Living Room Screening – Short Film Program.

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Living Room Screenings showcased a handful of films (each under 20 minutes). The theater was Tisse Mallon‘s living room (736 Boardman St., Orlando, FL 32804). Banks Helfrich and Tisse Mallon presented independent local films in real, live living rooms. Living Room Screening events go beyond movie night and into an intimate shared experience which includes the films, a discussion with the the creators and the reflections and thoughts of the audience.

One short stop motion film featured a matchbox car that dreamed of flying and morphed into an airplane. Another film looked like black and white surveillance video from a factory at night. There was some activity in the background but I couldn’t make out what was happening. Another film had the characters interacting in a run down apartment, it was perhaps the truest representation of what life is like in Orlando. Darlyn Finch showcased a short film titled Sewing Holes which is based on one of her books. It had a mother sitting on her daughter’s bed, contemplating shooting herself as her daughter slept.

My own short film, Finger on the Pulse was shown at the Living Room Screening prior to this one. My sketchbook at the time was filled with Pulse related documentary sketches, so it was nice to take a night off, relax and soak in some thought provoking entertainment. These Living Room Theater screenings seem to have moved to the new Blue Bamboo Music Center for the Arts.  The Elar Institute, which branched off from Living Room Theater, has been offering more educational seminars as of late. Periodically, the Institute posts quotes on Facebook, “Our emotions are communication from that part of ourselves which is connected to the truth of the universe.”

On Saturday, September 16 from 11 AM to 12:30 PM, Banks Helfrich is hosting Life Screenings – One Minute Film Festival at the Orange County Library (101 E Central Blvd, Orlando, Florida 32801). The festival looks
“Outside the Lines” at what happens when a film festival and library
mash-up. The purpose is to create a library beyond a library and a film
festival beyond a festival. Preceded by donuts and coffee, one
minute films will screen back to back; post exhibit, filmmakers will be
on hand to participate in a lively talk back. Films are chosen on the basis that they show a world we love to live in.

There Will Be Words

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There will be words featured local authors reading excerpts from prose they had written. The event happens on the second Tuesday of every month at Urban ReThink. When I arrived I spotted Darlyn and Brad Kuhn who had recently been married. I congratulated them and hope to attend a celebration in their honor at the end of the month. I then sat next to Leslie Silvia to talk visual art as the stage was set. Lesly did the cover and all the headers for the “Best of Orlando” issue of the Orlando Weekly. She executed the assignment using silhouetted paper cut outs.

When the authors were ready to read, I went upstairs for a birds eye view. Jana Waring was introduced as being the “Best Local Author” as voted by Orlando Weekly readers. She read a short story in which the protagonist didn’t like pets. She described manic and unpredictable pets from her childhood. With plenty of tongue in cheek humor, she indeed convinced me that owning pets is insane.

Jared Silvia read a hilarious piece about Lobster Fest. I laughed the whole time realizing I’m just as much of a misguided geek at heart. Darlyn Finch read a touching story about a present she had brought for her ill brother. Knowing he had recently lost the battle, often forgetting those who loved him before he died. Darlyn has a way of writing from the gut that I admire. Small collectible books called “chapbooks”, were hand bound of each of the author’s stories. The evenings host, J. Bradley, announced that we should buy them now before the authors died and the value of their words escalated. There is something very rewarding about being in a room of people sharing their stories. Events like this remind me that Orlando has a thriving literary community.

Creative Engineering

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Brad Kuhn first introduced me to Creative Engineering. The ramshackle warehouse is located just north of the bustling night club scene downtown. I parked in the loading dock area and got this sketch as I waited for Brad, his daughter Meschelle, and Darlyn Finch to arrive. When we knocked on the front door, the sun had set and it was starting to get dark. Aaron Fechter answered. A albino doberman pincher named Athena, was barking and snarling, but once Aaron pointed out that we were friends, the dog calmed down checking for scents on our shoes.

The entry showed promise since there were half painted set pieces lying around and sculptural forms receded back into the darkness of the factory. For the next hour or so Aaron took us on a tour of the facility. He had us step into an old freight elevator and warned us to watch where we stepped since some of the floor boards were not so sturdy. The lift loudly groaned as we rose up. I could see the drop below us through the crack between the floor planks and there was no ceiling to the lift so I could look up at the cables that vibrated and strained.

We later stopped at a whack-a-mole play station. It turns out that Aaron had invented whack-a-mole but the concept was stolen from him by some carnie. The moles in the game we stood near had Osama Bin Laden, Hitler and other despots as the moles. That idea never took off. By now he was using a flashlight to show us around. Mysterious dark forms would flash brightly for a moment then disappear into the darkness.

Aaron said he had to turn on an air compressor. He disappeared and we stood in the darkness waiting. Moonlight now filtered through the factory windows faintly illuminating the space. I heard the compressor fire up with a hiss and then I adjusted my eyes and saw the dark forms on the sidelines start to twitch to life. They moved with an awkward mechanical quality but the one closest to me shifted its gaze and stared right at me. It’s head turned, the fur bristled, and it’s eyelid raised with curiosity. Dust rose when they shook their arms and the cloud filtered our view. We were surrounded by animatronics each of them moving and stretching perhaps for the first time in thirty years…