Frameform

Audiences can be strongly divided when it comes to musicals, and the same goes for superhero flicks. Are these “theme park movies” the “death of cinema” or are they just a product of the times? In this roundtable with special guest Steven Butler, we cover many facets of movie musicals, superhero franchise films, and how they reflect the circumstances in which they are made and viewed. Also: what is on the horizon of big screen spectacles and what factors are determining our course forward?

Check out our Frameform Patreon page to access resources we have released and have coming up this summer.

Announcement:

Available On Demand @ Dancinema Online March 1st to 31st: STEPS OF FREEDOM: The Story of Irish Dance. 

This doc reveals how Irish dance was shaped over centuries through interactions with many cultures as it evolved from a simple folk dance to become a global phenomenon loved by millions around the world.

 Enjoy Steps of Freedom during a movie night at home with Dancinema Online ( 

www.dancinema.co

 )   and bonus playlist: “Percussive & Folk Dances of the World” shorts

That’s a wrap! We reflect, share some behind the scenes perspectives and celebrate all that is Season 4 of Frameform.

Thank you to the festivals and organizations we partnered with: Dance Camera West, ADF’s Movies by Movers, Standard Vision, Dancinema’s Capitol Dance & Cinema Festival. We’ll be on tour again next season and in conversation with other festival curators, producers and featured dancefilmmakers.

Thank you to everyone we interviewed this season: Gabri Christa, Bridget Murnane, David Roussève,  Samantha Shay, Nina McNeely, Caroline Haydon, Vanessa Sanchez, John Jota Leaños, Mimmo Miccolis, Carola Mamberto, Lolly Ashly, Sean Dorsey, Maggie M. Bailey, Courtney Holbrooks, Henry Isiah Graham, Chloe Ilene, Jake Kruty, Jon Rodriguez and Xavier Townsend.

And a very special thanks to Maddy Leitner for her second season of production support!

Check out our Frameform Patreon page for 6 awesome resources we released over the past few months ranging from Technical Tips for Video Editing by Hannah, a visual guide to all things Frameform by Jen Ray, Zines by Clare, and more.

Dancinema’s 2023 program is LIVE at Dancinema Online! Become a site member (it’s free!) to browse festival archives and new selections for this season.

Coming soon: Dancinema’s 10 year Anthology. This is a PDF guide to all of the dancefilms we have screened to date, plus collaborations and projects. Get yours by becoming a Dancinema site member or a Frameform Patreon Subscriber!

Frameform was honored an invitation from Jennifer “Scully” Thurston (noted RogueDancer and current Artistic Director of ADF Movies by Movers)  to moderate Q&As following the shorts programs at a weekend of the summer-long dance film institution Movies by Movers at American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina in July of 2023.

This panel moderated by Clare Schweitzer, Hannah Weber and Scully featured the following artists:

• Courtney Holbrooks, director of the film Isolate
• Henry Isiah Graham, director and performer of the film Air
• Chloe Ilene, director and performer of The Wardrobe
• Jake Kruty, Jon Rodriguez and Xavier Townsend, co-directors and performer, respectively of Walls Come Down
• Maggie M. Bailey, director of the feature-length screendance documentary Moving Together 

Highlighted Dancefilms/Screendances:

Moving Together Film Page
Moving Together Trailer

Isolate dir. Courtney Holbrooks

Walls Come Down (excerpt) dir. Jake Kruty

The Wardrobe (still) dir. Chloe Ilene

Check out our Frameform Patreon page for 6 awesome resources we released over the past few months ranging from Technical Tips for Video Editing by Hannah, a visual guide to all things Frameform by Jen Ray, Zines by Clare, and more.

New shorts from Dancinema’s 2023 program are LIVE at Dancinema Online! Become a site member (it’s free!) to browse festival archives and new selections for this season. 

Coming soon: Dancinema 10 year Anthology. This is a PDF guide to all of the dancefilms we have screened to date, plus collaborations and projects. Get yours by becoming a Dancinema site member or a Frameform Patreon Subscriber!

Sean Dorsey is a San Francisco-based choreographer, dancer, writer, teaching artist and cultural activist. Recognized as the U.S.’ first acclaimed transgender modern dance choreographer, Dorsey has toured his work to more than 30 cities across the US and abroad – and taught with his explicitly trans-positive pedagogy in more than 35 cities.

In July 2023, Sean Dorsey Dance presented the North Carolina premiere of the ADF commission “The Lost Art Of Dreaming”, a life affirming experience that invites the audience to reconnect with longing, embrace expansive imagination, connect with joy and pleasure, and propel ourselves toward loving Futures. This tour stop coincided with the ADF Movies by Movers screening of the film “If Cities Could Dance |Transgender Dancer Invites Trans & Queer People to Dream Big” directed by Lindsay Gauthier which profiles Dorsey and his work. The film is currently on a festival tour and recently won an Emmy.

Clare and Hannah moderated this Q&A panel following the screening of the film. On the panel were Sean Dorsey, dancers Nol Simonse, Héctor Jaime, & David Le, costume designer Krystal Harfert, and Technical Director Emily Paulson.

Special thanks to ADF Movies by Movers Artistic Director Jennifer Scully Thurston for the invitation!

Learn and Explore More:

Highlighted Dancefilms/Screendances:

If Cities Could Dance | Transgender Dancer Invites Trans & Queer People to Dream Big

Dir. Lindsay Gauthier

 

The Lost Art of Dreaming (trailer)

Check out our Frameform Patreon page for 6 awesome resources we released over the past few months ranging from Technical Tips for Video Editing by Hannah, a visual guide to all things Frameform by Jen Ray, Zines by Clare, and more.

Lighting plays a large role in cinematography. In one scenario, light is a tool to just visually see images. While in other cases, light sculpts the features in a space – illuminating the curvatures of people’s bodies, faces, sharp edges on buildings and furniture. Lack of light creates deep undertones such as darkness, evil, mystery, and secrecy while heightening other attributes to a film, like sound and emotion. In all, light is not just a necessity or a need– it’s a tool that serves more purpose than one thinks.  

In this episode, we’ll be taking a look at a few handful films that exhibit great examples of integrated lighting as a character. These films use lighting methodically, whether it be elongated shadows, different colored lighting, or even lack of visibility inside a dimly lit landscape. Consider a more thought out lighting set-up for your next film, but listen to this episode first to gather up some ideas.

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Highlighted Dancefilms/Screendances:

Cornered Dir. James Vernon

Barbarians: Origins Director & Producer: Romain Rachline Borgeaud

A Hard Day’s Night Dir. Benjamin Hoffman & Mathieu Mondoulet 

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Quick Shoutouts

Pas de Deux Dir. Norman McLaren

The Game Dir. James Kinney and Pierre Marais

The Stop Dir. Liudmila Komrakova

 

Bleu Fuchsia Dir. Marc Lesperut

 

Feelings Dir. Charlie Luccini

Hypra Dir. Tim Jockel

Plus: TV and Movies Are Too DARK - Why Is this Happening? - video essay from The Take

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Check out our Frameform Patreon page for 6 awesome resources we released over the past few months ranging from Technical Tips for Video Editing by Hannah, a visual guide to all things Frameform by Jen Ray, Zines by Clare, and more.

WARNING: Some explicit language is used in this episode. We recommend using headphones if you have sensitive or young ears around.

In this next installment of our partnership with Capitol Dance & Cinema Festival this season, we are featuring “Ghostly Labor”, a hybrid dancefilm/documentary that has been a hit on the festival circuit, and for good reason! We learn about the integral phases of research and collaboration throughout this production and the exciting next phases of this project. 

“Ghostly Labor” explores the history of labor in the US Mexico Borderlands while displaying various percussive dances, movement and musical traditions. An authentic and truly creative approach to documentary, “Ghostly Labor” is a masterpiece in its artistry, impact, and all technical elements. 

La Mezcla is a polyrhythmic San Francisco based dance and music ensemble rooted in Chicana, Latina and Indigenous traditions and social justice. Vanessa Sanchez is the founder and executive artistic director of La Mezcla, and a choreographer, dancer and educator. John Jota Leaños is an animator, filmmaker, artist and professor at UC Santa Cruz. Along with a team of experts in their fields, these two have crafted “Ghostly Labor” which we cover in depth in this episode.

Learn and Explore More:

Ghostly Labor
Watch the preview | About page

La Mezcla

Website | Social @lamezcla_sf

@nessa_sanchez44 @jjleanos

Listen to additional interview with Clare on Dancing Through the Lens Podcast

Submit to Dancinema for the opportunity to be part of the online program, or screen as part of a theatrical event in Washington, DC and/or Vancouver, BC.

Dancinema
Watch On Demand  / Submit / Social @jenraydancinema

CASCADIA Dance & Cinema Festival (Vancouver, BC)

Submit / Website / Social @cascadiadcfestival

CAPITOL Dance & Cinema Festival (Washington, DC)

Submit / Website / Social @capitoldcfestival

Check out our 

Frameform Patreon

 Visit our Patreon page for 6 awesome resources we released over the past few months ranging from Technical Tips for Video Editing by Hannah, a visual guide to all things Frameform by Jen Ray, Zines by Clare, and more.

Today’s episode is part one of our “Dancine-Docs” series in collaboration with Dancinema, specifically the 2022 Capitol Dance & Cinema Festival in Washington, DC.

We’re connecting with Mimmo Miccolis and Carola Mamberto on their dance and documentary works that celebrate Italian arts and culture. 

First, we discuss the short documentary “Miccolis” which covers the story of how Mimmo grew from a boy in rural Italy with a passion for dance to a worldwide success and creative force in the ballet world. Much of Mimmo’s works are focused on social justice issues and can be explored on his website. He is currently a faculty member at the school and choreographer for the Washington Ballet in DC.

Next, we dive into “Magnifica”. Based on the works of Goldschmied & Chiari, and commissioned by the Italian Cultural Society of DC, “Magnifica” exists in many forms. We discuss the live performance, “making of” documentary, and the short screendance that brings new form and life to the signature smoke and mirror artworks of Goldschmied & Chiari. 

Learn and Explore More:

 

Mimmo Miccolis
Website | Social @mimmo_miccolis_official

Carola Mamberto
Website | Social @carola.mamberto 

The Washington Ballet 

Website | Social @thewashingtonballet

Italian Cultural Society of DC

Website | Social @italian.cultural.society 

Goldschmied & Chiari @goldschmied_chiari 

Watch the Dancine-Docs
Miccolis Doc Preview

Making of Magnifica Preview

Making of Magnifica Full Doc

Magnifica Full Screendance 

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Submit to Dancinema for the opportunity to be part of the online program, or screen as part of a theatrical event in Washington, DC and/or Vancouver, BC.

Dancinema
Watch On Demand  / Submit / Social @jenraydancinema

CASCADIA Dance & Cinema Festival (Vancouver, BC)

Submit / Website / Social @cascadiadcfestival

CAPITOL Dance & Cinema Festival (Washington, DC)

Submit / Website / Social @capitoldcfestival

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Check out our Frameform Patreon page for 6 awesome resources we released over the past few months ranging from Technical Tips for Video Editing by Hannah, a visual guide to all things Frameform by Jen Ray, a Zine by Clare, and more.

We are back from a great summer break! Check out our Frameform Patreon page for 6 awesome resources we released over the past few months ranging from Technical Tips for Video Editing by Hannah, a visual guide to all things Frameform by Jen Ray, a Zine by Clare, and more.

Today’s episode features two interviews that are linked by the Standard Vision + Dancinema showcase in Downtown Los Angeles and their trailblazing, alternative approaches to artistry and business.

First up, we speak with Caroline Haydon of SVLA about the unique and impactful work they do to offer state of the art production support for artists of all kinds, including those looking to push the boundaries of dance and cinema. From industry-leading studio resources to one-of-a-kind performance and screening opportunities, Standard Vision is on the cutting edge of how to have mainstream impact while maintaining artistic integrity. 

In part two of today’s episode, we connect with Nina McNeely, recipient of the SVLA Artistic Achievement Award for her music video “John L'' for Black Midi. Nina’s work spans from small indie productions to large scale commercial works with some of the biggest names in media. She’s a prime example that, as she said in her interview, “if you stick to what you believe in, the world will catch up eventually.”

Learn and Explore More:

 

Standard Vision Website

SVLA Studios LA Website

SV + Dream Outdoor

Standard Vision Social Links

IG: @standardvision

FB:@standardvisionmedia

Vimeo: @standardvision

LinkedIn: @standardvision-llc

Nina McNeely:

Website

Social: ID @ninamcneely

TedTalk: "Once There Was III" -- a mesmerizing blend of dance, animation and tech
Another great interview: Words that Move Me Podcast with Dana Wilson

Submit to Dancinema for the opportunity to be the next SVLA Award Recipient, be part of the online program, or screen as part of a theatrical event in Washington, DC and/or Vancouver, BC.

Dancinema
Watch On Demand  / Submit / Social @jenraydancinema

CASCADIA Dance & Cinema Festival (Vancouver, BC)

Submit / Website / Social @cascadiadcfestival

CAPITOL Dance & Cinema Festival (Washington, DC)

Submit / Website / Social @capitoldcfestival

In today’s episode, we welcome Lolly, a friend of the podcast and Dancinema collaborator. Dancefilm is a special mode of expression and calls for a different approach of reception. Lolly has been our liaison, guiding us to consider screendances – the way we view, feel, and discuss them – from a new perspective.

Lolly’s various projects intersect art, dance and somatic coaching. At Dancinema’s festivals for a few years now, Lolly has led somatic meditations before screenings to help us transition from the buzzing of the outside world into a clearer mind and body space to actively receive the projects on screen. The results have been increased kinesthetic empathy and more lively, reflective conversations to follow each screening.

All of us on the podcast have experienced it for ourselves, and we want to share a version of it for you at home through the podcast. Jump to 38:50  for our Somatic Meditation to play before you watch your next dancefilm, or just as a system reset whenever you need it.

Mentioned in this episode: 

Audience as Community: Corporeal Knowledge and Empathetic Viewing - Research Essay by Karen Wood 

Cold Storage (2016)
Dir. Thomas Freundlich

https://www.raekallio.fi/cold-storage

Somatic Coaching, Merchandise and more at www.lollypopculture.com
Follow on IG @lollypopculture

Submit to Dancinema

Follow on IG @capitoldcfestival @cascadiadcfestival 

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*** JOIN OUR PATREON! *** We'll be on break this summer, and to fill in the time while we're away from your headphones, we're releasing exclusive non-audio drops that can only be accessed through our Patreon. With the price of a basic cup of coffee from your local coffee shop, you'll be able to experience some extra special perks that we've carefully put together for our super-fans, you. So what are you waiting for? Become a member today!

Copy and paste the link to visit our Patreon page! >>> patreon.com/user?u=86801561

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