Filmaker Alexis Savino “Life in Hollywood—Homevideo”
We are so excited to launch our video series “Life in Hollywood – Homevideo 1-20”Our goal was to create a series of short films that expressed the vibrant life here in Hollywood- the REAL Hollywood. From the Farmers Market to hiking the hills, the clubs, bars, restaurants, - and just navigating our little slice of L.A., we wanted to share our life at street level.
So, We hired filmmaker & friend Alexis Savino, who had the notion that an iPhone at street level could capture the organic taste and texture of living in our community. Each film in the series offers a slightly different view of life here in Hollywood.
Through this process we learned that Hollywood is the place for us, be it on foot, bicycle, bike, car, metro, bus, or whatever. We love that everything we want and need is right here, that the people who live here are bound not just by being neighbors, but by a creative force that is at once fiercely independent, yet comfortable and welcoming. We interviewed our filmmaker Alexis Savino to share with you just how these videos came about. Enjoy and stay tuned on our Facebook as we launch 1-20! www.facebook.com/ownhollywood
How did you come to make these films for The Residences at W Hollywood?
A. Savino: “This is how: Ron and Michelle. Jennifer Harstwick. Sanam Erfani. Lorcan O’Toole. Jamie Mann. John Frolic. Ricky Golden. Kila and Miki Packett. Daniel Brummel. Julia Davis. Gregg Hood. Alex Gedeon. I could go on… The story starts when I arrived in LA with about a hundred dollars and a schedule of couches and floors to crash on for a week. I visited friends at the W and showed them my first film called Genau (a feature I made in one day in 2009 in New York). The next day my friends were inspired and interested in collaborating on something for the W Hollywood Residences. The building is extraordinary, sustainably made, loads of iconic views, lots of stories, adventures, contrasts, aesthetics, and reflections. The neighborhood is classic, outrageous, wild, amusing, gritty, luxurious, and full of the kind of contrast an artist loves. It’s really a lot like many neighborhoods in Manhattan, in some unexpected ways. As an artist it felt like a treasure trove of stimuli, and I thought it would be “easy.” So I came back a couple of weeks later from New York, and stuck around until we made it happen. Persistence. That’s how. Hard work. And some truly great friends.”What inspired you to call the series “homevideo”?
A. Savino: “Well, with technology making it exponentially easier to use and create with cameras, I wanted to express how available and accessible the tools and experiences were to me, a both as an artist and as a guy on a micro-budget with ambition. The W Hollywood Residences is a place people live with exploration and access. I wanted to capture the spirit of life, the spirit of doing it yourself, and adventure in that location—not in LA or the film industry—instead in a one-mile radius around the newly iconic structure, which itself is a piece of art. That was the driving concept. The inspiration was to project the process we (my many collaborators and I) work with into the future ten to twenty years, and imagine that everyone feasibly could be making films pretty affordably (if they learn how to use the devices). And have a compelling point of view. ”How did you shoot these? Just carried your iPhone around? Were they scripted?
A. Savino: “ My process in a nutshell: I used my own, well-worn iPhone4, and three different Apple Macintosh computers, two donated to me to use. (I had no crew, but several participating friends and angels who put me up all summer.) The rest was a lot of software, apps, graphic design, and 28 years of being a performer that made it happen. The artists/actors/filmmakers who supported me in the process as friends and participants were numerous. Sanam Efani (actress/artist), Kila Packett (an actor and photographer), Miki Packett (a cinematographer), Ben Bradbury (a chef and filmmaker), Araby Patch (author/filmmaker), Michelle Montany (actress/painter), a dog named Nikita and one named Shishko helped a lot, and were key to the whole thing and pretty much made it all possible. The list is long, and full of angels.”What is Hollywood to you?
A. Savino: “Hell’s Kitchen? But it takes me back to a dozen years or so ago, when I first got to New York, and visited the Waldorf jazz room. It’s a classic neighborhood and a classic crossroads of elegance and grit. It’s rare in New York these days to find that vibe. I was blown away to find it in Hollywood, of all places. It’s changing fast though, even just being there all summer I noticed that. But with a lot of fine restaurants and fine accommodations and attractions — Hells Kitchen really is the analogy. Times Square is similar to Hollywood Blvd. in many ways. It’s a comfortable place to experience extremes and grit. It’s accessible to everything, and full of enigma.”Are you an LA artist or a New York artist?
A. Savino: “Both now I guess. But I was born and raised in Vermont, in a small town—that's where my heart is. The world is a small town. I’m definitely a New York artist. I got to New York at the end of the 90’s and lived downtown through September 11th, and I’ve stayed on that island 90% of the last 10 years. I love Los Angeles — partly because there is such a spirit of collaboration, art, cinema, risk, adventure, and healing. I love LA, but I feel that I'll always be a New York artist because it shaped my point of view and my worldview. I think there are a lot of New Yorkers in LA making some truly groundbreaking work. It's that kind of town.”
What’s next for you?
A. Savino: “I’m editing 17 more projects I shot since last May, finishing Genau and Smoke&Mirrors, and figuring out how to distribute them and get them out there.”The music in these films/videos is fantastic. How did you find these musicians?
A. Savino: “The musicians are various friends of mine. Really, I’m a fan of all of them. Jennifer Hartswick is perhaps the greatest living jazz singer/horn player. Truly. She’s Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald and could eat Adele for breakfast. Haha. I really don't have to hard sell her. She's the busiest artist I know. Hands down. And the musicians she plays with (and who play with her) are second to none. Truly. Ricky Golden (portOdessa) is an unsung American hero (now singing) and old friend too. And Daniel Brummel, who just got off tour with one of his bands OZMA, with Weezer. He's... Something New. The love child of Jim Morrison, Waylin Jennings and Bob Dylan with the lifestyle of a more spiritually fun George Harrison. Daniel changed my life. I hope you check all their stuff out. It's what's on my headphones everyday. Wait and see the rest… I’m sure I’ll tell you more about them soon. Buy their tracks— they’ll inspire you. They inspire me, constantly. "For more info on the artists featured in these films please check out their websites!
Jennifer Hartswick: www.JenHartswick.com, twitter: @JHartswick
Ricky Golden: http://portodessa.bandcamp.com twitter @Rgoldenapple
Daniel Brummel: http://www.myspace.com/danielbrummel, twitter: @danielbrummel
Sanam Erfani: www.sanamerfani.com, twitter: @sanamerfani