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| BUREAU OF ARTS AND CULTURE MAGAZINE CHANNEL IS ON YOU TUBE WITH NEW FICTION PROJECT |
Image: David BOWIE The ARCHER By John Robert Rowlands Courtesy of The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago Illinois USA
Welcome to The SUMMER 2014 Edition of BUREAU of ARTS and CULTURE MAGAZINE. We are very pleased to bring you a New Slate of Interviews featuring writer Luis VALDEZ of Zoot Suit / La Bamba Fame. Our Guest Artist is Philadelphia Painter David PALUMBO. This Edition features The Iconic David BOWIE Essay and the Musical Tour Art Exhibition. Terry RICHARDSON with a New Photographic Essay from Elvis Presley's GRACELAND. David LEVINTHAL with a sampling from his Fine Art Photography. An Essay on Sci - Fi Screen Writer George Clayton JOHNSON. Various In Depth Interviews with Fine Artists: John WESTON, Gustavo GODOY, David FeBLAND and Designer Andrew WHITMORE. FILM Interviews with The Directors of Billy MIZE + The Bakersfield Sound, Druid PEAK, Lake Los Angeles, Supremacy & The PLEASURES of Being Out of Step: Notes on The Life of Nat HENTOFF. Music Interview/Top Ten List of Very Cool Things by Kenny VASOLI Four Chapters of The New FICTION: " They Call IT The City of ANGELS " by J.A. TRILIEGI David FeBLAND's Fine Art Painting Catalog is accompaning The New Fiction Projects. We Welcome SomeKindaWonderful of Downtown Records as featured Music at The Site: The LA Classic 'California'.
Tap/Visit: BUREAU of ARTS and CULTURE:Official Magazine
By Joshua TRILIEGI
Luis VALDEZ changed The Entire Literature Landscape with his Fierce Hit Play, "ZOOT SUIT". Here in Southern California, The Play is much more than words. It is a personal and positive Idea that gave many people the inspiration to do something with the things they saw, not only in their homes and neighborhoods , but to reclaim what was happening in the media, to own the stories that they were being told and to simply reclaim what was rightfully theirs to begin with: Their Own Family Stories. In This Interview Bureau Editor Joshua TRILIEGI and Luis VALDEZ discuss his career, his working process and the development of a powerful force that continues to inspire millions of Indigenous People around the World and teaches everybody else.
Mr Valdez went on to create The Film "LA BAMBA", which told the very important story of Latin Musician & Songwriter, Ritchie Valens. Fueled by the proliferation of 1950's Retro Nostalgic Films such as American Graffiti and its follow up Happy Days, as well as The Musical Biographical genre's popularity of projects like The Buddy Holly Story, Elvis and the like: LA BAMBA was the perfect project that entirely launched the energy and force of ZOOT SUIT into the stratosphere of popular media and culture, finally a story that rightfully claimed, explained and honored The Latino Experience, or as Luis Valdez might put it, "The Chicano Experience" in popular music history. The film itself touches on the family paradigm in both mythical and real circumstances.
A beautiful & entertaining film that holds up today just as it originally did upon its creation. In the same way that Zoot Suit gave us the career of Edward James Olmos, 'The Chicano Bogart', La Bamba gave us a multitude of talent in front of and behind the scenes: Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Los Lobos & Others.
Since then, Mr Valdez has continued his influence as The Worlds Leading Latino and Chicano Playwright traveling everywhere, all the time, sharing his great wealth of knowledge and experience with a world thirsty for truth, experience & entertainment.WE are very proud to bring you Luis VALDEZ, unexpurgated, uninhibited and unbeaten.
INTERVIEW: KENNY VASOLI
MUSICIAN from VACATIONER
We spoke with Kenny Vasoli of the Band VACATIONER about his process in making music, composing, inspiration and touring with the band. BUREAU Magazine readers
will recognize VACATIONER Music, We showcased it on The Bureau Site in JUNE.
BUREAU: This is an interesting direction and a very cool new album, tell us how you go about creating a tune from the time you write it to what were hearing now.
K.V. : Thank you for saying so. The songs usually come about through a process of me writing top-line and bass-line to a short instrumental track sent to me by my partners, Matt Young and Grant Wheeler. After I come up with a rough draft from home, I'll drive up to their studio in Brooklyn to lay down the final version.
BUREAU: Touring is a big part of the industry you're in, what are the pros and cons of life on the road?
K.V. : Traveling and playing music are two of my greatest interests in life. So it's a natural desire for me to keep moving with a touring lifestyle. Surely, It can be mundane at times. The thrill of it just cannot be matched by anything, and the mundane spans of time are always overshadowed by the memories of fun and adventure.
BUREAU: Do you do a lot of reading, if so, what are you into these days ?
K.V. : I am a slower reader than I'd like to be, but I cheat my way through heaps of audio-books. I am giving "How Music Works" by David Byrne a whirl with my eyes. I'm absolutely loving it. He is very scientific in the way he writes, but is so articulately human at the same time. I'm totally fascinated with Byrne's mind. I had finished "Bicycle Diaries" around this time last year.
BUREAU: What Inspires you most, IE : Film, Art, Music? Tell our readers
a bit about your creative process.
K.V. : I think I'm most inspired by art that not only impresses me, but intimidates me in a way. I love experiencing a loss of self and a humbling when I witness artists executing their work so effectively. It almost scares me. True inspiration is fleeting. I find that I can't just conjure it at will. It's like I have to wait for the reception of the signal to come in clearly, and then I record everything I can before I lose it.
BUREAU: Here at The BUREAU were all about ART + Culture. Give us a List of top ten Cultural References for our readers to check out: Art, Film, Music, Surfing, Design, Etc…
K.V. :
1.Daniel Madeline Collage artist. I've always liked trippy collage work, this guy seems to be among the trippiest.
2. Matt Schwartz Photographer, I recently had the pleasure of working with Matt. I had been a fan of his work prior to the shoot. His pictures are colorful and vibrant, and he usually shoots really beautiful girls.
3. Duncan Trussel Comedian & podcast host. Duncan has a personality that shines brightly through his voice and his words. An expressively positive human who can verbalize thought-provoking humor with inherent ease. To say he is a comedian isn't framing it perfectly. He is somewhere closer to a humorous Terence McKenna. His podcast is called The Duncan Trussell Family hour, I highly recommend it.
4. Yorgos Lanthimos Filmmaker. His most recent movie, Alps, blew me away. Without spoiling too much, I love the way he makes you feel around in the dark for what exactly is going on. But even when you figure it out, something is still very alien. It feels like a Twilight Zone episode a bit, like you are in a different dimension of earth. Yorgos is perfect example of someone who is able to rattle me with their art.
5. Antonio Carlos Jobim Musician & composer . I've been swallowed by a deepening interest in 60's/70's era Brazilian music. When you go down that hole, you are bound to come across Antonio Carlos Jobim. He wrote and performed some of the greats. The album "Wave" is considered a masterpiece. "Stone Flower," however, is my favorite of his records.
6. Eckart Tolle Author & Spiritual Philosopher. I occasionally receive an eyebrow lift when I discuss spiritual philosophy, and understandably so. It's deep into the hippy dipping pond. I'd simply be remiss to leave Eckart Tolle off of my list, he is a significant cultural character in my life. Hearing him speak relaxes me a great deal, so I listen often.
7. James Murphy Musician, producer and just rad dude. This guy knows how to live! LCD was my favorite band when they played their last show, and somehow I felt great about the closure. I'll always get excited seeing his name attached to a project.
8. Maggie Hayes Artist. Maggie is a beautifully talented painter, mixed - media artist, photographer & model. Another figure in my life who positively motivates me to raise my own bar.
9. Righteous Jolly Mixologist. I know of Righteous through mutual friends, I first met him at a pal's birthday celebration at a bar he was managing. He was making some of the most interesting drinks I'd ever experienced, with ingredients he created himself. If you are in Philadelphia, he has a place called Bourbon & Branch. Ask him to make you the one that has the jalapeno in it! Yum.
10. Jimmy Cobra Carbonetti Guitar-maker. Cobra plays guitar in Caveman, he builds every guitar they use. They look and sound gorgeous. Beautiful timeless style.
The BUREAU Film INTERVIEW
DAVID L. LEWIS : FILM MAKER
Documentary Film maker Davis L. Lewis speaks with Bureau Editor Joshua Triliegi
The new documentary, The Pleasures Of Being Out Of Step Notes On The Life Of Nat Hentoff features music by Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Duke Ellington. The film focuses on an interesting story and the career of one of America's leading Music Critics and Independent writing voices in last few decades. An authentic and personal film with a an up - close look at a very outspoken writer.
BUREAU: NAT HENTOFF is quite an interesting character: we enjoyed the film. How did you come to choose this subject as a feature documentary and tell us about the journey from impetus to final release if you will ?
Davis L. Lewis: I’m glad you enjoyed it! The initial impulse was complicated but basically boils down to this: As a journalist myself, I’ve always loved the “war stories” I heard in the newsrooms and bars where we tend to congregate. As I got older, and as the digital age crept up & then roared over us, I began to realize that we are losing a generation of journalists who made their lives in the printed word. We are very good about telling other people’s stories, but not so good at telling our own. I felt an overwhelming desire to preserve some of that history. There were lots of possible subjects, but Hentoff presented a particularly intriguing one because of the jazz. I was never an aficionado, and only had a vague awareness of his earlier work. So the chance to learn more about the music was big draw. I remember how hard I worked to prepare for the interview we did on jazz — and how nervous I was when we sat down to do it. Afterward, I asked him how we did, and he said, “At least you knew the right questions to ask.” That was a big relief! I’ve worked all over print and broadcast journalism, but this was my first feature-length film, my first large-scale independent project. The creative challenge as the director was to try to get past the usual bio-pic documentary formula and create a film with its own aesthetic that helped us tell the story. I think we did pretty well at that, although I’m sure not all the critics will agree. As the producer, the biggest pleasure was putting together a great team that helped me keep up the creative momentum over the length of the production. The biggest challenge, of course, was finding the resources to get it all done.
BUREAU: A Documentary like this usually takes some time. Averages of 60 to 85 hours often paired down to 90 minutes is always rather challenging, What was your ratio and discuss how you went about ' finding ' the shape of your film ?
BUREAU: A Documentary like this usually takes some time. Averages of 60 to 85 hours often paired down to 90 minutes is always rather challenging, What was your ratio and discuss how you went about ' finding ' the shape of your film ?
Davis L. Lewis: If you include all the archival material available to us, that ratio is pretty close, probably a little short if you count the music too. We had to make pretty careful choices about what to shoot. We based our decisions on what we thought we would get out of it and that process worked well for us. The problem is the man is so prolific. We knew there was no way we could tell it all, so we had to make narrative choices as well. We tried to keep our focus on the thematic thread that unifies the whole film, which is the relationship between free expression as a creative value and a political value, and the relationship between those values and the ability of an individual to create an identity. We chose an unconventional structure because we wanted to show the connections between those values in Hentoff’s life, and the connections between the people and ideas that popped up at different points. We spent a lot of time in the editing room moving those pieces around, teasing out different themes and association and making sure the connections were as clear as we could make them. We also had to leave a lot of stuff out, but maybe we’ll have some nice extras on the DVD.
BUREAU: The blend of MUSIC, ART & POLITICS symbolized by the single opinion of an individual, in this case, Mr Hentoff, created quite a controversy. When did you first become aware of Mr Hentoff and now that the film is completed, what have you learned about Documentary Film making ?
Davis L. Lewis: I came of political age in the '70s, a particularly awful time in American politics, and I first became aware of Hentoff through is his work at the Voice, which presented such a strong counterpoint to the corruption of that era. He is always outspoken, but it seemed to me that he was rarely a blowhard. At his best, he puts a lot of thought into his work and comes by his conclusions honestly. So even if you don’t agree with everything he says, you can respect him for saying it. I think he would be horrified by someone who agreed with everything he says, or at least he would find that person boring.
The most important thing I learned about documentary filmmaking is patience. It took longer than I thought it would, but I think our focus on quality and depth helped us get to the end. And I learned to always work with the very best people I could find, but people who believed in the project. Because it takes a sustained effort to follow through to the end on a project like this, and it’s hard to sustain that effort if the people you work with don’t believe in it. And you want them to be satisfied with the work at the end as well. I met a producer early on who I wanted to work with, and she turned me down. But she gave me a great piece of advice. She said we had a mature project and that quality work always rises to the top. I always remembered that, and it helped me through some of the tougher stretches, and helped me to be patient. And I hope she’s right. We’ve gotten this far. I would ask her to work with me again.
Illustration Portrait By BUREAU of Arts and Culture Magazine Summer Guest Artist David PALUMBO
100 Must Read Books Compiled by DAVID BOWIE
- The Age of American Unreason, Susan Jacoby, 2008
- The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Diaz, 2007
- The Coast of Utopia (trilogy), Tom Stoppard, 2007
- Teenage: The Creation of Youth 1875-1945, Jon Savage, 2007
- Fingersmith, Sarah Waters, 2002
- The Trial of Henry Kissinger, Christopher Hitchens, 2001
- Mr. Wilson’s Cabinet of Wonder, Lawrence Weschler, 1997
- A People’s Tragedy: The Russian Revolution 1890-1924, Orlando Figes, 1997
- The Insult, Rupert Thomson, 1996
- Wonder Boys, Michael Chabon, 1995
- The Bird Artist, Howard Norman, 1994
- Kafka Was The Rage: A Greenwich Village Memoir, Anatole Broyard, 1993
- Beyond the Brillo Box: The Visual Arts in Post-Historical Perspective, Arthur C. Danto, 1992
- Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson, Camille Paglia, 1990
- David Bomberg, Richard Cork, 1988
- Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm and Blues and the Southern Dream of Freedom, Peter Guralnick, 1986
- The Songlines, Bruce Chatwin, 1986
- Hawksmoor, Peter Ackroyd, 1985
- Nowhere To Run: The Story of Soul Music, Gerri Hirshey, 1984
- Nights at the Circus, Angela Carter, 1984
- Money, Martin Amis, 1984
- White Noise, Don DeLillo, 1984
- Flaubert’s Parrot, Julian Barnes, 1984
- The Life and Times of Little Richard, Charles White, 1984
- A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn, 1980
- A Confederacy of Dunces, John Kennedy Toole, 1980
- Interviews with Francis Bacon, David Sylvester, 1980
- Darkness at Noon, Arthur Koestler, 1980
- Earthly Powers, Anthony Burgess, 1980
- Raw (a ‘graphix magazine’) 1980-91
- Viz (magazine) 1979 –
- The Gnostic Gospels, Elaine Pagels, 1979
- Metropolitan Life, Fran Lebowitz, 1978
- In Between the Sheets, Ian McEwan, 1978
- Writers at Work: The Paris Review Interviews, ed. Malcolm Cowley, 1977
- The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, Julian Jaynes, 1976
- Tales of Beatnik Glory, Ed Saunders, 1975
- Mystery Train, Greil Marcus, 1975
- Selected Poems, Frank O’Hara, 1974
- Before the Deluge: A Portrait of Berlin in the 1920s, Otto Friedrich, 1972
- In Bluebeard’s Castle : Some Notes Towards the Re-definition of Culture, George Steiner, 1971
- Octobriana and the Russian Underground, Peter Sadecky, 1971
- The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll, Charlie Gillete, 1970
- The Quest For Christa T, Christa Wolf, 1968
- Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom: The Golden Age of Rock, Nik Cohn, 1968
- The Master and Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov, 1967
- Journey into the Whirlwind, Eugenia Ginzburg, 1967
- Last Exit to Brooklyn, Hubert Selby Jr. , 1966
- In Cold Blood, Truman Capote, 1965
- City of Night, John Rechy, 1965
- Herzog, Saul Bellow, 1964
- Puckoon, Spike Milligan, 1963
- The American Way of Death, Jessica Mitford, 1963
- The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea, Yukio Mishima, 1963
- The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin, 1963
- A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess, 1962
- Inside the Whale and Other Essays, George Orwell, 1962
- The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Muriel Spark, 1961
- Private Eye (magazine) 1961 –
- On Having No Head: Zen and the Rediscovery of the Obvious, Douglas Harding, 1961
- Silence: Lectures and Writing, John Cage, 1961
- Strange People, Frank Edwards, 1961
- The Divided Self, R. D. Laing, 1960
- All The Emperor’s Horses, David Kidd,1960
- Billy Liar, Keith Waterhouse, 1959
- The Leopard, Giuseppe Di Lampedusa, 1958
- On The Road, Jack Kerouac, 1957
- The Hidden Persuaders, Vance Packard, 1957
- Room at the Top, John Braine, 1957
- A Grave for a Dolphin, Alberto Denti di Pirajno, 1956
- The Outsider, Colin Wilson, 1956
- Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov, 1955
- Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell, 1948
- The Street, Ann Petry, 1946
- Black Boy, Richard Wright, 1945
- The Portable Dorothy Parker, Dorothy Parker, 1944
- The Outsider, Albert Camus, 1942
- The Day of the Locust, Nathanael West, 1939
- The Beano, (comic) 1938 –
- The Road to Wigan Pier, George Orwell, 1937
- Mr. Norris Changes Trains, Christopher Isherwood, 1935
- English Journey, J.B. Priestley, 1934
- Infants of the Spring, Wallace Thurman, 1932
- The Bridge, Hart Crane, 1930
- Vile Bodies, Evelyn Waugh, 1930
- As I lay Dying, William Faulkner, 1930
- The 42nd Parallel, John Dos Passos, 1930
- Berlin Alexanderplatz, Alfred Döblin, 1929
- Passing, Nella Larsen, 1929
- Lady Chatterley’s Lover, D.H. Lawrence, 1928
- The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925
- The Waste Land, T.S. Eliot, 1922
- BLAST, ed. Wyndham Lewis, 1914-15
- McTeague, Frank Norris, 1899
- Transcendental Magic, Its Doctrine and Ritual, Eliphas Lévi, 1896
- Les Chants de Maldoror, Lautréamont, 1869
- Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert, 1856
- Zanoni, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1842
- Inferno, from the Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri, about 1308-1321
- The Iliad, Homer, about 800 BC
DAVID PALUMBO: Painter
By Joshua TRILIEGI
Mr Palumbo is a prolific painter working in a multitude of styles. David has an ongoing series of works including: The Tarot, The Portraits, Fantasy illustration, Gallery Fine Art and his sexually charged, if not controversial Quickies. The later available in publication as well as for purchase individually. Once familiar with David Palumbo's work, each style or series is immediately identifiable and interesting. The Quickies definitely push the envelope and raise the bar as well as the blood pressure on sexually charged and inspired figural art work.
David Palumbo is that rare breed hybrid of working illustrator, fine artist and individual creator who is pushing the envelope on what can be done with an image. Mr Palumbo's portraits of well known personalities such as Sidney Poitier, Mathew McConaughey, David Bowie and Jane Fonda capture the essence of the person and also stamp his own style and interpretation accordingly. David Palumbo has what we might call a painterly style: excessive brush strokes, textural experimentation, impressionistic via the materials. Schooled as a classical figural painter with a keen interest in cinema and raised among a family of artists has led him to be commissioned by a wide variety of publications and we are very proud to have him as Guest Artist for The June/August Edition of BUREAU of Arts and Culture Magazine & BUREAU of Arts and Culture . com & Community Sites On Line.
The David Palumbo Sci-Fi or Fantasy illustrative work is not only exciting, bold, striking, sometimes scary and even gory, but also imaginative, humorous and always services the story being told. BUREAU readers may remember Mr Palumbo's artworks affiliated with the Fiction project in the recent June edition of the magazine. David's work brought an entirely new & fresh approach to telling the story and we noticed right away how accessible and welcoming as well as supportive his work is to the text. The dark humor involved in his fantasy illustration harkens back to the American comic books from the nineteen sixties and even further back than that, some of his themes relate back to early 19th and 20th century illustrative technique's of the English variety: Sherlock Holmes and Jack The Ripper. With the resurgence and popularity of Vampires, Zombies and a new form of sexually expressive
literature, art and film in today's current creative landscape, we are sure that the popularity of Mr David Palumbo's artworks is on the rise and we are glad to introduce our readers, as well as allow Mr Palumbo himself to describe his process and share a top ten of his favorites. We spoke with David Palumbo about his career, his education and his approach when it comes to making Art for a living and who he keeps an eye on when it comes to inspiration. Enjoy The David Palumbo Interview and many Artworks dispersed throughout. Rather than censor the artist, we give you full warning now, this is Mr Palumbo un - edited.
BUREAU: Please suggest a list of ten artists that our audience should know about and why.
DAVID PALUMBO: Hmmm. Ok, I hope some of these are already well known, but here are ten artists I’m currently really digging:
Mead Scheaffer - I don’t know much of his story, but damn can he paint. Scheaffer was an illustrator in the first half of the 20th century who was brilliant with design, limited color, and something about his brush calligraphy just kills me.
J.C. Leyendecker - Another early 20th century illustrator, Leyendecker was so bold with shape and silhouette that I’m often looking to him for inspiration. His stylization of figures adds such elegance and drama. Precursor to Rockwell.
Jeremy Geddes - an Australian contemporary painter who has transitioned from illustration to fine art. His work is so moody and stark. I love the illustration and gallery work equally.
Antonio Lopez Garcia - a Spanish painter, still active I believe, who is known for his immense cityscapes and incredibly life-like interiors. The depth and tangible quality of his work is unreal, especially if you ever have the opportunity to see one in person.
Sam Weber - a contemporary illustrator based in Brooklyn who’s done mostly editorial and cover work. Sam’s look has been evolving since I first became aware of him. Back then it was very graphic and stylized, often monochromatic and minimalist. Recently he’s been turning more hyper-realist but still with a strong graphic punch and terrific mood.
Alex Kanevsky - a contemporary fine artist who does very abstracted depictions of figures and such. I’m endlessly fascinated by how far he can break the lines and planes while still showing a clear representation of the figure.
Robert McGinnis - an illustrator who did a ton of crime novel covers with sexy women in the 60s and 70s. Think of Bond girls and you’d think of McGinnis.
Sanjulian - a European illustrator who did absolutely brilliant 70s gothic and horror (and romance) book covers. Wonderful 70s texture and amazing montages
Greg Manchess - a contemporary illustrator who does genre and mainstream work with a very painterly hand in the spirit of the Pyle school. Wonderful chunky strokes and incredible compositions.
John Harris - an English illustrator who does beautiful painterly space scenes rich in color and emotion. Almost nobody can get away with loose atmospheric takes on SF like Harris can.
Mr. Palumbo's worked has been showcased in: Ace Books . Blizzard Entertainment . Centipede Press . Dark Horse Comics . Daw Books . Heavy Metal . Lucas film . Marvel Entertainment . The New Yorker . Night Shade Books . Pyr Books . Roadrunner Records . Rolling Stone . Italia Scholastic . Science Fiction Book Club . Simon and Schuster . Scientific American . Subterranean Press . Tor Books . Wizards of the Coast and In the collection of: George Lucas . Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art . The Association of Fantastic Art he has Numerous Awards Including : Chesley Award - best game related illustration (2013) / Spectrum Gold Medal - book category (2013) / Spectrum Gold Medal - book category (2011) / Spectrum Silver Medal - comics category (2011)
GEORGE CLAYTON JOHNSON : WRITER
By Joshua TRILIEGI
This magazine was once an Art Studio, it transformed into a professional Gallery and later into a multi media center for celebrating the arts of all types: Fine Art, Painting Sculpture, Photography, Classic and Contemporary Arts, Poetry, Music and Film. About this time of year almost twenty years ago, we decided to screen several original Twilight Zone prints on 16MM film reels and invite an audience. Back then, if you were sincere, forthright and naive enough, you could simply pick up the phone, make a few inquiries and next thing knew, you were on the phone with someone like George Clayton Johnson.
By the way, thank you to the lady at the writers guild who broke protocol sensing that many of our older, wiser and more talented writers in this town were not getting enough attention from the next generation. In Bogart and Bacall fashion, she helped Sam Spade.
The phone rings several times, " Hello, Is this George Clayton Johnson the original writer for The Twilight Zone ? ", I asked, sounding not unlike a child actor from an Old Time Radio Show: raspy, anxious, hurried. At that time, I had no idea that George also wrote Logan's Run, The story for The Original Oceans Eleven and a slew of Television shows including: The first Star Trek episode, Kung Fu, Route 66 & Alfred Hitchcock Presents. "Yes, this is he." The voice on the other line replied. I was ecstatic, this was not the first writer from the series I had called, many had passed away, others lived in New York or elsewhere, and to top it off George had actually been the writer of one of the reels we were showing and of some of the best work in the Zone series: Kick The Can, A Penny for Your Thoughts, A Game of Pool, Nothing in The Dark : Each Twilight Zone Classics.
I explained what we had planned and asked if he might be interested in appearing for the screenings, [ long pause ] "Yes, I would." In Hollywood, that is the phrase that opens doors, that is the phrase that begins careers, that is the phrase that starts the great journey, it is the phrase we want to hear from those we love, those we wish to work with and those we admire. And, in classic sci-fi style: everything appeared different after that dialogue. The objects in my office seemed different, as if gravity meant nothing, the world was do able, the opportunities seemed endless and I was about to hang out with a writer I had admired since childhood. Suddenly, we were The Bureau of Arts and Culture, we were purveyors of not just Art, Music and Poetry, but now, we were actually presenting and honoring great writers in town. George showed up trailed by a film crew, he was the great
philosopher and old pro and I was a mere student & enthusiast: the perfect combination.
It was Obi Wan & Luke. It was the great Chief and a New Warrior. It was George and I.
It was also our first official, 'Question and Answer ' exchange with a real working writer. Mr Johnson was a fabulous guest, there was standing room only, we were 'On The Map'. Flash forward almost 20 years.
We arevproud to have been on the forefront of recognizing one of The most imaginative and greatest writers working in Hollywood since the early Nineteen Sixties. BUREAU MAGAZINE wishes to thank
George Clayton Johnson for his contribution, not only to Science Fiction, Fantasy and Film and Television, but for his collaboration, cooperation and very cool demeanor in working with and recognizing our earnest and heartfelt efforts at a time when many pros had no idea who we were and what it was we were doing at the time. Many still haven't. Mr. George Clayton Johnson has always been ahead of his time and in a way, so are we.
Even our name was confusing to people: The BUREAU of ARTS and CULTURE. It sure sounded official for an Artist run organization. So much so that, curators from Cultural Affairs working for the city actually came down and hand picked artists for Exhibitions. So to did many reporters for Vanity Fair, Coagula Arts Journal, The LA Weekly, The LA Times, The New Times, Venice Magazine, Fine Art International. Cultural Non profits such as LA Goethe Institute were extremely enthusiastic about our exhibitions & events.
All in all, The BUREAU found itself at the correct place at the correct time doing what many Institutes do with big bank rolls, non profit status or major grants from corporate and private institutes. We did it with enthusiasm, we did it with honesty, we did it with care and we did it without all the phony and fake affiliative aspects that now have pervaded the entire landscape of entertainment, art institutes and music/film related non profits of today. Were still doing it with this publication and we will go on doing just that with whatever venture this artist run organization enters into. After all, we also make Art, Films and Books. Without the George Clayton Johnson's of the world, This organization would not be what it is: Thank You George.
INTERVIEW: Director Deon Taylor
Deon Taylor Directed, Supremacy, a new Film Starring Danny GLOVER & Lela ROCHON
We spoke to Deon Taylor about his experience developing and directing this New Drama.
BUREAU: Although this is a wholly original production based on a true contemporary situation, did you look at crime dramas in your research within the genre ? William Wyler's The Desperate Hours with Humphrey Bogart comes to mind.
Deon Taylor: During the process of preparing for the production of "Supremacy" I worked very hard to stay away from films that lived in a world of containment or hostage situations. I wanted to test myself. I wanted to shoot from my heart and have no pre-game plan. I felt the story was so unique and had so many layers that, creatively, it needed me to be a blank canvas. On another note, I love "The Desperate Hours." Classic!
" This film taught me to live in the moment
and simply be true to the story. "
BUREAU: What particular challenges did you face in entirely switching modes here and taking on high drama ?
Deon Taylor: There were always challenges on this film. Personally, the biggest challenge was staying true to the family. The film is based on a true story and I wanted to be sure to stay in tune with the tragic events that took place that night. This was a challenge simply because, as a creative filmmaker, you’re always looking to see how you can make something bigger and more effective. This film taught me to live in the moment and simply be true to the story.
BUREAU: Working with Danny Glover is a godsend for any director, once you knew he was on board, discuss with our readers how the rest of the film fell into place.
Deon Taylor: Danny Glover is a godsend! Danny was my first call after reading the screenplay. I don't really have the words to explain how I felt once he said “yes” to the project. Danny has always been one of my favorites and represents so much to me. When I think of his career and his body of work, it's beyond amazing. You're talking about one of the first, Black, action heroes that had success globally. From "Silverado" to the "Lethal Weapon" franchise to "The Color Purple," how do you top that? Without talent like Danny Glover and Sidney Poitier, there would be no lane for incredible talents like Jamie Foxx, Will Smith or Denzel Washington. So when I go back to the call and hear the words, "Yes, I'm doing your movie," words cannot explain how I felt. It was simply a blessing and I am so grateful for him and the opportunity he allowed me to have. It is very hard to believe that Danny Glover has not been nominated for an Academy Award over his 40-year-career. He is Academy-worthy in my book and I love him.
BUREAU: Eric J. Adams wrote the screenplay for this riveting drama, when did you first read the script and what made you decide to take this project on as a director ?
Deon Taylor: I first read the script two years ago and everything in my body said, "Go make this film." As a 100 percent independent filmmaker, the challenge then became, "How do I raise the money needed to make such an important film?" I felt strongly about this film as my entire family has had dealings with race-related issues. I truly believed through film I could shine a light on ignorance.
BUREAU: Several dramatic scenes in the film depend highly on pitch perfect performance. Sparse dialogue and situation force some of your actors to find a certain tone: Lela Rochon rises to the challenge beautifully. Could you talk a bit about creating a
creative atmosphere on the set for your actors.
Deon Taylor: Lela Rochon is amazing! Her spirit is beautiful as well. When setting the stage for "Supremacy," I had to find the perfect locations in which the talent could immerse themselves. For high-energy characters like Lela, Joe and Dawn, I found myself talking to them constantly, building layers for their characters and creating backstories. This process was the key ingredient in grabbing these amazing performances.
DAVID FeBLAND : FINE ARTIST
BUREAU: Tell us about your relationship with creating imagery: When & how did it start?
David FeBLAND: I began creating imagery in my head long before its physical embodiment on canvas. I didn’t even think of myself as an artist until I reached my 20’s, and I began to create wholly self-expressive work only as I reached the age of 40. I was a 6 year old child growing up in the bucolic countryside of Southern England when suddenly my family relocated to Coney Island, Brooklyn. It was 1955, during the ebbing but still raucous era of side shows and bawdy entertainments of a working class seaside town. The giant spatulas hadn’t yet been affixed to the front of the Sanitation trucks, better to evenly tan the Unfortunates who fell by the wayside. That was coming but still in the future. My new neighborhood was a lively place where Freak shows were commonplace, and the people who worked them for a living went about their local errands after hours. My first explorations in my new country included quotidian encounters with The Hairy Lady (full mustache & beard), The Leopard Girl (skin half black, half white), The Fat Man (at 400 lbs, a real standout rather than today’s next-in-line at McDonalds), Mr. Pinhead (don’t ask) and a supporting cast of dwarves, simians & fire-breathers. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. This seminal experience gestated for a long time before finding its way into art as I engaged in a variety other life pursuits, but it formed my view of public life forever. I never really took my eyes off the street again, and l believe that at that early age my interest in human interaction with our physical surroundings was set. However unconsciously, my lifelong determination to cast the world around me as dramatic narrative was established. We carry a few essential ideas into and through our creative lives. We go back to them again and again in a process of refinement. Our craft improves, we discover new methodologies and media, but they always support a nucleus of what I would call essential truths that we form early in our experience.
Bureau Media Partners: Downtown Records . First Run Features . Indie Printing
BUREAU OF ARTS AND CULTURE : ON LINE
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THEY CALL IT THE CITY OF ANGELS
In the late Summer of 2013, The Editor of BUREAU of ARTS and CULTURE Magazine Announced a New Experimental Fiction Novel all about Los Angeles. Mr Triliegi wrote a chapter a day for several few weeks, working without notes or any preconceived structure and posted the results daily at various BUREAU Sites that regularly showcase Art, Theater, Music, Photography Cultural & Community events. Part One of The Series lasted all of 22 Chapters and was a resoundingly successful, accepted Literary Art Work. Mister Joshua Triliegi will again repeat that process for Part Two beginning on August 1, 2014. The New Chapters will be published daily M - F at our different community sites and can be translated into a multitude of languages for easy reading.
" I thought it would be a good writing exercise to simply write about what I see and hear everyday on the streets of the city. To simply create a chapter a day based on the people and things going on in Los Angeles. Since we all come from so many variable back grounds, styles, cultures and languages, I decided to structure the multi character novel to represent all of Los Angeles. I simply write a chapter a day by allowing the characters to unfold and the story, as well as the structure to reveal itself ."
" Its a challenge to simply introduce a character and follow the creative line as it flows into something structured and complete. I usually know the beginning and the end of each Chapter and simply let the middle fill itself out. I like the daily discipline as well as the audience being in on the process. In this particular case, I do not take any written notes. I just start with an idea and let it flow. This is not a normal novel by any means, but it is a new and interesting challenge for both the writer and the readers. It's been a lot of fun. I hope the people of Los Angeles and the world will follow it out as it reveals itself. As the writer, in this particular case, I am just as curious as the reader as to what will happen and how things will go. The cool thing about this project is how quickly the characters began to take on a life of their own. I am curious to see what they do next"
Here are four Pinnacle Chapters near the very end of Part One of the Fiction Project. The entire Part One is available on our Site BUREAU of ARTS and CULTURE . Com as well as our Community Sites in L.A. / N.Y.C / S.F. / Santa Barbara / San Diego and the New International Literary Site with links to Publishers, Book Stores and Literary Events. This particular Excerpted Version is accompanied by the Fine Art Paintings of Contributing Artist David FeBLAND represented by George BILLIS Gallery in LA and NYC.
The Paintings existed and were created without knowledge of the Novel Project, though we felt their presence here allowed for a visual narrative that compliments the Series well. Read The Chapter A Day Novel Project Monday through Friday beginning on August 1, 2014 On Line.
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MARNI ZELNICK: Film Director
BUREAU Editor Joshua Triliegi talks with Marni Zelnick about her most recent feature film.
TRILIEGI: DRUID PEAK is a wonderful film. Tell us about your earliest interest in this particular subject and how you went about developing the project.
MARNI ZELNICK: A lot of the story elements that eventually became part of Druid Peak were things that had been germinating with me for a long time. The effect external geography can have on our internal selves; the almost haphazard but devastatingly permanent way life can be lost when you’re a teenager; the fact that people so rarely ask the right questions of each other; the power animals have to communicate without speaking, and how their vulnerability can move even the most stoic heart. I think every writer has those things. But the immediate catalyst for the film was a $100,000 production grant offered by the Sloan Foundation for a script dealing with science or technology. Funding for first features can be incredibly difficult to find and I knew I wanted to apply for the grant. I went to their information session and they were probably no more than fifteen minutes into it when the image of a kid running alongside a pack of wolves streamed through my head. It was the unification of a million things I cared about. All of those ideas I mentioned plus Jackson Hole, Wyoming—a place that had been significant to me both as a teenager and an adult. The story kind of grew out of and around that image.
TRILIEGI: The Film starts out with a common problem facing much of the youth of today: Urban Dissatisfaction. Your lead character, Owen, goes through a slow and steady transformation, discuss the arc of this character.
MARNI ZELNICK: You know, I would say it a little bit differently. I would call it environmental dissatisfaction, rather than urban dissatisfaction. I think it would have been easy to make Owen an urban teen and for the conflict to simply be urban versus rural life. But as a film with an environmental subject, I wanted the issue to be more complicated than that. I specifically set Owen in West Virginia because it’s a place as potentially beautiful as Wyoming, but we’ve used the land very differently. The town we shot in, Mt. Hope, was an old coal town where the seam was mined to exhaustion. The land was depleted and the town never recovered. So a potentially very beautiful place had been used in a way that left its inhabitants with very little, both visually and in terms of opportunity. Owen is a smart kid who feels crushed by the claustrophobia of the place. There’s nothing there for him. He may not be self-aware enough to articulate it that way, but he’s stopped trying to make anything of himself or his life because he doesn’t see where it could lead—what the point is. His arc is a lot about realizing that there are still choices to be made. He can choose a different place, a different life, a different self.
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