The Sound We See: A New Haven City Symphony
The 19th annual Summer Apprenticeship Program
with Lead Artists Paolo Davanzo and Lisa Marr from Echo Park Film Center
July 26—September 14, 2019
Artspace Summer Apprenticeship Program, 2019. Photo credit Paolo Davanzo and Lisa Marr.
Artspace is pleased to announce our 19th annual Summer Apprenticeship Program, The Sound We See: A New Haven City Symphony. This program will give twenty-four local teens, who are currently enrolled in one of New Haven’s Public High Schools, the opportunity to work together alongside Los Angeles based filmmakers Paolo Davanzo and Lisa Marr for three weeks in July. The students will embark on the making of a city symphony, learning about the history of this fascinating genre and developing techniques for shooting and processing black and white film stock shot on handheld 16mm and Super 8 cameras. Together, they will produce a 24-minute film that envisions a summer day in the life of New Haven, starting at the moment many residents wake up, building into the bustle of the work day, and moving into the vibrant folds of the night.
Each student will be responsible for recording and telling the story of one hour of the day, guided by their own intuitions, personal styles and perspectives. Analog filmmaking techniques and iconic works produced by Walter Ruttmann and Dziga Vertov in the 1920’s will serve as starting points for this exploration into the communal creative process and contemporary environment. Each student will choose the site and subject of their hour, and learn how to edit the footage by hand into a one-minute film. Adding to the excitement of the “Slow Film” movement, the Lead Artists will introduce students to eco-processing techniques, which replace harsh chemicals with locally sourced organic ingredients, and engender the film with a signature color and mood. In the final week of the program, these 24 one-minute films will be stitched together and set to music. The students will take an active role in deciding and collaborating on the soundtrack, which may range from orchestral music to spoken word, gospel, or experiments in hip hop, acoustic, synth and jazz.
The Sound We See: A New Haven City Symphony from Artspace New Haven on Vimeo.
This program marks the nineteenth iteration of this global project, which has involved youth and multi-generational communities in Vietnam, India, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Russia, Japan and the United States. These films have been presented in public exhibitions in traditional and non-traditional venues, following the direction, hearts and discoveries of the communities who tell stories about place and being that are both imaginative and real, personal and collective.
The 2019 Summer Apprenticeship is made possible thanks to support from The Connecticut Office of the Arts, The Global Institute for Arts and Leadership, The Louise H. and David S. Ingalls Foundation, The Jana Foundation, and Friends of Artspace. We are grateful to the Harvard Club of Southern Connecticut and Yale’s Yawkey Fellowship and Domestic Summer Award for their summer staff support. Thank you to G Bakery, Junzi, Claire’s Corner Copia, Wall Street Pizza, and Yorkside Pizza for fueling the students and to Airbnb host Truman Gilbert.
About the Lead Artists
Paolo Davanzo is a filmmaker, educator and co-founder of the Echo Park Film Center. He was born in Italy to an Italian father and a Canadian mother and then emigrated to North America as a child. His parents were both social justice activists who died very early in his life and their passing became the impetus for opening EPFC in 2001. He believes in the power of cinema to create change, love and harmony in the world.
Lisa Marr is an award-winning filmmaker, musician and writer whose work is a catalyst for creative collaboration and community empowerment. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Lisa is the Operations Director and Youth Film Coordinator at EPFC, and a 2014 Visual Arts Fellow of the California Community Foundation. As The Here & Now, she travels the world with her sweetheart Paolo Davanzo, sharing handmade movies and music with everyone.
Participating Students
- Syed Ardhi, Hill Regional Career High School
- Yareli Calderon, Wilbur Cross High School
- Jasmin Garcia, Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School
- Isaias Garzon, Unidad Educativa Santo Tomas Apostol, Riobamba
- Sara Garzon, Metropolitan Business Academy
- Pablo Giannotti, Wilbur Cross High School
- Sofiya Hafiz, ACES Educational Center for the Arts
- Rayona Higgins, Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School
- Nevaeh Hubbard, James Hillhouse High School
- John Kalapala, Hill Regional Career High School
- Georgii Larkov, Common Ground High School
- Genesis Maldonado, New Haven Academy
- Daniel Martinez-Jimenez, Wilbur Cross High School
- Stella Martone, Branford High School and Educational Center for the Arts
- Evan Mir, New Haven Academy
- Tyler Mitchell, Wilbur Cross High School
- Anthony Mitchell, Common Ground High School
- Nagelly Oñate, Pedro Vicente Maldonado High School, Riobamba
- Mabel Rooney, New Haven Academy
- Alona Santiago, Metropolitan Business Academy
- Natalie Semmel, New Haven Academy
- Nelly Torres, New Haven Academy
