New Short Film From Derek Dubois At 13th Annual Pawtucket Film Festival This Weekend

[From New England Post]
Fallout, the new thriller from Rhode Island independent filmmaker Derek Dubois, will be included in the 13^th Annual Pawtucket Film Festival this Sunday. While the official schedule has not yet been released, Dubois told the New England Post that the screening will indeed take place on Sunday at 4:30.
Derek Dubois was kind enough to sit down with the New England Post for this short conversation.
NEP: Are there things you want people to know about Fallout before seeing it or would you prefer they just sit down, let the lights dim and enjoy the show?
DD: With Fallout I definitely prefer the latter. There are certain ambiguities about the relationship between the main players and the nature of the conflict that I think are designed to roll out when they do. Fallout is a thriller. Dim the lights, crank the sound. That's all you need to know.
NEP: Did the idea for the Fallout screenplay come from somewhere specific or was it simply a case of a genre you felt like tackling?
DD: Believe it or not Fallout was inspired primarily by two films I'd seen in very quick succession: Anton Corbijn's The American and Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain. While these films are very different on the surface both center around very quiet, internalized male protagonists. If you look back at my previous films you'll find, historically, that I've often been far more concerned with female characters - they always seem much more complex and richer to me (maybe it's my feminist-film theory background). But on the heels of these two screenings I really wanted a straight no-frills genre plot but populated with an introspective male character that forces the spectator to really dwell on contemporary American masculinity and what the expectations of being "the man" in that scenario entail.
NEP: What films inform the screenplay and visual style of Fallout?
DD: Since Fallout is my first exercise in pure genre, I really wanted to play with the best of the best. This is a film whose entire time-span is relegated to one very small location: a fallout shelter. The central question became: how can we transmit that intense claustrophobia onto the audience without boring them? We found our answers in several disparate places: The setting is very inspired by something like Ridley Scott's Alien. One of those locked down locations that'll make your characters stir-crazy. But we chose to often keep the camera moving (albeit subtlety) to consistently put new information into the frame.
Funny enough, we stole our framing setups from The King's Speech. One very interesting thing I had originally noticed about that film was how inventive (and daring) it was in breaking with traditional framing designs. Speech often weighed their characters to the wrong side of the frame generating tons of negative space. We felt that approach was perfect for inspiring the right atmosphere during the uncomfortable interactions between our two main characters.
NEP: Talk a little bit about the production design and sets.
DD: Production Design was by far the most rigorous element of any of the stages of filmmaking. We instantly knew that shooting in an actual fallout shelter (if we could obtain access to one) was impossible because there would be no room for camera setups. So the crew's original discussions led us to consider scouting for a "mill basement" or something that was already practical for us to work with that would look like a Fallout shelter. I was never sold on that idea and secretly began construction on a set in my family's basement - not knowing if I could pull it off. I designed it so that each wall of the four-wall set would be entirely removable - thus permitting total visual freedom. I have absolutely no construction abilities whatsoever but over the course of two-months things slowly began to take shape. If you become a fan of Fallout on Facebook you can see a time-lapse photo album that charts the building of our little set. But excuse me, I have to go, my family's been on my case to start ripping it down.
NEP: Other than Pawtucket Film Festival this weekend, where else can people see Fallout?
DD: Fallout has thus far been accepted to three festivals. This coming Sunday Fallout will play on the opposite side of the country at the 2011 SoCal Film festival. Also, we were accepted into the 2011 Shockerfest Festival, which is an interesting genre-specific festival (horror and sci-fi), that airs it's films on a local cable station to a potential audience of 1.5 million people. Finally, as of last week, we have released the film online. Anyone interested in seeing Fallout can simply visit www.derekdubois.net to view the film in full.
NEP: What are you working on now?
DD: Now that Fall has arrived I'm back at the head of the classroom leading a new group of Rhode Island College students in learning the joys and wonders of film analysis and, for the first time, screenwriting. I'm also hoping to put down the camera for a little while and try to sell a feature length script. I'm shopping around a horror-feature entitled Miss Diagnosis with several production companies at the moment.
(In the interest of full disclosure I feel I must point out that I composed the original music for Fallout. My work as a film composer however does not effect my work as a journalist in any way, shape or form.)

Art and Hoax

Recently I had the pleasure of speaking to Michele Meek, a Rhode Islander whose C.V. is far too long to collapse into a single introductory paragraph. To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, the above image is Michele teaching English to Buddhist monks in Thailand in 2006. When she’s not teaching, studying or overseeing NewEnglandFilm.com, which she started, Meek writes about cinema, food and travel. She most recently presented her new paper, Art and Hoax, at last month’s Society for Cinema and Media Studies Conference in New Orleans.

SS: How did you come to write about the marketing of Exit Through the Gift Shop in the first place?

MM: My husband actually wanted to see the film, so he, my brother and I all went to see it at the Cable Car Cinema in Providence in May 2010. I've seen a lot of documentaries throughout the years, but this time, I was totally surprised. Unlike most contemporary documentaries that tell you what to think, this film made you think. On the surface, Banksy is exposing the contemporary art world as a sham. Yet there is another meaning to be uncovered about the documentary genre itself and the struggle between subjectivity and objectivity, truth and interpretation, auteur and subject. Perhaps even more ironically, Banksy profits from both his art and the film, again blurring that line between art and commerce.

After seeing the film, I was hooked. And after researching their strategies for reaching an audience, I knew it was worth further study.

SS: How did you end up presenting at the SCMS and what was the experience like?

MM: I've been a member of SCMS for several years, and last year, I attended my first conference in L.A. Of course, anyone can submit a paper for the conference. I've presented numerous times on panels at writing conferences, film festivals and at universities as a guest lecturer. Still, I was anxious since this was my first academic presentation. Ultimately, it went well, and I did feel prepared to answer questions that came my way. But I've long since learned that you can't know everything, and it's all right to say you don't know something. In fact, that's much better than pretending to know something you don't.

Since I'm relatively new to academia, I decided to propose something that was more industry-oriented and related to a subject where I had some expertise—so I proposed a paper for the panel Arty and Indie in America. Since I had seen the industry from both sides as a independent filmmaker and a reseller (I had run BuyIndies.com, a community to buy and sell independent films, for nearly a decade), I felt that I had a unique perspective to bring to the subject. The paper I presented "Art and Hoax: The Viral Marketing of 'Exit Through the Gift Shop'" discusses the unconventional (and remarkably successful) distribution and marketing strategies behind the film.

SS: Can Art and Hoax be read online anywhere?

Not yet, although I'm happy to send it to anyone who is interested in reading it and providing feedback! I'll be editing and expanding it over the next few months, and then will submit it for publication. Ideally, it will find a place in one of the peer-reviewed film journals.

SS: Tell me a little bit about NewEnglandFilm.com, its history and your involvement, past and present.

MM: I started NewEnglandFilm.com in 1997. I was finishing my MFA in screenwriting at Emerson College and working at a magazine in Boston and had the idea to start a magazine for the regional film community. But then I realized how expensive print magazines were. So my husband (boyfriend, at the time) recommended I start it as a website, and I figured I'd do that until I could switch it to a print publication. But when I saw how successful it was online -- so much more interactive and timely then a monthly print publication -- there was no going back. Eventually, we built out other features in addition to the magazine like the industry directory and most recently, the online film festival. There's a timeline at http://newenglandfilm.com/news/archives/04august/timeline.htm where you can see the progress through 2004 (I guess I need to update that!) Anyway, I still oversee the site, but I do have a small freelance staff to help out at this point.

SS: You're a Ph.D candidate in English at URI. When you began looking at programs, was that an easy decision for you or were there several other disciplines on the table like, say, Film?

MM: There are so many factors that go into a decision like this. Since I had already gotten a Master's in writing, I had more of a head start with an English Ph.D. And since I have a family, I wasn't really willing to move anywhere in the country which also limited my options. And then there's that little matter of only being able to go where you actually get in. But ultimately, I am interested in both literature and film and hope to write a dissertation that reflects that.

SS: Was there a clean transition from your interest in screenwriting to your interest in academic writing or does one inform the other and vice versa?

MM: I'm honestly not sure there's a logical transition between any of the things that I do. When I look at my C.V. even I wonder how (or why) I've packed in all of the disjointed things I've done. That said, I've always taught -- filmmaking, screenwriting, and writing. And of course, I've always loved to write, and over the years, I've written poetry, fiction, and screenplays, in addition to writing blog posts and magazine articles. Still, in my opinion, there's not much in common between writing a screenplay and a piece of journalism and a poem -- except that every word needs to belong. Each type of writing, I approach differently. With academic writing, I find myself thinking much more critically. In journalism, you can be lazy and make generalizations like "It's getting harder for independent filmmakers to distribute their films." But in academic writing, you can't state something like that without knowing how it's getting harder (what are the numbers?) and why it's getting harder (what are the forces causing the industry changes?). Or maybe you're supposed to do that in magazine writing too, and I've just been doing it wrong all these years.

SS: In addition to film and culture, you've written quite a bit about food and travel. Are there any subjects you haven't tackled that you think you might want to explore in the near future?

MM: I don't think I've written about the space program -- yet! No seriously, there are many subjects I haven't tackled. I simply write about the things I love -- mostly film and travel. My blog TheRhodeLessTraveled.com is an outlet for the lighter writing I enjoy. For both NewEnglandFilm.com and my blog, I only write about things that stand out -- I'm not in it to pan anyone, so if I go to a restaurant I hate, then I don't write about it. Since I'm fairly picky, this makes it so I often have nothing to write about.

I'm still not quite sure where my academic interest will lead me. I have an article being published in the upcoming Tennessee Williams Annual Review about the feminist subtext in the 1956 film "Baby Doll," which is obviously much different than my conference paper on "Exit Through the Gift Shop". But ultimately, I'd like to somehow leverage both my industry experience and academic training to create a study that would be useful for a more general filmmaking audience. Also before starting the Ph.D. program, I was working on a book in the genre of literary nonfiction about my experiences living in Paris for a year, and at some point, I'd love to make time to finish it.

SS: What's your dream job and what are your plans for after URI?

MM: I don't think I can say that I have just one dream job (maybe that's my whole problem). I'd love to be a serial entrepreneur since I love creating something out of nothing. On the other end of the spectrum, I would love to be able to write and teach and somehow make money doing that. Basically, I'd like to do something I love (and change what that was as I wished) and be paid well for it -- but who doesn't?

For more information on any of the above, please visit www.michelemeek.com.

The Song Remains the Same

Today, March 8th, at 2:00pm in Horace Mann 193, Dr. Jeffrey T. Nealon will give a talk entitled: The Song Remains the Same: Classic Rock, Cultural Studies, and Post-Postmodernism. Dr. Nealon, a professor of English at Penn State, is the author of Double Reading: Postmodernism after Deconstruction (Cornell, 1993), Alterity Politics: Ethics and Performative Subjectivity (Duke, 1998), and The Theory Toolbox (with Susan Searls-Giroux, Rowman & Littlefield, 2003), an indispensable introduction to reading cultural theory. We’re very happy to offer this brief preview of the event.

SS: What’s the gist of your presentation?

JN: The Song Remains the Same is a critical account of the continuing ubiquity of 1960s-70s “classic rock” in American culture. I’m trying here neither to celebrate nor to denounce the commodity called classic rock, but to try to understand its continuing and singular place in American cultural life – and to think about whether its unprecedented continuing popularity suggests any changes in what cultural studies theorists have to say about the fraught relations among contemporary American cultural production and economic production. To anticipate my conclusion, I argue that classic rock’s longevity is both a symptom of Fredric Jameson’s famous understanding of postmodernism (in shorthand, the complete collapse of cultural production into the logic of economic production and vice versa), but that in addition the continuing reign of classic rock as a cultural commodity also shows us the emergent logic of something else: not necessarily something “new,” but a different, more intense mode of production/consumption that I’ll call, for lack of another word, post-postmodern.

SS: When you refer to the "commodity called classic rock," do you mean solely rock music of the 60s and 70s or do you include current popular acts who reproduce a classic rock aesthetic in their music?

JN: Just the 60s and 70s, really.

SS: Regarding Jameson's understanding of postmodernism, what stands out to you about classic rock over other popular musical forms born in the mid-20th century like Country or R&B?

JN: Well, for Jameson postmodernism is the complete collapse of the logic of cultural production into the logic of economic production (innovation, symbolic economies, affect all get folded into economic production, rather than functioning as something 'other'), so all popular music on Jameson's account functions according to that paradigm. For me, the distinction or uniqueness of classic rock is its longevity as a cultural commodity -- 17 yr olds still listen to The Doors, and there's still a popular radio format dedicated to that genre of 40-year-old music. But 17-year-old country fans don't routinely listen to the country songs of the late 60s (e.g. Tammy Wynette), and there's no widespread "classic country" radio in every American media market. That's the thing that's hard to explain about classic rock from a cultural studies point of view -- its longevity as a youth cultural product.

SS: Is it oversimplifying to state then that the reason for classic rock's continued ubiquity, as opposed to the relative obscurity (in pop cultural terms) of "classic country" or "Americana," is its profitability during the 60s and 70s? In other words, reproducing today the aesthetics of that era, as a means of making a profit, necessitates the inclusion of its most commercial components.

Well, there are plenty of profitable cultural operations of the 1970s -- from The Partridge family to the pet rock -- that were plenty successful in their day, but nobody today thinks of them as "cool." Think Boudieu, cultural capital: it's partially classic rock's commitment to "authenticity" in the face of a commodified world (what, for example, "Satisfaction" and "Stairway to Heaven" have in common) that makes classic rock such an enduring cultural commodity. That and what's changed about capitalism in the meantime, which is mostly what the paper is about

Alumni Update: Jason Rossi

SS: You're from Warwick but you came to RIC by way of Arizona. Briefly, how did you find your way into the Media Studies program?

JR: I came to RIC by way of Arizona, then Connecticut, then, to come full circle, back home to Rhode Island again. In Arizona, I was first introduced to digital media as a form of communication and expression when I had my first experience with Photoshop. I don't remember what version it was, but it was probably Photoshop 4 or 5. I was using an Apple G3 in the photo department of the independently run student paper at my school, Northern Arizona University, where I earned my bachelors in Photography. The paper was The Lumberjack, and we shot 35mm color and black and white film in those days, scanning the negatives into the computer as we prepared our images for publication. I was hooked by my first contact with Photoshop, I remember being in awe as I slid the color adjustment from red to cyan. That was my first photo adjustment ever.

Anyhow, that's where it started. Eventually, I went on to become a staff photographer at the Middletown Press in Connecticut, followed by some studio work and some wedding work in RI. Sure, I had been shooting digitally as a photojournalist, but after leaving photojournalism for a little while, I was provided an external view of the rapid changes that were shaking the industry. There was some relief that I no longer felt the pressure of working in an unstable, changing field- but I always stayed very interested in what was happening. Eventually, I realized that I still loved photojournalism, I was still very interested in digital media, and I was ready to make a move.

I opted to apply in the Media Studies program to augment my photojournalism background with advanced knowledge of new media. I've blended my RIC education with my photojournalism education and experience. Instead of stepping out of the journalism industry, I'm hoping to stay onboard to contribute to the ongoing changes. For now it feels right, and if I decide to take a detour from that path, it'd be great to use my Media Studies degree from RIC to open other doors.

SS: It's a little unusual, during a recession and what some consider the death rattle of print media, to have landed a job at a newspaper. How did you find the job? What hoops did you have to jump through to get it and what do you think of the current state of the newspaper business in America?

As a National Press Photographer Association member, I found the position in the NPPA job bank. Unfortunately, however, in support of your recession and “death rattle” mentions, I’ll add that the number of jobs posted there has been noticeably receding in recent years. In speaking with several editors and contacts throughout my search, many of them have made the same observation.

The job I now have was actually applied for via email, which is atypical. In their job posting, they provided an email address. Since I was already spending a lot of cash on sending packages, I opted to take them up on the email option. I sent my cover letter, résumé, list of references, and a .pdf slideshow version of my photojournalism portfolio. In the email, I also directed the employer to my website to view the After-Effects version of my portfolio as well as my other work.

Ok, now for the hoops... I had to drive out to Utica, NY, where the Observer-Dispatch, my current employer, is located and have a 2-day interview. They put me up in a hotel for a night for the process. I had to meet with several folks at the paper, including editors, reporters, the other staff photographer, and human resources. In addition, I had to shoot 2 test assignments for the paper. On the second day, they actually had me shoot a third assignment as well. After that, I waited for a few weeks until they called and offered the job.

The current state of the newspaper business in America? I’m not too sure about when everything might settle down, but I can say that many folks are nervous about their jobs. I’ve spoken with two different multi-media/photo editors at large, well-known papers in the recent past who were legitimately concerned about whether or not their jobs would disappear due to the current state of the business. One of them was, in fact, laid off shortly after I talked to him. Their photo department was also downsized. Many great veteran shooters have been losing their jobs, and they continue to do so. It’s sad and sobering.

Currently, I see the business end of print journalism trimming the fat and, like so many businesses these days, the workforce and product quality are suffering. I don’t think all is dismal, however. I actually apply a Darwinian view to the situation. I believe that those who have the creativity and wit to adapt will survive to become the new species of the digital landscape. I just hope it doesn’t become a homogenized, corporate formula that might compromise and water down the quality of the information that needs to keep flowing. I’m hoping and leaning on my Media Studies M.A. as a tool to help keep me in good standing through the changes.

SS: As a photojournalist now, you had many of the skills required for your job before you entered RIC. What did the Media Studies coursework add to your resume/skill set that informs your current work?

JR: Well, I’m hoping my Media Studies degree will provide an edge and advanced vision so I can contribute to the digital evolution the industry is undergoing, instead of being left behind in the wake of change.

I think the video components to the degree were absolutely essential. The theory/culture-based courses provided a great foundation as well. Overall, the entire program actually assists in my ability to contribute to some dialogue and conversations that I otherwise might not have previously weighed in on. As a networking professional, that is a definite plus. It also helped me to think in more analytical, observant ways while broadening my awareness of how we communicate in today’s society.

SS: I've heard more than one professor mention your thesis project. I know there's some documentation on your site but could you explain it for those of us who weren't present for its "premiere?"

JR: The project was a commentary on the ever-expanding amount of photographic content being uploaded to the Internet by amateur enthusiasts every day. It was a projection-based installation involving three projectors and it brought the viewer into the piece.

The project analyzed and organized the found photographic content by age group. I started with slow-motion video of a pregnant couple, shot in a style similar to a still portrait, and they were buried underneath an accumulating quilt-like stockpile of images I found online that were reflective of that particular age group. This correlating scenario was consistent throughout 8 different segments of a typical American’s life: pregnancy through senior citizen.

The viewer became part of the piece as their “digital reflection” was cast on the surface of a “digital reflecting pool” that stood on the floor before the imagery mentioned above. The reflecting pool was a large rectangle with a raging river projected on a white surface within. Viewers stood at its edge, under the glow from a photo umbrella, as their reflection was secretly cast from a camera embedded in the wall of the pool. I reversed the image of the viewer in the projector’s settings to make it appear as a true reflection. The reflection was projected on top of the other projection for the effect of it being cast onto the surface of the water.

As the river rushed from the viewers’ stand point toward the wall projection, I was trying to provoke self-reflection as almost everyone in one way or another is involved in the growing collection of photographic content online. Whether you were a direct contributor, an intentional or unintentional photo subject, or have viewed photos online, you’re involved. I was also interested in the nature of the content posted by each age group. I hoped that viewers would, in response, also contemplate their own experience of being born, living, and ultimately dying, in our culture. Hopefully it was successful in these goals!

SS: Every day, you probably have to compete with people who can capture compelling images with very little money, time or effort. I'm not trying to force you to brag about your photography, but I think people would like to know what separates your work from the amateur photographer who is simply in the right place at the right time.

JR: It’s true, I suppose photojournalists do have to compete with these folks now. It’s a muddy area. At my own paper and other news organizations all over the world, we’re all taking advantage of social networking to allow readers to contribute to news reporting. Sure, it might affect the job market to some degree, but it’s not all a bad thing. This whole industry is in a massive transitional period, and this is only one part of the evolution. I believe it empowers the ordinary citizen and increases our ability, as human beings, to witness so many important events that may have been otherwise missed.

Of course, a huge negative side effect that comes to mind is the desensitization of ordinary folks to serious situations. Instead of helping a fellow human being, many folks are now feeling compelled to take a photo or shoot video of the victims instead. This is a very dangerous trend. We really need to help one another, now more than ever. As photojournalists, it’s our job to cover these events so the world can hopefully learn from them. But if I’m ever the first on a scene and there’s no one else to help someone in dire need- I’d be a compassionate person first, photojournalist second. It’s our duty as people to help one another. I like to think that that’s what I’m doing in this profession. Helping.

I feel as if many news organizations value and understand the importance of having a staff of professional, seasoned “photojournalists” who can take on the constant challenges that inevitably come up. Fires, shootings, funerals, sports, war, and on and on…so many issues require consistently tactful thought, behavior, ethics, and accurate, responsible, unbiased information gathering. You also need to be able to adapt to an endlessly unpredictable variety of environments, lighting scenarios, stresses, and you even need to adapt the mundane. Some assignments are so stale or repetitive, that you need to tap into a constant reserve of creativity to try to find the freshest, most effective way to tell the story. The benefit of having a true photojournalist performing these tasks is that they’re consistent, passionate, reactive, and dedicated to the social responsibility that comes with being a journalist.

You can’t safely, consistently depend on folks with iPhones or hobby backpack digital SLRs to accurately and ethically tell the stories. So, there will probably always be a need for photojournalists. Much of it comes down to not only quality, but also to credibility. However, I’m curious to see how everything pans out over the next 10 years or so…

Steampunk

Hello! The RIC Media Studies Blog would like to offer you, the reader(s), our sincerest apologies for the long absence. This month, we bring you a brief chat with Bruce Rosenbaum of Massachusetts-based SteamPuffin who was generous enough to let us in on a few events in the area that will certainly be of interest to the RIC Media Studies community and beyond.


SS: What is Steampunk?
Steampunk can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people and is difficult to describe. However, my take on it is this: Steampunk is a re-imagining of two (or more) distinct time periods and the fanciful and functional inventions that are produced. For example, imagine (or re-imagine) if the Victorian or Industrial age happened at the same time as the modern or information age what would have been produced in inventions, innovations, gadgets, art, dress and jewelry.

What do Victorian or Industrial Age aesthetics have to offer modern technology and so-called "new media?"
In the age of sleek, modern design, anonymous technology and short shelf life, Steampunk creations provide us with a tangible way to 'feel' and experience the world around us more immediately. New technology and digital devices such as the iPad are not handmade and the typical user cannot figure out how it actually works (without voiding the warranty). It’s human nature to create, be entrepreneurial and figure out how things work. Just as small children need to touch everything around them to learn, we all like to know how an object works by picking it up and holding it in our hands.

SS: To the uninitiated, what are some obvious points of entry in film, music, theatre, visual art, etc.?
Books like Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1869) and H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine (1895). Georges Melies’ Trip to the Moon (1902) and his film version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1907). The Disney film version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea that won an Academy Award. Victorian science fantasy role-playing games such as Castle Frankenstein Final Fantasy IX, World of WarCraft and Bioshock and MYST. Authors such H.G. Wells, H. Rider Haggard, George Griffith, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Garrett P. Serviss, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain and Edgar Rice Burroughs along with inventors like Charles Babbage, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. Recent Authors such as K.W. Jeter, James Blaylock, Tim Powers, Cherie Priest, Christoper Priest and Michael Chabon. Recent movies such as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Wild Wild West and Sherlock Holmes.

SS: What is SteamPuffin?
Steampuffin offers unique ‘Steampunk’-inspired architectural salvage and antique items and modified Steampunk Victorian modern appliances and inventions to Steampunk enthusiasts, home restorers and designers around the world.

SS: Please tell me about the two exhibits you're involved with at the moment.
Steampuffin’s Steampunk Form & Function – An Exhibition of Innovation, Invention and Gadgetry brings together outstanding Steampunk design innovations, details the design process and promotes the role of the Steampunk designer/craftsman. Along with recycled items, all Steampunk design solutions are primarily built using authentic Victorian (1850s to early 1900s) objects, salvage items, clothing and antiques that incorporate modern technology and have specific functions for modern day, practical uses. Sponsored by, Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation (www.crmi.org), ModVic LLC (www.modvic.com) and Steampuffin (www.steampuffin.com), the selections in Steampuffin’s Annual Competition represents the best work across the world in creative Steampunk design for housing modern day technology and conveniences, as chosen by a distinguished jury of design peers. All Steampunk design projects, along with other examples of Steampunk art and design will be exhibited at the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation in Waltham MA from October 22, 2010 to May 10, 2011.

Nemo’s Steampunk Art & Invention Gallery curated by Steampuffin (www.steampuffin.com) and sponsored by 5 Wits (www.5-wits.com) have come to together to show you what kind of technology and art could have been on the Nautilus if Nemo was piloting his submarine today. The 1000-square-foot Nemo's Steampunk Art & Invention Gallery will feature primarily museum quality 3D artwork/inventions from 30 Steampunk artists across the country. The artwork will be for sale and can also be customized for clients. The Gallery will be open from February 12, 2011 (OPENING NIGHT) through May 30, 2011. Also it will be the premier of – 20,000 Leagues –the interactive walk-through adventure that will transport guests into fantastic worlds using Disney-caliber set design and special effects. Guests must work in groups to complete a series of puzzles, riddles and tasks. Each decision made by the group affects the storyline and outcome, making the experience different with each visit.There will also be live entertainment --The Gypsy Nomads and light refreshments. Award-winning Imperial Pizzas will be supplied by The British Beer Company and local, great tasting beer from sponsored by the Blue Hills Brewery.

Bruce also told us about some SteamPuffin projects in the works including an American drivable version of Dr Who’s Tardis, a mechanical potion making machine for the Official Witch Shop in Salem and the conversion of an 1894 firehouse into a Steampunk bar and tavern.

Alumni Update: Derek Dubois

The premiere of Derek Dubois' new film, The Kiss, opens an evening with the Ocean State Film Society this Wednesday in Alger 110. The RIC Media Studies Blog talked to Dubois as he was finishing the film.
SS: Tell me a little bit about your new film, The Kiss.

DD: The Kiss began as a short screenplay I wrote this past summer. The original inspiration came from a story on NPR’s This American Life in which a woman attempted to woo a man she’d never met by pretending they had known each other many, many years ago. I had written a script called Little White Lies but found that I couldn’t reconcile a decent climax to the material. So, nearly abandoning it entirely, I invested an afternoon trying to retool the idea and eventually came up with the film as it is now.

The Kiss tells the whimsical story of Olivia Adams, a female film student who has developed a mad crush on her nebbish professor. By casting him in her student film as (unbeknownst to him) her love interest, she aspires to generate sparks in reality. The final result doesn’t resemble the NPR story in the slightest but the shape and tone of it are there under the surface.

I’ve worked with a larger cast and crew on this film than ever before. We shot in real locations including a classroom at RIC and on the streets of Providence as well as designed and built proper sets.

SS: Some of the content of your site highlights your interest in the theoretical side of media and, more specifically, film. In what ways has your writing been informed directly by the RIC Media Studies coursework?

DD: I came up through RIC with an undergrad in Film Studies. My goal was always to pursue film further so I decided to go to grad school. At the time, I had quite a lot going on in my life with work, an upcoming wedding, etc. so I decided it would be easiest for me to simply continue at RIC. However, since RIC doesn’t have an M.A. in Film Studies, I hopped into Media Studies (which I’ve always held an interest in) and concentrated on film.

Through both my B.A. and M.A. I encountered tons of theory. I’ve found that the film program at RIC, unlike some other schools, is more organized around the principles of film analysis then filmmaking. Frankly, I find that far more interesting. To truly be a great filmmaker I believe that one needs to deconstruct films as well as examine how cinema functions within culture, ideology, society. That’s not to denigrate the importance of learning how to handle cameras, lighting, editing (RIC’s film program does have a wonderful workshop in filmmaking) but I think if you study enough film and you have the drive for it…the rest comes naturally.

Theory has a huge impact on my filmmaking. I tend to enjoy playing with genre conventions as well as placing my films (deliberately) under various theoretical lenses during the writing/shoot phase rather than just analyzing the text in such a way afterwards. That is, I try and construct my films in layers to be pulled apart and read by those familiar with theory.

For example: the last film I’d completed before working on The Kiss was a dramatic short entitled Curiosity Delay. Curiosity Delay focuses on a young woman in an abusive relationship who finds herself at a literal and metaphorical crossroads when her car breaks down on a road trip. During the writing of this film I’d been working for nearly a year on my Media Studies thesis, which focused on applications of feminist film theory. So few films rebel against the patriarchal order (in an entertaining way) and I wanted to give it a shot myself. So I wrote a film that centers on an active female character making a choice in which she rejects domesticity. I shot the film in such a way so as not to fetishize the female lead, not to eroticize her movements, and not to break her into pieces. I left the ending ambiguous so as to not force her back into domestic servitude at the end of the narrative. You can be the judge as to how successful I was in accomplishing these tasks and whether it’s even possible to shoot a feminist film in the system that was developed under patriarchy in the first place!

SS: You're currently a teacher here at RIC and you continue to write, produce and direct your own films. To what extent, if any, do you feel that theory and practice are at odds and even competing for your time and attention?

DD: When I was lucky enough to begin teaching at RIC I did not enter the task lightly. My extracurricular filming always comes second to my responsibilities to both RIC and, more importantly, my students. That said, per my earlier response, I don’t feel that theory and practice are at odds in my work. Rather, I feel that my theoretical base only enhances both my teaching and filmmaking abilities. That’s not to say every single film I write attempts to function within a theoretical framework! Sometimes for my own sanity (and the sake of the films) I need to ignore that [theoretical] half of my brain and focus on good storytelling. I find that immensely exciting too because then you can analyze your own work after the fact and try to see how this now autonomous being (independent from its creator once it enters society) reads as a text for analyzing…it’s an interesting form of therapy, of cracking open your own skull and seeing how your creative instincts cohere to, or rebel against, that which you’ve studied and whether this is due to, or regardless of, that knowledge….if that makes sense?

SS: Tell me a little bit about your early interest in Media and Film Studies.

DD: Funny enough when I began my college career it was in Computer Science. I’d never had a family that was really interested in the arts. I can’t remember my parents ever reading for pleasure, attending museums, even just walking the streets of a city to take in the sights and sounds. Therefore college was just something I had to do for a stable and fruitful future and that’s what I assumed Computer Science would offer. It wasn’t until I stumbled into Film Studies (through an elective course: Eng. 116) that I realized how in love with the humanities I really was. My interests do not simply extend to cinema but to literature, psychology, sociology, history, and art. For some reason though, and I can’t explain why, film had this crazy gravitational pull on me and ever since that 116 course (the course I teach today!) I’ve never looked back.

SS: Other than shopping your new screenplay, Old Town, what's next for you creatively?

DD: As I’ve noted ad-nauseam The Kiss is almost completed! I wrote it in June so now that we approach the end of the year it’s really exciting to be bringing this thing into fruition. I know that Woody Allen has stated he judges the success of his films by how close the end result meets the original feeling and tone he’d had in his head when writing his screenplay. I feel that with this film we haven’t had to sacrifice anything and I cannot wait to show it to the world. And, of course, by the world I mean the very small and local community…All kidding aside, The Kiss will be submitted to as many festivals as I can afford. As for what’s next? Well, while shooting The Kiss I wrote two new short screenplays: Murder My Sweet-Pea (a burlesque-musical-murder-mystery) and Fallout (a psychological horror film). The former seems a bit resource heavy right now but the latter will enter preproduction shortly after this picture is wrapped.

SS: Are you planning on more school? If so, whereabouts?

DD: I love teaching at the college level. More than anything I’ve ever done, it just feels right. But the time commitments are so intense for attaining Ph.Ds that I don’t find it conceivable for me to embark on that leg of a journey right now. I’ve just recently picked up teaching a second course at RWU. They currently don’t have a film program but wanted to add a history of film survey course to their art history program. I designed the course from the ground up and can’t wait to get started on that. That’s excitement enough for me at this time.

SS: In a blog post entitled "The Paradox of 'Making It'" you discuss the ever-moving goal post of your own aspirations. What does "making it" look like to you these days?

DD: The blog post I’d written entitled “Making It” was always a little bit tongue in cheek. I mean, ideally (in an If I Won the Lottery kind of way) I’d love to write and direct my own films at a comfortable indie level. I’d love to have the career of Paul Thomas Anderson (my favorite contemporary filmmaker) or Christopher Nolan in his Following days. Small movies that allow for more creative control because the financial burden is so limited is what appeals to me the most. I would love to sell a screenplay as well. I wrote a full length this summer that I think with some tweaking could be a real contender. However, it’s breaking through, developing contacts, etc. that proves to be the toughest. I don’t think I’d want the life of a writer though. I couldn’t bear to watch my kids raised by other parents if the metaphor makes sense. I’m an egomaniac when it comes to my artistic projects.

Going forward I’ll write and I’ll shoot. Other than that I’d love to keep a strong relationship with RIC as I try to lure those English 116 students into the Film Studies program full time.