Romantic Child Studios » Experimental

Codependence Short Film

Sterling — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 20:50:49 +0000

Innocence and vulnerability are represented in this short film in one character who is cared for by a stronger, dominating yet maternal other character.

Due to the nature of their relationship; a dependency is created which is shown by physical attachments, interconnectedness and weight sharing.

The film then explores two different scenarios. Once the codependency is created, both characters become vulnerable yet strong and work together to create something beautiful. The direction changes however when the stronger character abuses their power. The result is destruction, violence and self abuse.

We’ve also used this short as an opportunity to introduce audiences to parts of dancers that they don’t normally get an opportunity to see in a live performance. By moving the camera close to the dancers the the audience can see the dancer as human rather than a disconnected visual object. We’ve done this by showing the small details such as blinking, pulses, breathing, reaction and smaller body parts such as the spinal chord, neck, collar bone, ribs and wrists.

Starring: Caitlin Griffin, Danielle Gardner & Monique Constant

Enjoy.

Short Film

Sterling — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:25:39 +0000

Mars to Jupiter is both the name of our most recent short film and the name of the song in the video. The song was created by a brilliant musician out of Tokyo, Japan named coppe’ : mango + sweet rice and the song is entitled “Mars to Jupiter”. You can also check out her MySpace page here. The song is significant becuase our short film is about the integration of a Rwandan genocide survivor into North American society. We explore her struggles, her judgments and her cynicism. You can see some teaser footage for the film below staring Zara Durrani and Mireille Urumuri.

Below you’ll find a few production stills from one of the most recent short films out of Romantic Child Studios. We’ll post all information regarding this short film and the progress we’re making with it on this page.

Enjoy!

Codependence Short Film

Sterling — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 06:26:56 +0000

Codependence is one of Romantic Child Studios latest short films. It’s a tale about the human experience of codependency and coexistence with the plot being communicated through modern dance. The film won’t be released to the public because we’re submitting it to festivals. However we have put together a small trailer so you can see sample footage.

Codependence Short Film Trailer from Romantic Child Studios on Vimeo.

Innocence and vulnerability are represented in the short film in one character who is cared for by a stronger, dominating yet maternal other character.

Due to the nature of their relationship; a dependency is created which is shown by physical attachments, interconnectedness and weight sharing. The film then explores two different scenarios. Once the codependency is created, both characters become vulnerable yet strong and work together to create something beautiful. The direction changes however when the stronger character abuses their power. The result is destruction, violence and self abuse.

We’ve also used this short as an opportunity to introduce audiences to parts of dancers that they don’t normally get an opportunity to see. By moving the camera in close to the dancers the the audience can see the dancer as human rather than a disconnected visual object. We’ve done this by showing the small details such as blinking, pulses, breathing, reaction and smaller body parts such as the spinal chord, neck, collar bone, ribs and wrists.

Enjoy.

A Poem

Sterling — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 04:08:56 +0000

Critical Thinking is a Threat

Sterling — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 01:54:20 +0000

Julia and I brought the video camera to chronicle our walk to the dark room at the Purple Thistle Community Center. The Founder of the Purple Thistle Center, Matt Hern, wrote a great book I read last year called “Field Day: Getting Society out of School”. I highly recommend it. I could be wrong, but I think it was inspired by John Taylor Gatto’s book “Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling”. Another brilliant read.

I have included a couple of quotes from John Gatto’s book as well as our video below:

“The universal national banner has become – Good education = good job, good money, good things. This prescription makes parents and students easy to regulate as long as the connection goes unchallenged.”
John Taylor Gatto

“If for example, we agree that an A average is considered the central purpose of adolescent life- the requirements for which take most of the time and attention of the aspirant – and if the worth of this individual is reckoned by victory or defeat in this abstract pursuit, then a social machine has been constructed which , by attaching purpose and meaning to essentially meaningless and fantastic behavior, will certainly dehumanize students, alienate them from their own human nature and break the natural connection between them and their parents. Welcome to the world of mass schooling, which sets this goal as its supreme achievement”
John Taylor Gatto

“A monthly report, impressive in its provision, is sent into a student home to elicit approval or mark exactly, down to a single percentage point, how dissatisfied with the client a parent should be. The ecology of “food” schooling depends on perpetual dissatisfaction, just as the commercial economy depends on the same fertilizer.

These “objective” seeming documents establish a profile that compels children to arrive at certain decisions about themselves and their futures based on a casual judgment of strangers.”
John Taylor Gatto