Posts from September2013

Filming the Whidbey Institute

Posted by Leonard on September, 30, 2013

Getting the call to record and document the 40th Anniversary of The Whidbey Institute was an especially excellent opportunity. I’d previously done some filming there with Generation Waking Up and their youth summit. On top of an engaging weekend in a gorgeous place with outrageously delicious food and fascinating speakers, I was invited to bring my family along to join in the festivities while I did my work filming. That was particularly unique and enjoyable for me. The Whidbey Institute is focused on 3 main areas: Leadership Transformation, Thriving Communities, and Ecosystem Vitality. The weekend was a celebration of 40 years offering classes, workshops and retreats in support of this mission. Keynote speeches included Joanna Macy’s ‘Deep Time: Nurturing The Great Work Across Generations’, Drew Dellinger’s “Moving Forward in the Spirit of Thomas Berry” and David Spangler’s “The Importance of This Place”. One afternoon there was a session of 10 (5) minute ‘Ignite’ style talks on a wide spectrum of topics including the universe, art, science, technology, health and community. We stayed in a gorgeous wooden cottage tucked amid giant cedar trees, ate fresh amazing food, and played all weekend among the extensive gardens and forest of the institute, walked the stone labyrinth, played with the chickens, listened to the birds and met new people. There was a great session called Late Nite Art that was followed by a killer open mic. Each night there was a bonfire with guitars and sing along, smores and ghost stories. There were group meditations in the sanctuary, and screenings of Earth Portal, “A Guided Tour of The Universe and Our Place In It’ which is an amazing immersive film project of StoryDome. Overall, it was a wonderful weekend of learning, meeting new folks and getting out of the city to spend some time on a beautiful piece of land. I highly recommend The Whidbey Institute and the extensive programming they offer there.

: The walking labyrinth at the Whidbey Institute.

: An altar at the 40th Anniversary weekend

: The cabin we spent the weekend in, so lovely and cozy.

: My son feeling the crescent balance

: My wife and son with Joanna Macy

: Inside the main meeting hall at Whidbey Institute, a beautiful room

: Patio dedication event for David Spangler talk

: Wonderful fresh healthy food all weekend

Owl & Pussycat – Free Outdoor Performances with Theater Simple

Posted by Leonard on September, 15, 2013

I had the pleasure of working with award-winning, internationally acclaimed performance group Theater Simple. They hired me to film a few of their performances of what they call their ricochet off of Norman Lear’s poem Owl & Pussycat. They had originally debuted the show at the Seattle Fringe Festival, but the performances I filmed were a roving production in the beautiful gardens of the Ballard Locks, and at Bumbershoot. At the locks, the production was staged in motion, with the audience following along as the performers lead children and families with a mobile set singing and playing. ‘Utilizing Shakespearean couplets, songs, four actors, and a pea green boat, Owl & Pussycat’s escapades illuminate a love of adventure and some adventures of love. Fur, feathers and puns fly. (Pigs will not.)’. It was a sweet change of pace for me workwise and the kind of performance I’d love to bring my own young son to, in a gorgeous Seattle park on a warm summer day, high imagination with live music and funky costumery. Theater Simple has been performing at international festivals around the world for over 20 years. I look forward to their productions in 2014.