Meerkat Media Collective

Participatory Budgeting

meerkat — Wed, 08 May 2013 18:36:01 +0000

A quick introduction to an inspiring form of participatory democracy taking root across the U.S.

**Please VOTE for this film as part of the Looking@Democracy Challenge!**

Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. It gives ordinary people real power over real money, letting them work with government to make the budget decisions that affect their lives.

This short film was made in collaboration with Josh Lerner and Isaac Jabola-Carolus of the Participatory Budgeting Project and the illustrator and animator Raj Kottamasu.

To learn more about Participatory Budgeting and get involved visit – http://www.participatorybudgeting.org/

Brasslands

meerkat — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 23:38:33 +0000

An in-progress feature film documenting the musical and cross-cultural complexities of Balkan Brass music.

SYNOPSIS:

Brasslands is a kinetic, character-driven feature documentary about the power of music to inform our identities, unite communities, and reach across political borders. Traveling from New York City concert halls to a tiny town in the heart of Serbia, the film explores the musical and cross-cultural complexities of Balkan brass music. Brasslands features a diverse ensemble cast of virtuosic Roma (“Gypsy”) street musicians, Serbian trumpet masters, and devoted American enthusiasts whose lives and dreams collide during Europe’s wildest party – the Guča trumpet festival. Featuring the sounds and stories of Dejan Petrović Orchestra, Demiran Ćerimović Orchestra, and New York City’s own Zlatne Uste. Collaboratively made by the Meerkat Media Collective.

STATUS:

The film is set to have it’s world premiere at the 2013 Los Angeles Film Festival followed by a huge New York premiere with four incredible Brass bands! The screening and concert will be July 13th and it’s being done in partnership with River to River and Rooftop Films.

We Got This

meerkat — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:38:16 +0000

In November 2012, thousands in New York City remained without clean water, food, heat, or power. Relief efforts by locals offered continuing direct aid to the neighborhoods most affected by Hurricane Sandy.

DIRECTOR: Alex Mallis & Eric Phillips-Horst
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Eric Phillips-Horst
EDITOR: Alex Mallis & Eric Phillips-Horst
SOUND RECORDING: Nicodemus Nicoludis
MUSIC: Loscil

Flotsam

meerkat — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:15:19 +0000

We were asked to create a piece for a one shot film event by acclaimed video artist Lynne Sachs and this is the result!

“Flotsam” is a one shot film taken at the beachfront at Brooklyn’s Dead Horse Bay, a former industrial site and now the final watery resting spot for decades of human refuse. This film journeys through one linear shot to imply the passage of time with a series of moments, each with its own sonic and visual texture — suggesting history and decay both through the floating onscreen objects and the underlying camera movement.

MKM mixer 1/27/2012 Animation Station!

meerkat — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:41:18 +0000

At our January 27th Meerkat Mixer we set up a camera, a light, and some crafts with some directions on how to make a stop animation.

This is the result made by an assortment of partygoers, friends, and strangers.

Enjoy!

Meerkat Media Winter Mixer

meerkat — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:55:59 +0000

Emerging from our burrows, Meerkat Media is throwing another mixer! Taking place in DCTV’s beautiful firehouse, and featuring an open bar, free snacks provided by Growing Chefs, limited edition meerkatmedia hoodies, interactive art-making, and more, all filmmakers/artists/makers/friends and lovers of the collaborative spirit are welcome!

DATE: Friday, January 27th
TIME 7pm – 10pm
LOCATION: DCTV, 87 Lafayette Street, NYC 10013 (map)
COST: $5 – $10 suggested donation

RSVP via Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/events/219504428138663/

Occupy The Holidays

meerkat — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:08:51 +0000

We partnered with the OWS Interfaith group Occupy Faith, the Yes Men and the Posterboy Collective to create this holiday video that documents the symbolic gift of a nativity scene to Trinity Church and inspires debate about the role of faith in social movements.

Nativity Scene by PosterBoy (‪http://www.flickr.com/photos/26296445@N05/‬)

‪http://www.occupyfaith.com‬

‪http://www.yeslab.org/trinity‬ ‪http://www.occupywallst.org‬

Broome Street Academy

meerkat — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:26:05 +0000

An 8-minute commissioned film made with the Broome Street Academy, a new high school that addresses the needs of New York City’s most at-risk youth. The film was made during their first months of operation and was the center piece for their official ribbon cutting ceremony on November 17th, 2011 in front of an audience of students, staff and funders. People seemed incredibly moved and inspired by the work of this school so far.

Broome Street Academy opened in August 2011 in the SoHo area of Manhattan. The high school aims to improve the academic success of all students including the city’s most at-risk students such as teens who come from low-performing middle schools, are homeless, or are in foster care. Broome Street Academy is partnered with The Door, a youth services organization, thus providing a unique model that seamlessly integrates rigorous academics and youth development services all under one roof.

The school is also part of the family of organizations that are part of University Settlement. We’ve made a few other videos for them in the last few years such as Valerie’s Story and A Smart Idea.

Consensus

meerkat — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 22:30:08 +0000

A look into the “HOW” of the Occupy Wall Street movement: the consensus process.

The community of occupiers at Liberty Plaza have sparked the process of building a movement that now transcends any one physical landmark. The tools to keep the movement alive belong to all of us.

We have been using consensus process in our filmmaking over the last six years and found ourselves in a unique position to be able to create this video. It was put together in 4 days and first published on October 13th, during the third week of the occupation.

resources

MORE ABOUT THE MOVEMENT:
OccupyTogether.org
OccupyWallSt.org
OccupyVideos.org
livestream.com/globalrevolution

MORE ABOUT CONSENSUS PROCESS:
dailykos.com/story/2011/10/08/1022710/–occupywallstreet:-a-primer-on-consensus-and-the-General-Assembly

START YOUR OWN GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
nycga.cc/resources/general-assembly-guide/

Making of “Portraits of Resilience”

meerkat — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:19:44 +0000

Documentary short | 4 min

TIME contract photographer Marco Grob shares an intimate look into the making of the portraits and oral history series that comprise Beyond 9/11: Portraits of Resilience. The project reveals the astonishing testimonies from over 40 men and women including George W. Bush, Tom Brokaw, General David Petraeus, Valerie Plame Wilson, Black Hawk helicopter pilot Tammy Duckworth, as well as the heroic first responders to Ground Zero. After looking into one of America’s greatest tragedies, Grob now shares his side of the story, and what it was like to be on the other side of the lens.

the process

This project features a collaboration between TIME Magazine’s Marco Grob and Meerkat Media’s production and editing team. A frank interview with the artist interweaves with footage and stills featured in Beyond 9/11: Portraits of Resilience, behind-the-scenes video of former President George W. Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney, and in-house animations.

links and resources

Visit TIME’s “Beyond 9/11: Portraits of Resilience”: www.time.com/time/beyond911

More work by Marco Grob: www.marcogrob.com