuang has performed in hundreds of venues throughout the tri-state area. He is now a full-time professional dancer and a part-time dance instructor at several institutions located in Flushing, Manhattan, and Long Island.

            In the office of the New York Chinese Cultural Center, where he spends his Saturdays teaching dedicated students, Mr. Zhuang discussed his experiences in New York and how he has promoted his art in the diverse city. The following is an abridged and revised version of that conversation.

Why did you start dancing?

When I was little, my parents gave me a lot of choices. I took singing lessons, Er Hu (a Chinese two-stringed musical instrument held in the lap and played with a bow) classes, painting classes, and dance classes. I was twelve when I told my mom that I wanted to dance. I was a little boy and I told her that dancing was good for me because I could jump very high. I also wanted to learn techniques so I could show off. I went to a professional school and then I went to a college for dance.

What do you like about being in New York? What opportunities have you gained from the city?

The U.S. is good for artists. You can find more possibilities. Now I have teaching jobs; I teach at the New York Chinese Cultural Center, and I do workshops at schools in Long Island, and Flushing. Mostly, I do performances with my company and go to different studios to teach. Some groups rent studios and invite me to teach them.

How are you extending your knowledge of Chinese dance and culture to New Yorkers?

I’m taking what I’ve learned and passing it on to my students. I share my knowledge by teaching and by performing.

Where do you get your inspiration from when you’re choreographing for Dance China NY or the classes you teach?

When I choreograph, I watch a lot of videos online. It gives me ideas for movements, and it gives me ideas for what kind of music to choose. Sometimes, I think of movements before I find music for the dance. But other times, I choreograph routines that follow the song. I also use everything I learned when I was at the Beijing Dance Academy. I always change my choreography when I listen to the music because the movements don’t fit, or I think of something better. Most of the things I teach in class are improvised when my students and I dance to the song.

Since your arrival in the United States, have you tried expanding your expertise to other styles of dance?

I’ve learned ballroom dance, jazz, and some modern dance. When I got a job at a dance school in Flushing, I took ballet classes there. Since I had to wait between my two classes, the principal of the school, who is very skilled at ballroom dance, let me follow along while he taught his class. I learned the cha cha, the rumba, and the jive.

Why is your art important to you?

Your culture is part of your pride, and dance is how I become involved in my country and New York City. Also, when you like something, like dance, you want to learn more about it. I wanted to be a dancer, so I studied it, and now it’s my job. Being able to do your favorite activity to earn money is great.

What makes your art special?

You know, Western dances use a different manner to express your feelings and your heart. For Asian culture, when you learn some art, you have to know a lot of things, like religion, song, history, and calligraphy. They all connect, so you can also learn a lot from a dance. For example, if you learn a Tibetan dance at a high level, you have to know religion, and history, and that people from different places have different styles. The dances of people in different provinces of China are very different from Western dance. Chinese people dance for everything – they dance for animals, people, farms, and for mountains and rivers. But recently, some dances have been performed to celebrate the government. It’s like a different language for the body.

How is performing in New York different from performing in China?

I feel like in New York, people enjoy the dances more because they don’t see Chinese dance a lot. The audience always claps for me because they think the props are beautiful, and they are impressed by the jumps and flips. They think Chinese dance is very special, and I am happy because they appreciate my art.

What was your favorite performing experience in New York?

Sometimes, I dance with my friend at improv shows. It makes me think and decide when and where to enter the stage. We perform in a room where the audience just comes in, and you can dance very close to the audience. We can try different material because in New York, we have different cultures. It’s very exciting and interesting for me – a very good memory.

Interview with SVA student Kingston Li

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On Saturday, I sat down with Kingston Li, a senior at School of Visual Arts (better known as SVA,) located in Manhattan.  We discussed his future plans, as well as his experiences in art school.  Growing up in New York City, the influences of culture and art seemed to be at odds with culture at home.  His journey through art school inside and outside of the city provide  an interesting look at the art culture of New York City as well as a point of view of a new entry into the field.

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What was it like growing up in New York City from an arts perspective?

Well you get a lot of inspiration from everywhere.  The city’s just full of inspiration, whether it comes through clothing, whether if comes from architecture and design, you see a lot of good designs coming out in terms of posters and things like that as well.  Its all concentrated, its manhattan, its the big apple, you really don’t get to have such immense concentration of all this stuff anywhere else in the world.

What was going through the NewYork City schools like?

Well there’s definitely a lot of commuting around because I went to school in Manhattan. And Even though I lived in manhattan when I was younger, I moved to Brooklyn in the sixth grade and I feel like a lot of people start moving out as they get older.  A Lot of my friends back when when I was younger, living in chinatown, they’re all in Brooklyn or Queens now because its just more affordable– the rents gone up.  Besides that people keep coming back to the city, its just the place to be, its where all the opportunities are.

Were there any instances growing up, where art was a huge part of your childhood?

It was really just my teachers back at school. It was really inspiring for me to have them speak to me, and have them tell me that I was good at what I did.  I was always encouraged to do artwork, whether its for the class, or things like that.  It always seemed to have been a passion somehow.

What was it  like with your parents, with you wanting to pursue the arts?

It was hard, because I’m asian american, and I feel like in general theres a sense of stability problem that they have.  Its something they’re concerned about and I feel like its a stigma that every artist has.  Art is super general, its super big, even within graphic design.  You could be a graphic designer and there would be so many different things you can do, whether you’re concentrated in typography or you’re all about doing book jackets and things for a company, or just freelancing.

Do you feel any extra pressure at school with your parents not being supportive?

Yeah definitely, because I feel i need to give that extra effort and show that I am all for art and all for making a living out of it.  My parents don’t see that very often and its hard for them to see because their background isn’t about that.  They’re more hands on and they’re very practical in a way.  Its harder to see the direction in terms of how my life’s going to look, lets say five years.  It’s scary and I understand that from them cause they’ve grown up in China, they came from humble beginnings and its all about them working with their hands.  Its tough. They’ve grown up seeing that America is a corporate, capitalist society and to be in it, to reap from it, to have whats most from society is to be in a business or medical field.

So if you grew up anywhere besides New York, do you think you would be doing the same thing?

New York City is a huge influence in that everyday I have an opportunity to come out and just witness life in the city.  It would be very different.  I can’t see myself [there], cause I’ve visited small towns before and its just so boring.  I can’t really be inspired, other than the internet.  And that will be a source but its different for experiencing it and seeing a lot of great work.  You have all these museums, all these galleries that are in the city.  Compared to a small town, you don’t really get much of that.  And I probably wouldn’t have as many opportunities as I did growing up here.

You went to school for Maryland for a while, how was that?

Yeah, for a year and a half.  Its pretty much what we were talking about in terms of just being in New York versus being in Baltimore.  Its very different in that all your influence and all your art inspiration comes from the teachers, comes from what the school provides, and its good, its great, but outside of Baltimore and outside the school, its very difficult.  Most students there, I feel are very tight-knitted.  That they really rely on themselves, the school, the institution.  And its very different cause I’m going to SVA now.  SVA, the teachers are definitely influential but hey also want to make you go and rely on yourself more.  In that all the assignments and the time that you have, we see the teachers are really out there in a professional world already.  And they’re really well known and we see that they have their own studios and their own work to do, and they’re also teaching us.  We see all they work they put out on top of teaching and it really inspires us to seek connections, to find things on your own, and make things happen.  In Maryland it would be a little harder, its very different.

Whats the plan for after graduation?

There’s a lot of pressure for spring semester for me to get an internship, which is the most safe.  And I have to start thinking about loans and paying them back.  There really isn’t much of a plan, its kind of bad but, I feel like its going to be like this, choosing this path, this career.  Its going to be like this throughout my life.  There’s always going to be new projects, companies, clients that need help with design, its just that whatever platform it may be.

So where do you want to be in ten years?

I don’t know, I’m definitely not sure.  I’m still seeking out what I truly like from graphic design.  I know I want to use it cause graphic design is all about problem solving and being creative about it.  So I’m still trying to figure it out.

Throughout this entire process of art school do you have any regrets?

Yes.  Art school is so expensive. It is ridiculously expensive.  For some reason theres this pressure for, not just in art schools, theres this pressure to just be in a school from year one to the last year.  I would have taken, if I had to do it again, I would have gone to a community college just to get all my foundational credits so that I can really focus on all my studio classes.  Cause I’m still taking humanities and requirements, and those are just side classes.  I don’t really have time for them anymore, its all about the studio classes.  Its my senior year so I want to get my portfolio as tight as possible, as nice and good looking as possible.

Interview with the Director of Baruch College Mishkin Art Gallery: Sandra Kraskin

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Sandra Kraskin is the curator of Baruch College’s Mishkin Art Gallery. She has been inquiring artists for work, organizing art exhibitions, and publishing show catalogues for fifteen years. Before her experience as the school’s gallery director, Dr. Kraskin received her PhD in Art History and was an art teacher and Art History professor in Minnesota. Because of a mass layoff of teachers in the 1980s, Dr. Kraskin was not able to continue her occupation in Minnesota and moved to New York to seek job opportunities. She taught at Baruch for one year but then became the gallery director. Below is my interview with Dr. Kraskin:

What do you like about being the Director of the Mishkin Gallery?

“What I like about this job is that I’m working with the real objects. When I was a professor in Art History, art was always on slides. Now they’re digital pictures, but anyhow, I could only talk about of an art object through an image of it, which was quite uncomfortable for me. I like working with real objects, and that is what I like about this job. I still do a good deal of teaching because professors bring classes in and I give talks, so it’s a win-win.”

What are some difficulties of your occupation?

“The hard part about my job is that I had to give up my professor schedule that I was quite used to. This is a forty-hour week job – or more like a fifty-hour week job. And I don’t have my summer off anymore, so the schedule is much more intense. But, I do like working with the objects, and I can still continue to do some teaching.”

How long are your work days?

“On Thursdays, I work from 12:00 to 7:00 [pm], and for the rest of the week, 12:00 to 5:00. For fifteen years I stayed until seven, but for the past three years I have someone to help me out – a PhD student – who works from 5:00 to 7:00 for me now.”

How would you describe yourself as an artist?

“I would say that I am an art historian. I started art when I was a child – I always enjoyed doing art projects and was interested in seeing art. After I got my PhD in Art History, I became an elementary education teacher back in Minnesota and I taught painting for a few years. Later I got the full time teaching job in Minneapolis, and I taught art history there.”

What memorable experiences do you recall as the gallery director?

“I’ve had a lot… I would say preparing the shows is the most special part. Every show is different, just like exhibits in other collectors and museums. We had so many different kinds of art from different cultures. For one show, which was called the Wrestling with History, we had abstract expressionists, African women artists, and even one Filipino artist I believe! In another show I remember there were a few Indian space painters who were abstract expression artists of mainstream New York, but they were influenced by Northwest coast art. That was an interesting project too.

Setting the shows up is always exciting because the design and lighting needed for each show are completely different. I also enjoy writing catalogs and essays for the shows. That was another thing that I did for the show other than organizing the gallery itself.

I guess doing the fundraising for the shows was also a great experience because I held art programs at Baruch that were able help the gallery raise money.”

Here is a more general question and it is to primarily ask for your point of view: What do you think Visual Art is about?

“Well, I like to revise art history because I feel that there are always some artists who get left out of the picture. In the gallery, I especially focused on putting in artwork by female artists – I even published essays about a few of them. I published a book in 2009 about a Russian female artist called Rediscovering Slobodkina: Pioneer of American Abstraction. In addition to representing more female artists, I incorporated works from artists of color and a number of reclaiming New York City artists. I wrote a book a few years back about a Russian female artist called Rediscovering Slobodkina: Pioneer of American Abstraction.”

What are your goals as the gallery director?

“I hope to put the gallery on the map. I usually seek out the work of more unique, original, or less well-known artists – artists that not everyone knows about but should know about. I believe that what we put here is high quality art because it is so different. I mean – no one would come here if it’s the same as everywhere else. I think our gallery is a wonderful place because it is and was home to rising artists. A few years back, I saw some artists’ works – they were not so well known then – and I got interested in making a show of their art. After their show here, they got more famous and now they are big artists!”

Do you think art is an important aspect of everyone’s lives?

“I think it’s important for all students, and particularly Baruch students, to learn about art. Sometimes business students here do not understand how important art can be for their future. For example, if you go to your boss’s house for dinner – and of course he would have a few art pieces in his living room or bathroom because he has the money – it would impress him if you knew something about the art! What kind of a boss would like you if you couldn’t think of anything smart to say about a painting or a sculpture? I think that art is part of the business world. You see now that big corporations, especially banks like Chase Bank, have massive art collections. When you walk into a Chase Bank you see a painting here and a painting there. John D. Rockefeller collected a lot of art during his lifetime – he was a big collector of artwork. Why do you think he would do that if art was not important?”

Do you think there is a relationship between art and business?

“Art has become such a big business, and there is a certain emphasis on sales of work. It is quite frequent nowadays for artists to sell their works. Now artwork can be very expensive because people buy things like that as an investment, and they do it not just for art anymore. Auction prices of artwork can by sky high! Art is a good investment, and that is why many people collect them. When the stock market is unreliable, art is a safer investment and it lasts for a longer time.”

Do you believe connecting art to business is good or bad?

“Sometimes how art is looked upon now is very degrading. What happened to Robert Indiana’s “Love” was an example of how people disrespect art and artists’ efforts. Now “Love” is just printed on T-shirts and mugs without Indiana’s permission. This is a copyright issue, and it is not what Indiana had in mind for his work to end up at. Indiana’s work became a source of business, and the initial meaning was completely devalued.”

An Interview with Richie Duque-Henao

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Richie Duque-Henao is a filmmaker who studied at Boston University, but has since returned to and is currently based in New York. Raised on Long Island, he spent much of his time skateboarding and experiencing the world around him with friends, and it is this aspect of his childhood he often looks to for inspiration. Richie is currently working on some short films, as well as with his own production company, oneonefive productions, to produce a music video for the Colombian music artists, Duina Del Mar and Cabas.

Olivia Sztanga: Can you pinpoint the exact moment at which you realized you wanted to work in film? If so, describe that moment.

Richie Duque-Henao: The exact moment was definitely when I was applying for college senior year. I had done some fun, little movies in middle school with friends… stuff for school projects, stuff on VHS where editing was basically stopping and playing on a VCR. Once, my friend’s grandpa even came up in the background of our film because we filmed over a home movie. And during high school, I had a media class where I was always coming up with ideas and directing all my friends, but I never thought of it as anything until the moment I started applying for college. I kinda realized I didn’t want to go to college, and although I had done pretty well academically, I didn’t want to do anything academic. I hit some weird, existential wall in my life where I just wanted to do something fun and something real. I wanted to create. So I decided right there, if I was 100 percent honest with myself, it was film. I knew I had to go all the way with this and never look back.

OS: What do you consider to be the greatest accomplishment of your career thus far?

RDH: It would definitely have to be the last project I just finished. It’s 35 minutes long and before that, I had only done really short, five minute stuff with no real acting. My main thing is to do narrative features, and school wasn’t satisfying my need to create. I had this really ambitious project I wanted to take on and no one at school really thought I could fit it into my class schedule. I was discouraged and told nonstop that I would fail and that I wasn’t ready as a filmmaker… but to me that was the point: going to school, jumping into something you’re not ready for, not being afraid to fail, and if you do, just stepping back from it and saying, “f***, I just learned so much from that.” So I tackled the project on my own with money I saved up. I directed, co-wrote, produced, did most of the cinematography, edited, and self-financed it. The weird thing is, it’s my biggest accomplishment, yet I haven’t submitted it to festivals or really shown anyone. I don’t see it going on to win many awards or anything, but it taught me more than all of film school. It taught me what goes into making a film logistically and artistically, it taught me about my identity and style as a filmmaker, it made me realize what I needed to focus on, it made me really self-aware about my life and why I focus on certain themes. I’m happy I didn’t listen to my professors and risked failing.

OS: What are some of your other accomplishments? What kind of projects have you completed?

RDH: I finished another zero-budget, 16 minutes film. Then there are two music videos I co-directed with a friend from Boston this summer, some promotional stuff, and now I’m here I’m here in Miami. I’ve also been to Cannes Film Festival twice already: once interning with a talent agency, William Morris Endeavor, and a second time as a program coordinator. Having the experience of being at the world’s largest film festival has really opened my eyes. It made the “unreal” “real” for me, and then it also gave me an incredible sort of perspective on everything, even some stuff about the industry I hate.

OS: What are the things you hate about the industry?

RDH: Oh god, I don’t know. It’s like any industry… how political and bureaucratic things can be. I saw a lot of things that rubbed me in the wrong way, like a lot of people go into film for fame or money or power. I mean film is business to many, but to me, film is something really sacred. Film helps me cope with things and I almost felt like I was seeing this holy thing just completely violated. People who aren’t even in film come to Cannes to party on yachts and sadly, you see a lot of men who want to feel like they’re in power and they use girls like accessories, like having an attractive girl on your arm means you’re important, and I hate that. Now after saying all of that, I would also see incredible, encouraging things, like Ryan Coogler, a 26-year-old filmmaker who won Sundance and got his film in Un Certain Regard at Cannes. I bumped into him one night, just hanging with his mom and fiancée. He’s one of the biggest up-and-coming directors, and his humility and connection to his family was really inspiring and refreshing. Cannes is an experience I want to be a part of every year, and I think if you don’t like something, you should be one of the ones trying to flip it on its head, not running away from it.

OS: So right now I know you are in Miami filming a music video and my brother also mentioned that you are working on a feature length script. Can you tell me more about your current projects?

RDH: So this music video is for Duina Del Mar, who is a pretty big, rising Colombian musician, and she just did a duet with Cabas, another big Colombian musician. It was a very fun, free, and creative environment with both of them. We were very spontaneous regarding what we were capturing for the video. The video is more about the cinematography and the chemistry the two artists have for each other. I’m also in pre-production for a short film. It’s a magic realist film that deals with being a first generation Colombian-American, and the feature length I’ve been developing with my friend, Chris, is what I’ve been most excited about. It’s an exploration of male adolescence, a story more rooted in rhythms than plot. It follows three friends around my hometown on Long Island, Lindenhurst, during one night. It’s incredibly personal and deals with a lot of our feelings about childhood, of being lost as a kid and not understanding the world around you. I’m also really excited because the three friends are on bikes during most of the film and it calls for “skateboarding” cinematography, and I’ve always loved skateboarding and skateboarding films.

OS: I feel like this is an appropriate place to ask where do you draw your inspiration from? It sounds like a lot comes from your culture and your childhood on Long Island.

RDH: Yeah, I think that’s basically where it comes from. I’m very interested in stories of childhood and adolescence, and people who are trying to run away from adulthood or trying to find their identity. People who are lost. I try to be honest with myself and see where I naturally go and I usually go to those places. Different sounds of the world also interest me, especially in this one film. Like the feeling of the wind on an October night, or the hums of a generator near some industrial plant mixed with crickets when you’re alone at night and decide to walk around town… that stuff really inspires me. And obviously, other filmmakers and creative people inspire me. John Cassavetes is one of my biggest heroes, just because of how courageous he was in going against all conventions and truly doing what he thought was right in film.

OS: Last question: What advice would you give to a young, aspiring filmmaker?

RDH: If you’re a film major, supplement your education nonstop with everything you can: read books, read articles on film, read essays on film. Watch classic films, experimental films, indie films, international films… Eat up and consume different directors and different styles. Learn it all, but learn it all with caution, because people are gonna tell you, “this is the right way to do it” or “the best way to do it,” and you always have to be careful with that. Go out and start creating things, make little tiny shorts, collaborate with people. Also, really try to find yourself, and find what you need to say, what your style and identity is, or even better, if you can’t find yourself, understand why you’re lost, and that’s the best time to make a movie and find yourself. I don’t know… that’s basically it. Being a filmmaker is hard, and people think that those who are successful come out of nowhere but I’ll guarantee you all those dudes took years and years to develop their style and worked hard for a long time before they rose “out of nowhere.” If you love it enough, all that struggle should be worth it.

Sink: Robbing Mela’s (Teaser) from Richie Duque-Henao on Vimeo.

Interview with Melanie DiPalma

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Born and raised in Long Island, Melanie DiPalma attended Centereach High School where she participated in many of her school productions. Now, Melanie is a freshman at Baruch College and a performer in the school play.

Ariel: I know you are currently a student at Baruch College, are you studying performing arts?

Melanie: No, I am actually studying political science. That is what I am hoping to major in with a possible minor in journalism.

Ariel: Since you’re not studying performing arts, are you participating in the arts through a club or organization?

Melanie: I’m participating through Baruch. There’s a play that Baruch is putting on called In The Blood so I’m participating in that. In The Blood is a modern adaptation of the book, The Scarlett Letter.

Ariel: What role do you play?

Melanie: I am the understudy for 2 characters. One character’s name is Meega Gringa and the other whose name is Welfare.

Ariel: Is this production playing now?

Melanie: Right now, we’re in rehearsals. The show is supposed to open in November, right before Thanksgiving.

Ariel: I don’t really know much about the performing arts here at Baruch.

Melanie: I don’t either. I, honesty, just saw a poster for auditions and I just decided to audition. If I hadn’t seen that poster, I probably wouldn’t have known.

Ariel: How was the audition process?

Melanie: Well, the audition poster said to come to a certain room to pick up your audition material. Unlike normal auditions where you pick your own monologue, they gave you scenes to prepare for the audition. I actually found that was better because it’s less stressful.

Ariel: Were there a lot of people who auditioned?

Melanie: I’m not sure but there are less than twelve people in the cast.

Ariel: Really? Twelve is quiet small. It must be an intimate production.

Melanie: Well, the cast is actually smaller. There are six characters and some cast members double up on roles so it’s definitely intimate. One thing that I like about plays instead of musicals is that the cast tends to be smaller. Musicals usually have really large casts but plays are a lot more intimate so I feel that you get to know people better.

Ariel: So you would say that you’re very good friends with the cast and crew?

Melanie: Yes, we’re starting to get closer. Being at rehearsals every day, you become comfortable around them.

Ariel: Where and when does the cast rehearse?

Melanie: We actually rehearse in the theatre in 23rd building. It’s not an actual theater. It’s a small, all-black room with elevated seating. We also rehearse everyday except for Mondays; however, it mostly depends on the scenes. If you’re not in the scene being rehearsed, you don’t necessarily need to show up. Since there is only a month until the play, rehearsals have become more frequent and intense.

Ariel: Why should people come watch the play?

Melanie: I think the play has a really strong message. It’s not what people think of when you think of a stereotypical play. There are some parts that are funny and some parts that are sad so there’s a good mix. In addition, the small theater creates an intimate setting. The audience can truly connect with the characters. The show is also a good comment on society and makes you think.

Ariel: Since you are from Long Island, which isn’t very far away, are your parents planning to come out and watch your performance? Are they very supportive?

Melanie: They are very supportive but since the play is very different and there some parts that I am slightly uncomfortable with my parents seeing, I’m not sure if they’ll come watch. But overall, they have always been really supportive.

Ariel: Well, I know the story of The Scarlett Letter but what parts are uncomfortable?

Melanie: Since it’s a modern interpretation, there are many differences from the book. Hester is homeless and living under a bridge with five illegitimate children. She ends up having to do certain things for money sometimes. It’s an interesting show.

Ariel: That’s definitely different than book. Well, before college you seemed to participate a lot in the performing arts. What else did you do in middle school and high school?

Melanie: In middle school, I was part of musicals in 7th and 8th grade. And then, in high school, I was in all four musicals and the three plays my school did. I was also president of the Thespian Honor Society.

Ariel: Is that like drama club? I know my high school had a drama club but I don’t think we had a Thespian Society.

Melanie: Yea, it’s like drama club but also an honor society. It depended on how many hours you put into the productions. In order to be in the society, you had to complete a certain number of hours.

Ariel: That’s nice. So what is your favorite part about the performing arts and participating in drama club?

Melanie: That’s a pretty good question. Mostly, I find the people interesting. Theater people are just kind of weird and outgoing. But I’ve actually been exposed to it at a young age. My mother was always played musical soundtracks when I was really young so it just feels like a part of my life.

Ariel: Are your parents fans of the arts?

Melanie: My dad enjoys watching shows and Broadway but my mom’s side of the family is very into the arts. When my mom was in high school, she also participated in the school musical and plays. And when she was younger, my nana was an actress so the arts have always been part of the family.

Ariel: Wow. That’s amazing that your grandmother was an actress. What works did she do?

Melanie: In 1930s or 1940s, she did some modeling and then, she was in a short local television show. She also was in the chorus of a touring musical called the Pajama Game. She eventually stopped when she met grandpa because she wanted to get married and raise children.

Ariel: Did she influence you in any way?

Melanie: A bit. When I go to my nana’s house, we would always watch musicals or classic movies. My entire mom’s side of the family has always been really involved in the arts whether performing or watching. I basically grew up in the performing arts environment.

Ariel: Is there a large amount of performing arts in Long Island?

Melanie: Yes, there are many community theaters in the area so I’ve done a lot of that.

Ariel: Is that how you got started? What was your first production?

Melanie: My first big show was Annie in the 7th grade. I met my best friend through that production. I met a lot of friends through performing arts. It’s one of the main reasons I got involved because all my friends were participating.

Ariel: Although you seem very passionate about the arts, why don’t you want to pursue it as a career? What made you want to study political science instead of performing arts?

Melanie: The performing arts field is very competitive and I feel that I wouldn’t have fun if I pursued it as a career. In the summer, I worked on campaigns and I found a passion for political science.

Ariel: Even though you are not planning to pursue a career in the performing arts, is it something you want to continue in the future?

Melanie: It’s kind of just a hobby. Performing arts is something I’ve done since middle school. I wasn’t even planning on pursing it in college. It was just something I did in high school and when I got here, I realized how much I missed it. However, my priorities are schoolwork and college so if plays begin to interfere with school, I am willing to quit. I would rather work an internship for political science then perform in a show.

The Magic of Jewelry: An Interview with Maria Farber

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  Maria Farber is a freelance jewelry designer. She has been working in this field for almost twenty years. Farber got her start by attending The Parsons School of Design, located in Lower Manhattan. She has worked for companies like Liz Claiborne, Tommy Hilfiger, MONET, and Juicy Couture. In this interview, she outlines exactly what the job of a jewelry designer entails, and helps me imagine what a typical work day looks like for her. She also recounts her own views on jewelry, and how she has worked her way up in the industry throughout the years.

 Hello! I am very excited to speak to you about jewelry design. Every girl loves jewelry, so what is it like working in this field? Where do you work and how did you end up there?

Hi, it’s a pleasure speaking to you as well. It’s definitely quite an interesting job because every day I’m designing something different, and get to meet representatives from a wide range of companies. First off, I spent several years making my way to where I am now. I got out of school and began designing for a few specific companies. In about 1996, I realized that working for a set company just wasn’t really for me; instead I decided to take on some freelance work. I started my freelance life as a model-maker. I designed and then carved wax models of jewelry, which were then to be cast. As soon as I started to have children I had to simplify my work load, so the model-making part of my job had to be dropped. Instead, I now envision and draw out the plans for different jewelry collections before handing off my designs to the company that requested them.

The freelance work I do has certainly been something I enjoy better because it gives me more freedom, and I have more time to spend with my family. I’m really happy where I am now in this field, especially because I’ve been granted the opportunities of working with amazing companies like Liz Claiborne, The Richline Group, and many more.  Over the years, I have built up my reputation by producing good work, and sort of carved a niche for myself in a very small industry.

Wow, that is extremely interesting and prestigious because building a portfolio for yourself is a lot of work, and your job requires so much creativity. What exactly are the basics of your job? Can you go into detail about what it is that you do on a typical day at work?

Yes, I can definitely explain it to you. I work five days a week from 9AM to 5PM. When the day begins, I meet a client who starts to tell me about the next collection that their company is envisioning. By the way, a collection typically consists of a signet ring, 2 pendants, which include a dog tag and a large cross, as well as a bracelet.

Before getting to work, I inquire about a few important details like: who is the target audience, am I designing for a cool, biker guy or a sophisticated woman? I also ask about what kinds of stones I can use, say crystals, diamonds or perhaps faux stones with diamond accents. A few other things I must know are the sizes or lengths of the pieces that I am to make, as well as the potential prices for the jewelry I am to design. Finally, I ask the client about their inspiration for this collection because if they have an explanation or picture for me, it will help me brainstorm.  Once they give me something to work off of, my creative juices start to flow.

I then start to draw my ideas. After this, I return to the client for their feedback on my plans. After some back and forth, I end up with a drawing that they approve of. At the end of a typical day, if I don’t have a collection done entirely, I’ll probably have at least all the rings and pendants completed.

Once my plans are finished, I have to create technical drawings for the pieces, which include side-views, stone weight, and the measurements in mm. These diagrams have to be universally understandable, so the factories which create them, wherever they may be, will have no questions to ask. Even though my clients will accept a typical line drawing, I like to improve my designs by coloring my illustrations, even depicting light and shadows; thus making my drawings as close to the real object as possible. I shade in my pencil drawings with 2 different shades of gray marker to depict steel and silver metals. Meanwhile, I use a white gel pen to create light; this shows where the light would strike the object if it were real. My favorite part of it all is making a tiny painting at the end for a “Wow!” effect.

That sounds extremely intensive, but also very unique and fascinating. Are there any drawbacks or difficulties when it comes to your job?

Well, the computer is a bit intimidating for me. I do my drawings by hand, and I take great pride in all of the work that I put in on the final illustrations. Meanwhile, many of the newly trained people in the industry are utilizing the computer as they work. It’s okay though because I’ve got something up my sleeve. I have actually been taking private classes in computer illustration to eventually catch up with the times!

Oh wow! I hope you learn to use the necessary programs, and that it helps improve your work. It really shows a lot of dedication that you are putting in extra time and your own money to learn how to use the computer as a designing tool. Can you also tell me about any particular experiences throughout the years that stand out in your memory?

As a freelance designer, I really enjoy working with such a wide variety of companies. For instance, I have designed bridal products with diamonds for Vera Vang. I have also created gold jewelry for Michael Anthony Richline, specifically for his lines at Kohl’s, Macy’s, HSN, etc.

One of the best experiences I had was working at The Liz Claiborne Company where we designed costume jewelry for many famous brand names. I also worked for MONET where I created the most fun brooches and keepsake boxes, which was amazing. They also had a license to create for the Juicy Couture brand. Therefore, I was one of the first designers to launch the Juicy bracelet charms. For the last 4 years, I have been working for SHR Simmons designing Hello Kitty jewelry and watches. My latest client is Movado Company where I get the opportunity to design for Tommy Hilfiger. There are a lot of other companies large and small that I have worked for. The kinds of jewelry that have originated from my pencil are so wide and varied that I could not name them all.

I think I could talk to you about your work forever, that’s how interesting all of this sounds. I mean, your designs have been sold at Juicy Couture, Macy’s and HSN, that’s really impressive. Out of curiosity, do you own a lot of jewelry?

Truthfully, I’m not obsessed with collecting jewelry. I think working with all these pieces kind of satisfies my craving. Compared to others, I probably have quite an assortment of jewelry, but I don’t really have any pieces that are extremely important, like an engagement ring. When my boyfriend told me he wanted to buy me an engagement ring, I refused and insisted that we use the money to put a down-payment on an apartment. It was one of the best decisions we have ever made.

Aww, that’s really sweet of you to consider the money for something both of you will enjoy, your apartment. It sounds like you have things under control not only in the jewelry business, but at home as well. Thank you so much for allowing me to interview you, and telling me more about the jewelry designing industry.

Absolutely, it was no problem. I’m glad to share all of this knowledge, so more people can learn about me and what I do. It is also a big honor for me to be interviewed by you about my freelance work, so thank you.

 

 

StoryCorps–arts

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Have you ever felt that no one is listening to you? Like you have to stand on a chair, waving your arms like a madman in order to get your point across?

hands up

Well David Isay believed everyone’s voices should be heard. David Isay believed everyday life stories could make fascinating stories while letting people express themselves. He named this art form STORYCORPS.

Storycorps first based themselves in Grand Central. There was a long waitlist for two people to go into a booth with no cameras, just audio recording. There, they were given the opportunity to speak and be listened to.  Some people have called this in the past oral history, but Isay believed it is just an interview. An opportunity for people to ask questions they normally would not have the chance and be answered.storycorps

Storycorps is a nonprofit corporation that has been around for 10 years. They employ 100 staff members and have an annual budget of almost $10 million.  Most of these staff members hold interviews with the people who have signed up and ask questions about their normal lives. Sometimes they say interviews don’t go well because people have alternative agendas than just being listened to. The interviewers say some politicians that come in have an agenda to get a certain populace to heed their message and so they don’t speak freely but merely have a script. Storycorps gets huge publicity. Their interviews are posted on websites and played on NPR late at night…you see why some politicians might take advantage of this fact.

In recent years Storycorps incorporated the idea of having two people who know each other intimately have a conversation. This aspect questions the validity of whether it is or is not truly oral history.

Isay originally thought this would be only a 10 year project but after closing the grand Central booth and opening others in Foley Square, Atlanta, Chicago and San Francisco, he sees this project expanding to even more horizons.

I think this corporation is interesting. I’m not exactly sure how it works and why people would want to have intimate conversations over the radio where anyone could hear, but if people find this to be beneficial and helpful go Storycorps! What do you think? want to do it?

, . “When the Listening Trumps the Tale.” The New York Times 23 October 2013: n. pag. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.

 

Music Interview

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Professor Abby Anderton teaches music class at Baruch. She had long history of music in her life, starting from when she learned how to play the piano at five years old. She originally wanted to be a doctor but gave it up to pursue music. She seriously considered music as a career choice in college. Having had experience in several different capacities of music, Abby Anderton is very well rounded and has a lot of insight into the world of music.

Q. How would you say you contribute to music in New York City?

 

A. I teach the Music in Western Civilization, one of the jumbo classes, there is like a hundred students. I also teach a seminar on music and film so those are kind of two of the ways I contribute to music in New York City. I worked a few summers as a manager assistant at Lincoln Center so that was fun. I was meeting a lot of different musicians. Usually my job was going to the airport and getting thirty Lithuanian thespians on a bus to midtown Manhattan and its always chaos.  Someone would always forget the timpani drums in customs somehow and some hilarious chain of events would ensue. But right now I am primarily doing it by teaching and interacting with students and trying to figure out what things they are going to hear in the city and what groups interest them.

 

Q. What inspired your interest in music?

 

A. Well I guess I started playing the piano when I was five or six and I had a  very active brother so I guess the only time I was not in a headlock from him was when I was practicing so I thought I should start practicing more because then he would leave me alone, do his own big brother things. So that is partially the reason why I started. I just found it really relaxing, and soothing, I had a lot of teachers. But it wasn’t until high school that I considered music as a career. I actually thought that , this will sound bizarre but,  I was shadowing a doctor on summer when I was watching a colonoscopy.  You can imagine that it would turn anyone away from medicine. And so I decided to pursue something that I actually like which is to teach music and learn more about it. I also wanted to meet students with similar interests or even completely different interests just to see what makes them tick.

 

Q. What unique experiences do you think music has given you?

 

A. I think one of the reason people study music and why it is valued is that you’re able to produce under very high-pressure amazing, music that you can’t replicate.  By that I mean a talented musician who spends many, many hours practicing in order to play these pieces and produce them in front of concert audience. The skill that allows you to perform under pressure transfers to the business world, to education, that is why people have their children learn how to play an instrument early so that they are able to deliver those kind of things in front of audience. It is like another form of public speaking.

 

Q. Do you wish you could have done more?

 

A. I can’t imagine anyone would be content with what they did. I wish I learned to play the cello or another string instrument. I wish that I could have started an after school music program, perhaps in my own town. It is very rural, not many people, no concert stage, so no one pursues a career in music.  So I think everyone can improve on his or her experience.

 

Q. Do you have any future goals in music?

 

A. Yeah, I am writing a book.  For my PhD, I have to write a book, a dissertation and I am writing one on post war German music. It is really about larger questions how music and politics relate to each other. What was Germany’s post war identity based on? Since the Nazis destroyed the country ideologically and economically.  So this is the next big project, the next step for me.

Q. What is your favorite music?

 

A. Wow that’s tough. I like Mostly classical music, western classical music to be exact. I am also a fan of twentieth century music so I like American minimalism, Rakhmaninov’s piano pieces, which everyone thinks is sort of clumsy. There is something about them that I found beautiful. I also like Beethoven of course, everyone says Beethoven whether they like or hate him.  I like certain people’s ideas about music, like John Cain who kind of started this whole movement that music can be any sound or the absence of sound or what is this thing we call music? And he was obsessed about it so he would go into this barometric chamber where you are supposed to be able to hear nothing and he could hear his own heartbeat so it shows you can never really hear “nothing.”  I also like The Beatles, I listen to a lot of pop music, daft punk.

 

Q. Why did you choose to teach music?

 

A. Well, I think at the end of the day I would rather talk about more and nothing else that I would love to do more. I find it interesting and try to share it with someone else to get him or her excited.  You realize that something that resonates with you might be a bit of stretch to someone else and vice versa.  I think there is a constant challenge of how to communicate these ideas and the best way to make them stick.

Q. Are other people in you family contributors to music?

 

A. Not particularly. My mother and I sign along loudly to the car radio but I don’t think that fits. She is retired but she used to be a kindergarten teacher so she had to teach a little about music since she taught them. But no I guess there is not anyone in my family who loves music the way I do, which I love.  We can have these conversations like why does this sound like that, or what you think of this?  Its very interesting to get other people’s perspectives because my family members hear things differently than I do.  They always talk to me about this because of my expertise.

 

Q. Do you have any advice for people interested in music?

 

A. Well I think one of the things I have enjoyed about working in music is to work in different capacities.  At Baruch I teach music as well as Providence College, last year I lived in Boston and I worked as the concert manager in Gerber Museum. I got to meet a lot of different musicians and people from all walks of life, which I really enjoyed. And in teaching, teaching students are music students versus those who are not that has also been a wonderful experience and a great way to learn a different sets of vocabularies. So I think people interested in working in music I guess I would say is to say as many diverse and divergent experiences in the field as you can because you never know how something will help you in your ultimate goal. So definitely intern and shadow people you know.

Interview with an interior design student: Jessica Park

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“Do what you want!” is probably what we hear the most when seeking for advice in our career paths. However, how many of us know what we truly want to do? Students pursuing art find themselves in the same quandary. Jessica Park is a first-year undergraduate student at New York School of Interior Design. She has been active in art since her childhood. Some of her accomplishments include receiving the Certificate of Achievement in Visual Arts for 2010, the Nassau All-County Art Exhibition Achievement Award for 2010, 2011, and 2012, and the Art Supervisors Association Scholarship Award for 2013. She was also chosen as a 2013 Presidential Scholar in her undergraduate program. She had originally pursued fine arts, until she came across interior design during her high school years.

Q1. What made you change your mind from pursuing fine arts to interior design?

A1. I guess the biggest factor was that I actually found something that I wanted to do, instead of something I would just settle with. This happened when I came across the catalog for the School of Interior Design; it described a graduate program for healthcare interior design. The catalog caught my eye immediately. After that, I really wanted to pursue interior design, so I changed my decision.

Q2. Do you like the change? If you do, what do you like about it?

A2. I like the change. What I realized is that interior design is much more interactive with people than fine arts. I am basically creating a space for people to live in. It gives me an opportunity to communicate with people. I have confidence that I can make a living through it. I guess it was a reality check. I saw a clear path that I could take, whereas fine arts gave me a different impression. When I thought of fine arts, I simply thought of “paint.” And that was it. I like fine arts, but I don’t think I love it enough to devote my whole life into it, without having to think about the reality.

Q3. What inspires you to continue arts, regardless of the change?

A3. Art always has been a big part of my life. The first thing that comes to my mind wherever I go is how everything looks. Even right now sitting at a café, I observe the space and think about its pros and cons to answer the question: what can I do to make it more visually appealing and convenient? There are just so many ways to achieve the goal. After all, the whole process is simply fun.

Q4. Was there a turning point in your life that led you to pursue art?

A4. I would not say there was a turning point. Ever since I was a child, art has always been with me. I first started out drawing flowers and rudimentary self-portraits. From then on, I have been constantly drawing. It has always sparked my interest.

Q5. If you were to describe yourself as an artist using one word, what would it be?

A5. I would say “willing.” When I was doing fine arts, I often thought to myself that I have my own style and I will not change it. Perhaps it was more of ‘I do not want to change it.’ I may have been arrogant back then. I knew I had to try various things to improve, but it was difficult for me to change the style that I had already established. I was used to it. Now, I am definitely “willing” to learn and try out new things. Yet, I do not expect something unique to emerge from me too soon, because I am starting anew in different fields of art. I imagine myself as an apprentice – always “willing” to take a stab at what intrigues me.

Q6. What is creativity to you?

A6. Transforming the basics into something different. Ultimately, art is derived from common things. Regardless of the field of art you engage in, you still share an object to work with. Abstract and modern artists can hold the same thoughts, but it really is a matter of how you express that idea. Keeping that in mind, I think it is crucial for you to understand the foundation of an item.

Q7. What is the most difficult step for you when it comes to creating arts?

A7. I think the hardest step is grasping the idea, especially when I am also trying to deliver a message across. How well you create it is still important, but it should not be your biggest concern. I try to focus more on the message behind it. Now as an interior design student, I think about how my design will fit the people in the space they live and what distinguishes it from other designs. Even just a simple color of the wall can change my intention by conveying a different message.

Q8. Do you often find yourself with artist’s block?

A8. Yes, quite often. I think all jobs that require creativity go through the same problem. There are days when I just do not want to be creative at all. There also are moments when I get completely stuck; then I lose my motivation. Sometimes the process of coming up with a concept can be overwhelming, but once I get the outline, I just go with the flow. It is still difficult to develop the right idea.

Q9. Would you say your artist’s block is due to pressure?

A9. It is not necessarily caused by pressure. When I have my artist’s block, it is usually when I am not very passionate about my work. When I am motivated, I get an endless train of ideas. However if it is just for the sake of doing work, my brain just stops. When I was applying for the School of Art at Cooper Union, I had to take a hometest that required creativity and imagination. It was surely difficult, but I was very passionate about it. It was fun and the questions were interesting as well. There definitely was a lot of pressure on me, but it was an interesting experience that I do not regret.

Q10. What do you like about the environment you work in?

A10. It is always busy. There are always people to occupy the space. It is rarely ever static, and this keeps me running throughout the day.

Q11. So, would you say your working environment is comfortable?

A11. I wouldn’t call it comfortable just yet. I mean, I can create a comfortable space, but working in it isn’t necessarily comfortable. I will have to get used to the environment that always changes. Then again, “working” itself is not a very comfortable action either!

Q12. What is one thing you would like to do as an interior designer in the future?

A12. Interior design takes the client’s demands very seriously; there is a set boundary in which designers can work within, although I sometimes feel like a daredevil going against their requests and ultimately change their preferences. Let’s say they do not like the color blue. I would show them different shades of blue and convince my clients to like at least one of them. It can be seen as a “taboo” thing, but I still want to “convert” them.