Sound Bites - Issue #2 / October 2013

Featured Guest: Franklin Londin

Franklin Londin

Oscar-Winning Artist Inspired by Community Ed Tour

SMC Community Education instructors are an impressive and interesting group of people. And so are our students.

Take, for instance, Franklin Londin, an Oscar-winning visual effects artist who has worked on a range of films, most recently “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2” (in theaters now).

He is also a 3D artist and photographer whose “breathtaking stereoscopic” works have been shown at galleries such as The Loft at Liz's, The Whole 9 Gallery, JNA Gallery, Create Fixate, Cannibal Flower Art Show, The Chinese American Museum, The Getty Museum, and National Buildings Museum. One of those images was inspired by a Community Ed tour he took of the art in L.A. subway stations.

“3D photography has the magical ability to draw you into a space,” the Santa Monica resident says. “More than remembering the event from a flat image, you are reliving the moment by the active engagement of your eyes and brain. In essence, you’re time traveling.”

Last year you took Gayle Gale’s “L.A. Underground Art Museum” tour that focused on the public art in L.A. subway stations. What was that experience like?

Gayle led a tour through some fabulous train stations on the red line starting up in Hollywood. We gathered around her and she told us stories about the artist, architecture, and the history of the stop, and then we got on a train and traveled to another where she shared more fascinating art and history. 

How did it inspire you as an artist?

I had a super amazing day exploring my backyard by train and was stunned how beautiful underground art can be. As a 3D artist and photographer it was truly inspiring to see how an artist and an architect worked together to blend their visions of a public art space. One of the 3D photos I snapped was incorporated into a 3D viewer frame that I subsequently showed at an art gallery.

You were on the teams that won Best Visual Effects Oscars for “Titanic” and “Spiderman 2.” Tell us briefly how you got into animation work.

I attended NYU Film School, and after getting a degree became enthralled with computers controlling cameras, so I got into computer graphics. I did business graphics, and then medical animations, then broadcast animation, and then came to L.A. to work on Hollywood feature films.

You’ve worked on several visually stunning movies. What has that been like?

It's hard work and long hours to create my FX animations that get integrated with hundreds of other people’s work into a finished feature film. It’s very rewarding to see your craft projected on a huge screen for millions of people to enjoy

Your career is in 3D animation and your passion is shooting stereo (3D) photography. Tell us briefly what stereo photography is and why you love it so much.

Stereo (3D) photography is simply capturing two images at a time instead of one. They are usually taken at the same distance as our eyes - 2.5 inches apart, but the two images can be farther apart for macro stereography or closer for micro stereography. Our brains then fuse the two images and we see 3D. I'm fascinated with the physical experience of seeing depth. Single lens photography shows us a picture, while 3D photography puts us in the space of the shot. It’s like time travel.

You also do 3D sculpture. Tell us a little about that.

I've been building 3D sculptures to show people my 3D photography for about 10 years. I used to carry around a viewer and a bunch of 3D slides and swap them out one by one to show people my work. I did that for years before I decided to create sculptures. They have multiple viewers arrayed around a central base. Sort of like the old View-Master, and instead of pressing the lever you move to another view. You can visit www.3Deee.com to see examples of my work.

Would you consider taking another of Gayle Gale’s tours or signing up for a class at SMC Community Education?

Most definitely.

Gayle Gale will be leading two unique tours in the next few weeks, both of which include some subway station art. “Downtown’s Hidden Art Treasures” will be Oct. 27 and “Holiday Shopping in Historic South Pasadena” will be Dec. 1.

What's New...

Alice Meyering,
Program Coordinator
Community & Contract Education

Coming Soon! Halloween/Holiday Workshops & Tours

Meridian Iron Works
South Pasadena

It’s not too early to think about the holidays: Halloween is just around the corner, and seasonal festivities get in full swing soon after. Community Education offers two great family-friendly workshops and a holiday shopping tour to make this season special!

“Our Halloween and holiday workshops not only give participants an opportunity to express creativity through making cards, but they are also a great family activity,” said Alice Meyering, Program Coordinator of Community & Contract Education. “And our brand-new ‘Holiday Shopping in Historic South Pasadena’ will be a fun excursion to charming boutiques, antique stores, cafes and more.”
 

Classes coming up soon are:

	“Halloween Card-Making Workshop,” Saturday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Participants will create one-of-a-kind Halloween cards in this fun and very hands-on DIY workshop. Bringing their ideas and images, they will find out how to transform them into unique works of art for sending, framing or displaying.  Students will learn how to make their own printing stamps, how to mix inks for custom colors, and the techniques for printing clean and vibrant cards that will give the "unlucky" recipients the fright of their lives! The class is kids-friendly for ages 7 and up.
	“Holiday Cards Workshop,” Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Similar to the Halloween card class, participants will make their own cards in time for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza and more! This class, too, is kids-friendly for ages 7 and up.
	“Holiday Shopping in Historic South Pasadena,” Sunday, Dec. 1 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Participants will start the day with a look at the art in the Hollywood & Vine Metro Station, then ride the Red Line downtown to Union Station, and board the Gold Line for the short ride to South Pasadena. They will then stroll along quaint Mission Street and explore its charming boutiques, antique stores, and cafes. Lunch will be at one of the local eateries, followed by a visit to the South Pasadena Historical Museum, located in what was once the Meridian Iron Works building. Also on the itinerary is a stop for a beverage or snack at Buster’s Coffee and Ice Cream Shop, established more than 20 years ago by the town’s former mayor. Participants are asked to wear comfortable walking shoes and casual clothes, and bring along a shopping bag for goodies. Parking, Metro fare, and lunch costs are NOT included in the tour fee.
Registration is online or by calling (310) 434-3400. You can also email commed@smc.edu.

From Our Instructor, Paola Barcaccia: "When in Rome. . ."

Paolo Barcaccia

Italian instructor Paolo Barcaccia wants you to truly enjoy her native country, its culture and language – whether as a visitor or student in her Beginning Italian class (which starts Oct. 24).

Here are three tips she playfully suggests for you when in Rome. . . or anywhere in Italy:

• Use your vocabulary combined with your HANDS to make them understand
   you!
 • Italian people love helping tourists so, don't be shy to ask!
 • Wear a pair of sunglasses to look more Italian and fit in with the
    surroundings!

Paola Barcaccia was born and raised in the beautiful countryside of central Italy and has been teaching Italian as a Second Language for several years. Sociologist and artist, she has developed a creative and stimulating way of teaching that makes the learning process easier and fun.

Special Promotions: Broad Stage Tickets & 10% Discount

 

Take the whole family for half the price to Broad Stage!

SMC Community Education is very pleased to announce a new collaboration with the critically acclaimed Broad Stage at Santa Monica College. The Broad Stage is happy to offer a 2 for 1 special just for Community Education to “Puss In Boots: From Drawings to Dance” on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 11:00am. Please use the code word “EDU" to redeem this special offer when you purchase online at thebroadstage.com or by phone at 310-434-3200.

“We’re very excited to enter a partnership with The Broad Stage for cultural and educational programs,” said Alice Meyering, Program Coordinator of Community & Contract Education. “The Broad Stage has won praise not only for its top-notch cultural programming, but also for its family events and educational outreach.”

She added, “Watch for upcoming details.”

Committed to making great performances accessible, Education & Outreach at The Broad Stage invites Community Education students to take a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Dreamworks’ Academy Award-nominated film, Puss in Boots. Helios Artistic Director Laura Gorenstein Miller and her dancers share the process of creating the choreography for the characters.

Drawings dance to life in styles from Flamenco to contemporary as this award-winning company incorporates rarely seen hand-drawn story boards, choreography, video of the motion capture technology and finished film scenes from the movie.

“It’s fascinating for audiences of all ages to experience live dance in this new and innovative way using popular culture and the love of film,” Meyering said.

The show is followed by a half-hour fun festival with fresh cookies and milk, entertainment, crafts and an artist meet-and-greet.

When: Saturday, October 26th at 11:00am.
Where: The Broad Stage 1310 11th Street, Santa Monica 90403.

Please arrive early for free onsite parking.

 

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