Screening This Weekend March 26th

25 03 2011

Just a reminder about the showing in Krakow this weekend.  The film will be shown during the Muzyka i Świat Documentary Film Festival on Saturday, March 26th, at the Manggha Museum concert hall.  Details: here.  The following night at 8 pm is “Ektoplazma,” a live musical tribute to Raymond Scott.  I had hoped to be there for what should be a great weekend of Raymond Scott events, but  it turned out not to be possible… do hope to visit Krakow one of these days.

—Stan Warnow

P.S. Also, will be positing within the next day or two about my West Coast trip — it was great….





LA and Sebastopol Screenings

3 03 2011

I’m making a brief California trip over the next couple of weeks.  On Monday, March 14th I’ll be showing the film as part of  Gerry Fialka’s “Documental” series at the Unurban Coffeehouse in Santa Monica.  Here’s a link.  Gerry’s long-running series offers an unusual structure where he’ll interview me for 60 to 90 minutes starting around 6 pm, and then the film will screen at 8 pm.  Gerry is a legendary curator, film historian, interviewer and Marshall McLuhan scholar, so it should be quite an experience.  And it’s a unique chance to see if I can actually talk and make sense for that long — I admit I’m nervous about having to hold forth for an extended period, so if you’re in the area please come and help me out by thinking of things to ask me!  And another not inconsequential attraction is that this series is free, though I’m sure buying food and drink will be appreciated….I don’t mean for me, though I’m open to offers!  Hope to see some of my L.A. friends there….you know who you are.

And then over the following weekend the film is being shown as part of the Sebastopol Documentary Festival, which was named one of the “25 Coolest Festivals of 2009″ by Movie Maker magazine, and the only documentary film fest to make the list. Sepastopol is a lovely town in the wine country about an hour North of San Francisco, and has many notable residents, none of whose names I’m going to drop here, but you’d recognize them if I did.  I’m really excited to have been accepted by the festival and totally looking forward to being there.  The film screens Saturday night, March 19th at 7pm — here’s a link to the film’s listing.  If you’re in the Bay Area, hope to see you there.

—Stan Warnow

P.S. UPDATE #1: Jury Award Finalists for the Sebastopol Documentary Festival have been announced — DECONSTRUCTING DAD is one of 5 finalists (58 were considered). UPDATE #2: DECONSTRUCTING DAD has won “The Critic’s Award” (one other was given: the “Juried Award” for GOODNIGHT NOBODY).





Glasgow Festival — February 23

19 02 2011

To all my friends in the UK, particularly in Scotland, the film will be shown this week at the prestigious Glasgow Film Festival — one of the UK’s largest.  Here’s a link to the listing.  And in a great extra added attraction, Stu Brown’s Raymond Scott Project will be performing before the show — Stu’s group does great versions of the Raymond Scott Quintette’s classics and

Stu Brown's Raymond Scott Project

even have their own versions of some of the electronic compositions.  If you’re in the area, hope you can make it.

I wish I could be there, but it isn’t possible this time around as other commitments prevent me from attending.  But Stu is very knowledgeable about Raymond Scott, and he has graciously agreed to represent the film — he’ll be available to answer questions on an informal basis after the screening.

And in a brief look back, I was able to show the film at  the CTM/Transmediale Festival a couple of weeks ago in Berlin, and had a great few days there.  Thanks to Remco Schuubiers, Tania Wehrs and Leonor Jonker, and everyone at CTM for a great visit and screening.





Transmediale Festival — Berlin February 3

2 02 2011

Click Above for Link to Festival Listing

I’m leaving later today for Berlin, where tomorrow the film will be shown at the cool 12th edition of the unique and radically open-minded music and art festival, CTM (club transmediale).  The festival, repeatedly designated as “Germany’s prime meeting point for electronic and experimental music” and as “Berlin’s best pop festival,” puts down roots at new venues in Berlin Kreuzberg, namely the HAU (Hebbel) theatre and a cluster of spaces around the “Kotti” square – Festsaal KreuzbergWest GermanyMonarchKotti-Shop and Paloma Bar – where a Berlin stronghold for daring, independent music and art has developed.

I’m delighted to be visiting the festival and the city that so many of my European friends count among their favorites.  If you’re nearby, hope you can make it to the screening tomorrow, and go to some other festival events, which look great to me!  Here’s a link to the event listing: http://www.clubtransmediale.de/ctm-festival/day-program/day-schedule/03/deconstructing-dad-the-music-machines-and-mystery-of-raymond-scott.html





Reel Music Festival — Portland — January 16th

12 01 2011
Next screening of the film will be at the 28th annual Reel Music Festival on January 16th at 5 pm at the Whitsell Auditorium in the Portland Art Museum.  This festival  celebrates “the unexpected stories behind some of the world’s greatest music, with films spotlighting the incongruous, transformative, and sometimes bizarre origins of songs we sing every day.”  Details: here. Unfortunately, though I’d hoped to attend,  due to some scheduling conflicts I won’t be able to attend this screening — but if you’re in the Portland area, I hope you can!  Also, a quick report on the Calgary Soundasaurus event last weekend.  It was

(Right to Left) David Kean, Jodi Lucas, The Clavivox and Me...

another very successful screening with a near-capacity crowd in the 18o seat theater.  On display was the sole remaining Clavivox — thanks to the Cantos Foundation for lending it out for the evening, and to David Kean of Audites for his expert moderation of the Q&A which included detailed discussion of Clavivox history.  And huge thanks also to Jodi Lucas of Soundasaurus/EPCOR Centre for making this whole event happen…





Free Screening — Soundasaurus in Calgary Tonight!

6 01 2011

A quick reminder to all in the Calgary area about the free screening at the Soundasaurus festival at the EPCOR centre tonight, January 7th at 7:30 pm.  This event will be truly unique as the Clavivox, Raymond Scott’s early proto keyboard synth will be on exhibit.  As far as anyone knows, this is the sole remaining example of that instrument (I think only four were built).

The first version was built around a Theremin assembled by Robert Moog.

I’ve arrived in Calgary today, and will be there tomorrow, so if by chance you live in that part of the world, hope to see you  there.

And the event is FREE! Click here for info

Stan Warnow-Calgary January 7, 2010





2010 — Do Look Back

2 01 2011

Despite Bob’s advice, I am going to look back because it’s been a truly exceptional year.  A year in which the film has been at many wonderful festivals, both in the U.S. and abroad, and as a result I’ve traveled to lots of great places and met a whole spectrum of new friends and colleagues.

So I’m going to take this opportunity to give a thank you shout out to those who made this year one of the most exciting and satisfying of my professional life.  In the UK Ros Rigby and crew at the Gateshead Jazz Festival, Nigel Humberstone and Jo Wingate at the terrifically enjoyable Sensoria Festival in Sheffield, and Jon Kraus in Manchester who produced a splendid Raymond Scott tribute this November.  And ongoing thanks to Stu Brown in Glasgow for all he’s done for Raymond Scott’s music and my film in the UK.

Back in the USA thanks to David Kaminski and Matthew Seig of the Rockland Filmmakers group for organizing a great local screening, and Larry Applebaum at the Library of Congress for a great DC screening; Doug Whipple and Thom Mulligan for the filmmaker focused New Hope Film Festival in Pennsylvania; Allison and Tiffany Anders for their selection of the film for the Don’t Knock The Rock Festival in L.A., and to Hadrian Belove and Bret Berg of Cinefamily who started the ball rolling — this was one of the all time best screenings.  And I’ve just learned some exciting news — Allison and Tiffany selected the film for inclusion in their contribution to the See It Loud Best Music Docs of the Year list.  Thanks to Scott Parejo of the Carmel Art and Film Festival, a lovely event in a a lovely part of the USA; and to Leslie Harlow at the Park City Music Film Festival, where the film won a Director’s Choice Gold Medal.  And thanks/merci to Adam O’Callaghan who produced and played with his group at the scintillating Montreal event at the Rialto Theatre just a few weeks ago; then it was on to Austin’s amazing Alamo Drafthouse — thanks to programmers George Bragdon and Zack Carlson of for hosting the film as part of their Music Monday Signature Series.

Back on the other side of the Atlantic, gracias to Daniela Rosenfeld at the Barcelona Jewish Film Festival in July,  and to Miguel Malla of Racalmuto who initiated my visit with the festival and then performed with his group in a stellar outdoor concert of Raymond Scott music, — and dank u to Dario van Vree and everyone on the KLIK Animation Festival in Amsterdam — special dank u to Lucy van Kleef who was a tireless guardian angel and facilitator during my stay in Amsterdam in September.

AND….thanks to all the people who came to the screenings, participated in the QAs, and those who have also supported truly independent filmmaking by buying the DVDs.  The audience responses I’ve gotten this year make all the hard work and thousands of hours I’ve devoted to this film worthwhile.

Finally, perpetual thanks to Gert-Jan Blom, Irwin Chusid, and Jeff Winner — the Raymond Scott brain trust — who are great colleagues, friends, and consultants.  Their work on the Raymond Scott legacy is an ongoing inspiration to me…

Happy New Year to all!

Stan Warnow








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