90291: VENICE UNZIPPED - A Film For Our Community

Friends ... all you have to do is walk down any street in Venice to know that there is a massive issue with income inequality in our community. I believe it is THE issue of our time for our entire country. The way that you begin to understand any issue is through the stories from the people that it affects. So, when feeling an intense need to DO SOMETHING about it, and sharing stories about it, you start to come up with ideas for solutions ... and the way to do that is always knowledge. Learning about the roots of an issue, and going from there.

My friends Colin Gray and Megan Raney Aarons ("The Sibs") are longtime Venice residents and filmmakers, with several successful documentaries already under their belts, and they saw the same multi-million dollar houses with tent cities in their Venice backyards that I did, and once we got to really talking about it all, we felt that Venice could be zoom-lensed on as an example of what is happening across this nation ... and begin to do something about it.

90291: VENICE UNZIPPED is the film we are setting out to make. We'll embed with three families - one homeless, one middle class, and one wealthy - living in almost unimaginably different circumstances here in Venice. We'll also talk to friends and neighbors across all income and cultural divides, interview local and national thought-leaders from multiple points of view, and attempt to make some sense of it all. Will it be a cautionary tale about what not to do to a vibrant, diverse community ... or a success story about how people came together to preserve what is wonderful and historical about this place, and how we looked after our own? Time will tell ... and shooting begins soon.

All films take funds to create, and we are holding our first fundraiser at The Lantern House in Venice on June 16th, and we would love for all of you to be involved. Come to the fun event. Send a little (or big, if you can!) tax-deductible donation via our fundraising link HERE. (A detailed equity investment prospectus is also available upon request HERE. Donate to our silent auction of unique Venice items (let us know asap if that's a way you'd like to contribute, so that we may also promote you in the process!). Share your own stories with us, or point us in the direction of a good tale. This is going to be a film for our entire community, and thus, entire community involvement is crucial to telling the whole story.

We are also starting our search for the three families we’ll be embedding with in our documentary.  If anyone has a suggestion for a family who might be willing to participate in our film, please contact us HERE.  We’re looking for one homeless couple / family with or without kids, one middle class family with kids, one wealthy family with kids.  We will be very mindful of everyone’s time and space.  The plan is to film these families for 6-8 days total, each family, over the next year.

The fundraiser information, donation links, and the link to our brand new trailer are again all below. Please read, watch, share, and chime in to let us know what you think! This project is for all of us.

As a friend of Venice Beach and this eclectic, world renowned community… We Want You!  Come be a part of our feature documentary's grass roots fundraising event on Saturday June 16th from 7- 9pm.  Hot links to RSVP and for tax-deductible donations are in the attached PDF, as well as below.  

What:  90291: VENICE UNZIPPED fundraiser

Where: The Lantern House, Venice

Parking: Bike, walk, or park on street

RSVP: 90291veniceunzippedrsvp@gmail.com

Support: To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit:  https://www.documentary.org/project/unzipped

Sizzle link: https://wdrv.it/5b54d127c

The film:  90291: VENICE UNZIPPED is a provocative feature documentary about income inequality in America, told through the lens of one community and three families living in the same 90291 zip code, but at the opposite ends of the growing income divide.  In the film, we’re embedding in Venice, California, the once gritty, artistic and working class beach city, now the epicenter of gentrification in Los Angeles and a growing homelessness crisis. We’ll follow three families - one homeless, one middle class and one wealthy - living in almost unimaginably different circumstances, while putting a human face on Venice’s vanishing working and middle class.  We’ll then follow a proposed homeless housing project that’s splitting the community in two, make connections to gentrification and affordable housing issues in other cities, and investigate how poverty is being criminalized in America.  Is Venice, the last beach city of color, a cautionary tale about an eclectic community’s demise, or can solutions be found for protecting other income diverse cities across the United States?

Style: The film's point-of-view is investigative, fact-based, and deliberately non-partisan.  Rounding out our embed coverage will be interviews with local and national thought-leaders from multiple points of view.  

The team: Brought to you by long time Venice locals - writer / director Colin Keith Gray and producer Megan Raney Aarons (AKA “The Sibs” - Atari: Game Over, Being Canadian, Freedom’s Fury);  journalist / co-producer CJ Gronner (Blogtown); political consultant / co-producer, Marc Baranov;  EPs Amaechi Uzoigwe (Run The Jewels) and Lorien Gabel (Interlog, PINGG); Supervising Producers Matt Green (Refuge Wild) & Andrea McHugh (Hell’s Kitchen, Oprah Winfrey Show, Ghost Hunters); Emmy award winning editor Mohamed El Manasterly (The Square); DP Tyler Heckerman (The Cape); and Emmy award winning VR director, Ben Tricklebank (Clouds Over Cuba). Project is produced by GRAiNEY PICTURES and EVO Films USA.  

Schedule: We'll film Summer of 2018 through Spring 2019. Plan is to then complete the film by Fall 2019 in time for submission to Sundance and other premiere festivals. Goal is to then debut at a major festival and release the film Summer/Fall 2020 in advance of the 2020 Presidential elections. A larger social impact campaign will then launch around the film release to provoke further debate on the issues . Project elements include a virtual reality (VR) short film, an interactive website, an augmented reality app, and a comprehensive educational initiative.

Giving Back:  With a topic this pressing, we feel it’s important we give back.  90291: VENICE UNZIPPED will donate ten percent (10%) of the film’s total profits to leading grass roots organizations and NGOs that are actively engaged in income inequality & homelessness issues in Venice, and across America.

Funding: The project is being funded through a combination of equity investments in the Unzipped Movie LLC, non-recoupable grants, crowd-funding contributions, and tax-deductible donations to the film through its' fiscal sponsor, the International Documentary Association (please make donations by clicking on the Make A Donation tab above). A detailed investment prospectus (PPM) is available upon request.

Why you?  We'd truly value your involvement & support at our fundraiser as we craft, cast & compose this important story.  Filming to begin this Summer across Venice. 

We can't wait to make and show you this film! THANK YOU!!!

Venice Art Crawl Fundraiser At The Lantern House - An Eclectic Arty Party

There was an extra-fun fundraiser last weekend for the Venice Art Crawl held at The Lantern House on Milwood that both showed everyone a great time and got funds raised for the big "Afterburn" edition of the VAC that costs a pretty penny to produce.

If you've never been inside The Lantern House, it's really something to see, and a truly Venice experience. There are all of the lanterns and chandeliers hanging in the trees lighting up the night, but there are also several bungalows making up the whole, all full of art and curios that beg for their stories to be told. (And we're having a fundraiser there on June 16th for a documentary I'm working on about income inequality in Venice/America - please message me if you'd like to come!)

There were speeches made by the VAC's Sunny Bak and Andrea Tan, and a welcome from our host, Scott Mayers, who also offered up a 12 person meal in his wonderful home for the silent auction (And you may still donate and/or bid HERE any day, to ensure that we get to have this super awesomely fun and cool Afterburn event this fall and keep the art in Venice all the time!)!

The theme for the event was "Eclectic", and to that end, there were beautiful mermaids and painted ladies (and even a blue-eyed wolf) making the rounds, and people were dressed up to impress (especially Amy Kaps in her art performance dress!). It was also really fun because I got to meet several people I'd either only previously known by name, or not at all. New friends!

There was food, drink, and merriment to be sure, but there was also entertainment. There was a magician named Danny Wolverton (aka "Special Head"). No one knew that the old man who looked like Gandhi that roamed around in our midst was really the entertainment, and would soon be levitating in the living room.

Levitating! I'm sure there's a trick to it, but we saw no wires and I believed. Wolverton had a ringer in the audience who yelled "Do it naked", and soon he transformed from a little old bald man into a young "naked" (he was in a sheer unitard) man, who could grow roses out of thin air! It was rad.

As was the whole party. There's not a lot better than an evening of mingling with Venice locals and artists for the great cause of keeping locals and artists IN Venice. Unless you get to follow it with a perfect focaccia (and meal) at Felix with some of your new friends you just made. Thanks, Ira & Gail!

Please support the Venice Art Crawl all year round. It's one of the best events we have here in Venice, and it really is all about the art and the locals. The next one is May 17th with a focus on the Cultural Corridor of Venice Boulevard. Please join us for yet another excellent evening of art in the neighborhood!

Music Connects Us: The Venice Art Crawl Fundraiser At The New Hal's- Playa Vista

Last night was a wonderful celebration of Art and Venice, when the Venice Art Crawl had its big art show fundraiser, held at the brand new Hal's in Playa Vista.

The show was titled "Music Connects Us", and featured works of art all based on music and the people that make it. Hal's Playa Vista is now not only a restaurant, but they have a huge event space next door, where this massive (75 Artists!) art show was held.

The place was already packed when I arrived, and musicians played outside on the sidewalk while people got checked in. It was very festive, and not just because it was 4/20. People were ready to party. The art show part was a sober party, however, as the big space is not zoned for alcohol use, I guess, so the bar in the space was only serving kombucha drinks. Some Venice folks had flasks for this rock and roll show. Bless.

VAC organizer Sunny Bak was there, and so were her excellent Beastie Boy photos ...

Co-organizer Neely Shearer from the wonderful Venice shop, In Heroes We Trust was there, looking great and making the rounds among all the artists she had helped compile for this extra-impressive show (here in front of Jules Muck works). John Hartman, pictured here with Neely, was responsible for the design of the space, which was great.

Today is the first anniversary of our beloved Prince's death, which I'm really still not ready to face, if I'm honest. The show last night seemed to agree with me, as several of the artists had pieces featuring our Minneapolis legend. I wish I could have bought them all. Like "Prince of Rock" by Todd Goodman ...

Or "Prince The Vegan Rebel" by Le Fou/Vegan Club (my favorite, I think) ...

 
Or this angelic Prince by Made Of Hagop ... I'd take any of them, for sure.

I also loved the rare, casual photo of another life-love of mine, Mr. Leonard Cohen, by Ivy Ney.

I loved the colorful music posters by another Minneapolis fellow, Kii Arens, who also did the poster for this show.

Fantastic, bright paintings by Oliana Afano lit the place up ...

Rock photographer Guy Webster's work was well represented ...

 Nat Fino had some great Bowie and Stones work on display, adding to the rock flavro ...

There were art installations set up around, like a big yurt with balloons and neon jellyfish by Shana Koenig inside and around it ...

There was a Plastic Jesus installation of a smashed piano that had a sign stating "Trump's Endowment for the Arts". Sad commentary on now ... but we were all there to fight exactly against that. Art is so important, and nights that brings everyone together to honor and celebrate it is what has to keep happening. Art is worth fighting for.

And so was a place at the bar at the new Hal's next door. There was a fancy VIP dinner for the event that I skipped, but the menu appeared to be the same good old Hal's fare. The Turkey burger is there, the Caesar is there ... the ART is there! Yes, the old familiar art from the original Abbot Kinney location is all there, the same staff is there, the jazz is there (last night played by Antonia Bennet - daughter of Tony) ... the only thing that isn't there is Venice. It's a little surreal to be honest, to have so much of the same feelings, but then look outside at a place that's kind of like The Grove. There's no chance of looking out the window and seeing a naked bike ride go by here, but then that's been happening less and less on Abbot Kinney too. This new Hal's is verrrry slick, with an open front with window tables, a big circular center bar, and even a state of the art screening room with the same fiber optics that the International Space Station has. Top shelf stuff.

It was fun to see so much of Venice together again inside a Hal's, and Hal himself was holding court all evening. The only thing weird was calling a car to go home, versus walking across the street. I'm not sure how often we'll make the trek to Playa Vista (Pleasantville), but it's nice to know that it's there. Congratulations to Don, Linda, Hal, and all the staff on a beautiful new venue that takes a little bit of Venice to the folks on Jefferson.

After all the art was seen, and the scene was made, it was time to head back to Venice for an after-party/420 jamboree at the Josa Tulum shop on the corner of Abbot Kinney an Venice Boulevard. There was more art, and more live music, and much more Venice. Lacey Kay Cowden had both her art and her music on display, as she played a live set there in the yard for the partiers.

Death By Politics were both our hosts and our headliners, as they played a spirited set for the crowd gathering. You could hear the music from blocks away, and it felt exactly how a Venice 4/20 should feel. Awesome.

Local legends Paul Chesne and Tom Freund tore it up together toward the end of the night, and all was well. Real well.

I walked the block home later, and could still hear the music from my bed for a while. That's a perfect way to fall asleep in Venice, California on April 20th ... on a night that was only about art, music, friends, and the Venice we all know and simply love.

Kudos to all involved on a completely wonderful event that will guarantee more nights dedicated to art for us all. The show was so dense it's nearly impossible to mention everyone, but everyone was more than worth mentioning and I loved it all. Everyone mark your calendars for the May 18th Venice Art Crawl! It's THE Venice jam.

A Community Fundraiser To Save Penmar!

There have been too many good times to count at the corner of Penmar and Palms over the years. The little row of bungalows have hosted countless parties and gatherings of friends, and have been a headquarters for the community for years. As Gentrification continues to rear its ugly head here in Venice, now the Penmar bungalows are in jeopardy. The property has been purchased by an overseas investment group who intend to build more big, ugly, boxes (BUBS), and who could care less about the community.

So that Community came together on Sunday to have a fundraiser to help pay for legal fees as the residents prepare to do battle with the Man. Some may feel that it's just too bad, someone bought the property, live with it. But enough of that. If no one ever stands up to anything, the bad guys win. Penmar residents and their neighbors are standing up, speaking out, and it's a wonderful thing to behold.

Friends and neighbors gathered in the golden hour, and enjoyed a fried chicken spread donated by Hatchet Hall. Several different friends have lived in these bungalows, passing one on to the next friend when they moved, so there were plenty of stories being swapped about the good times had there over the years.

It was touching to see many residents of the surrounding neighborhood show up in support even though it's not their exact battle ... as one woman spoke and pointed out, "It's here now, but it will happen there." People are the fabric of our community, and if all our housing is unaffordable (and ugly with no sense of place or history) and owned by companies that don't even live here, it erodes the character of the neighborhood. And no one wants that.

Entertainment was provided by current resident Lacey Kay Cowden, who regaled us with her beautiful tunes as the stars began twinkling overhead. It was beautiful, enhanced by the knowledge that we were all together in solidarity for a meaningful purpose.

Former residents Matt Ellis and Vavine Tahapehi shared their songs in the backyard that they transformed into a lovely gathering spot for our family of friends, and it all felt timeless - just as it should.

Might as well be resident Paul Chesne brought it home with his custom brand of rock and roll, frequent visitor Paddy Wilkins (DJ Bright Moments) kept the party going with his spinning, and it was greatly enjoyed by all assembled, from oldsters I'd never met before, to our brand new friends that are looking forward to growing up in the uniquely wonderful Venice that we were there to protect.

This stupid project has already been approved by the City Of L.A. (seeing $$$ signs, no doubt), but the concerned neighbors are appealing it. There is a hearing TOMORROW JANUARY 18 with the West L.A. Area Planning Commission. All who care about the future of Venice are encouraged to attend and wear red in solidarity. The information is all on this flyer or you can contact the group at Palms.Penmar@Gmail.com:

This is a time of mass protest in America. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that the PEOPLE band together to accomplish that things that make life in American - and Venice - worth living. This hearing is a wonderful warm-up for the week (year, four years ...) of demonstrating that is about to go down. Please consider joining everyone in making your voice heard.

Save Penmar! Save Venice! Save The United States! Save The World! It all starts somewhere ...

VJAMMing At Hama Sushi

There is a fundraiser happening today at Hama Sushi for the VJAMM (Venice Japanese American Memorial Marker) to finally make this happen, as it's been in the works since 2009. The funds raised will allow the Memorial Marker to be placed at the corner of Lincoln and Venice Boulevards, where Japanese residents were forced to board buses to be hauled off to the Manzanar internment camp where innocent Japanese citizens were held . It is a painful reminder, but a necessary one, so that we may be sure that an insane injustice like that will never occur again.

There was a delicious bento box lunch and a program this afternoon with 100% of the proceeds going to VJAMM, and if you go get your sushi tonight at Hama, 10% of all sales will also be donated to VJAMM. Sushi for a cause!

I grew up my whole life next to the Kusunoki family back in Minnesota - the kindest, loveliest people I've ever known. They were here in California for Manzanar, and it's still hard to believe that blight on our collective American conscious ever really happened. But it did. And we should never forget. Love and thanks to all who work so hard on this project, and I look so forward to seeing the real memorial unveiled.

That 9 foot tall black granite memorial will read:

“IN APRIL 1942, DURING WORLD WAR II, MORE THAN A THOUSAND AMERICAN MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY IN VENICE, SANTA MONICA, AND MALIBU REPORTED TO THIS LOCATION AT VENICE AND LINCOLN BOULEVARDS WITH ONLY WHAT THEY COULD CARRY. THE WESTERN DEFENSE COMMAND AND FOURTH ARMY ISSUED CIVILIAN EXCLUSION ORDER NO. 7 WHICH GAVE THEM ONLY DAYS TO DISPOSE OF THEIR PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS. BUSES TRANSPORTED THEM DIRECTLY TO MANZANAR WAR RELOCATION AUTHORITY CAMP IN INYO COUNTY WHERE MANY INTERNEES WERE INCARCERATED FOR MORE THAN THREE YEARS.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 9066 HAD EMPOWERED THE UNITED STATES ARMY TO DECLARE AREAS OF WASHINGTON, OREGON, AND CALIFORNIA MILITARILY SENSITIVE, AND FORCED THE REMOVAL OF 120,000 JAPANESE AND AMERICANS OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY TO TEN AMERICAN CONCENTRATION CAMPS AFTER JAPAN ATTACKED THE U. S. NAVAL BASE AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ON DECEMBER 7, 1941, PLUNGING THE U. S. INTO WAR WITH JAPAN. THE FORCED REMOVAL AND IMPRISONMENT OF CITIZENS OF THE U. S. WITHOUT ANY REGARD TO DUE PROCESS OR THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS VIOLATED THEIR RIGHTS UNDER THE U. S. CONSTITUTION.

MAY THIS VENICE JAPANESE AMERICAN MEMORIAL MARKER REMIND US TO BE FOREVER VIGILANT ABOUT DEFENDING OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, SO THAT THE POWERS OF GOVERNMENT SHALL NEVER AGAIN PERPETRATE AN INJUSTICE AGAINST ANY GROUP BASED SOLELY ON ETHNICITY, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, RACE, OR RELIGION.”

Never again. Venice, eat at Hama tonight if you can! Thank you.

Hama Sushi
213 Windward Avenue - On the circle