“Where are you? Where are you, little girl with broken wings but full of hope? Where are you, wise women covered in wounds? Where are you?”
Latest
WAYFARER > words by OMAR MUSA > video by Selina Miles
One continuous shot following graffiti writer Sofles on a wander through Melbourne.
This video was made possible to an amazing group of people, who came together to help us celebrate and pay homage to the Collingwood and Fitzroy area of Melbourne. Our goal was to create one continuous drone shot, captured in one take. The amazing team from Swarm UAV pulled it off.
Here you have the result, along with words by the brilliant poet and author Omar Musa.
Original soundtrack by Erin McKimm.
Thanks to all the artists who came down to be a part of this video, the support team of assistants, Easey’s, Everfresh Studio and everyone else who makes Collingwood such an amazing place.
Directed by Selina Miles selinamiles.com
Featuring Sofles sofles.com
Aerial Cinematography by Swarm UAV swarmuav.com.au
Music by Erin McKimm erinmckimm.com/
Spoken Word by Omar Musa facebook.com/omarmusaqbn/
THE AWAKENING > Rumi
“The Awakening” is a Cinematic Poem Short Film Featuring Poem By Djalâl ad-Dîn Rûmî Filmed and Directed By Ivan Maria Friedman.
Filmed, Edited and Directed by: Ivan Maria Friedman
Music Composed by: Richard Wagner (“Das Rheingold, Scene I: Vorspiel”)
Actress and Narrator: Elena Samuylova
“The Awakening”
By Djalâl ad-Dîn Rûmî (1207-1273)
In the early dawn of happiness
you gave me three kisses
so that I would wake up
to this moment of love
I tried to remember in my heart
what I’d dreamt about
during the night
before I became aware
of this moving
of life
I found my dreams
but the moon took me away
It lifted me up to the firmament
and suspended me there
I saw how my heart had fallen
on your path
singing a song
Between my love and my heart
things were happening which
slowly slowly
made me recall everything
You amuse me with your touch
although I can’t see your hands.
You have kissed me with tenderness
although I haven’t seen your lips
You are hidden from me.
But it is you who keeps me alive
Perhaps the time will come
when you will tire of kisses
I shall be happy
even for insults from you
I only ask that you
keep some attention on me.
Website: http://www.mayapictures.com/
Compton – Kendrick Lamar
A short film celebrating Compton, the city that inspired 2016 GRAMMY nominee Kendrick Lamar featuring a spoken word version of his track Alright.
Watch the original video here
ANONYMOUS > Luka Lesson
From the ANTIDOTE anthology by Luka Lesson.
ANONYMOUS written by Luka Lesson
Produced by Jordan Thomas Mitchell
Directed by Luka Lesson and Toby Finlayson
Shot and edited by Toby Finlayson
Assistant producers Nicky Akehurst and Isa Catepillan
Motion Graphics by Roy Weiland
“Tried” (For The Baltimore Uprising) > Abdul Hammoud
“On April 12, 2015, Baltimore law enforcement arrested Freddie Gray, 25 years old. While being transported in the police vehicle, Gray mysteriously sustained injuries to his back and neck. After falling into a coma six days later, he died a day after. On April 27, Baltimore stood up and opposed police brutality and racial discrimination.
April 12 was half way through International Poetry Month, and half way through a writing challenge I host online called The Dirty Thirty where myself and participants (now over 1000 strong) attempt to write one poem a day every day for the month of April. After having witnessed Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and many others beaten, shot, and killed before our eyes, artists all over the world stood up with Baltimore. Poetry flooded the internet. This was one I wrote on the second last day of The Dirty Thirty, and it’s only one of many very worthwhile art pieces that should be watched. This poem has since been edited further. But this was my favorite incarnation.”
Facebook – facebook.com/abstract1991
Instagram – @abstractpoetry
Email – abstractproductions91@gmail.com
NOTHING TO DO WITH MY PROPHET > Talk Islam
From Youtube:
“This video is a response to all those that have abused, disgraced or debased the message of Islam through their words and actions, whether they be deranged Muslims or Anti-Islam haters.
We did not create this video, except in defence of the Messenger (pbuh) and to uphold the sanctity of his teachings which are being disgraced daily by these people. May Allah make this video a means of benefit to both Muslims and Non-Muslims so that they may understand and appreciate the merciful reality of our Noble Messenger.
Special thanks to Muslim Belal for Background Vocals – Guidance off new Album “My Sumaya”.
Talk Islam started off with a group of young Muslim brothers from Sydney inspired to spread the dawah on the streets. Whether it be through handing out pamphlets or engaging in conversation with strangers.
Hip-Hop & Shakespeare? > Akala
Akala demonstrates and explores the connections between Shakespeare and Hip-Hop, and the wider cultural debate around language and it’s power.
MOBO award-winning hip hop artist ‘Akala’ is a label owner and social entrepreneur who fuses rap/rock/electro-punk with fierce lyrical storytelling (think Wu-Tang Clan and Aphex Twin meets Rage Against The Machine). With Akala’s latest record, convention-defying album DoubleThink, Akala has proven himself as one of the most dynamic and literate talents in the UK. Inspired by the likes of Saul Williams and Gil Scott Heron, Akala has also developed a reputation for stellar live performances with his drummer Cassell ‘TheBeatmaker’ headlining 5 UK tours and touring with everyone from Jay-Z, Nas & Damian Marley, M.I.A. and Christina Aguilera to Siouxsie Sue and Richard Ashcroft, appearing at numerous UK / European and US festivals (Glastonbury, Big Chill, Wireless, V, Hove and SXSW) also partnering with the British Council promoting British arts across Africa, Vietnam (the first rapper to perform a live concert in Vietnam), New Zealand and Australia. In 2009, Akala launched the ‘The Hip-hop Shakespeare Company’, a hotly-tipped music theatre production enterprise which has sparked worldwide media interest since its inception. Previous collaborators include: British actor; Sir Ian McKellen, actor/musician; Colin Salmon and Royal Shakespeare Company Voice Director; Cicely Berry. 2011 sees the launch Akala’s latest endeavour ‘Illa State Productions’ to garner his budding scriptwriting talent alongside TV presenting and as a music composer for various TV and Film projects.
http://www.akalamusic.moonfruit.com/
Also, here’s another TEDX which discusses the connection between Shakespeare and Hip-hop featuring MC Lars.
Andrew Robert MacFarlane Nielsen, more commonly known as MC Lars, has experienced first-hand the power and influence of music. Discovering hip-hop for the first time as a geeky, out-of-place teen he went on to study English at Stanford. A pioneer of “nerdcore hip-hop” and the self-proclaimed originator of “post-punk laptop rap,” his music videos such as “Ahab” “White Kids Aren’t Hyphy,” “MC Lars’ iGeneration,” and “This Gigantic Robot Kills” have swept YouTube with their nerdy charm. Lars is now exploring how to use hip-hop to teach teens literature and creativity.
POETRY OF PERCEPTION > Harvard Neuroscience X Poets
An eight-part series (vimeo.com/channels/972301) on representations of perception and sensation made for fundamentalsofneuroscience.com.
“The world is given to me only once, not one existing and one perceived. Subject and object are only one.” Erwin Schrödinger.
Words by Walt Whitman
Animation by Sophie Koko Gate sophiekokogate.com
3D Floater Animation by Tomas Kemp
Narration by Peter Blegvad
Sound + Music by Oswald Skillbard skillbard.com
Produced by Nadja Oertelt nadjaoertelt.com
“Both artists and scientists strive, even if in different ways, toward the goal of discovering new uniformities or lawful regularities.” Hermann Helmholtz
Words by Emily Dickinson
Animation by Hannah Jacobs hellohannahjacobs.com
Narration by Anna Martine
Sound + Music by Oswald Skillbard skillbard.com
Produced by Nadja Oertelt nadjaoertelt.com
“I haven’t understood a bar of music in my life, but I’ve felt it.” Igor Stravinski
Words by Emily Dickinson
Animation by Lily Fang lilyfang.com
Narration by Sarah Jessop
Sound + Music by Skillbard skillbard.com
Produced by Nadja Oertelt nadjaoertelt.com
“A nose that can see is worth two that sniff.” Eugène Ionesco
Words by William Carlos Williams
Animation by Isaac Holland isaacholland.com
Narration by William Carlos Williams
Sound + Music by Skillbard skillbard.com
Produced by Nadja Oertelt nadjaoertelt.com
“If we understood something just one way, we would not understand it at all.” Marvin Minsky
Words by Emily Dickinson
Animation by Brian Smee briansmee.biz
Narration by Nak Yong Choi
Translation by Yoonah Caroline Lee
Coloring Assistance by Isabelle Aspin
Sound + Music by Skillbard skillbard.com
Produced by Nadja Oertelt nadjaoertelt.com
“Touch comes before sight, before speech. It is the first language and the last, and it always tells the truth.” Margaret Atwood
Words by Walt Whitman
Animation by Caitlin Craggs caitlincraggs.com
Narration by Caitlin Craggs
Sound + Music by Skillbard skillbard.com
Produced by Nadja Oertelt nadjaoertelt.com
The Warrior > Aubrey Marcus
Words by Aubrey Marcus @WarriorPoetUS and brought to life by the talent and vision of @Notthisbody
For more by Aubrey Marcus visit the Warrior Poet blog: warriorpoet.us
To connect with Not This Body, visit notthisbody.com
A collaboration of /Aubrey Marcus and /Notthisbody
FOREST MAN > HUGO THE POET
A Rap Summary of the awesome little doco ‘Forest Man’
The inspiring story of Jadav Payeng who planted an entire 550 hectare forest all by himself over a period of 30 years.
Many thanks to the makers for permission to include their footage.
Watch the full version here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkZDS…
Also includes some supplementary footage from ‘The Forest Man of India’
Watch that one here: http://www.cultureunplugged.com/docum…
Music Track: Tabla Toy by Beats Antique https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUC8i…
Grab the full track here: https://hugothepoet1.bandcamp.com/tra…
Lyrics written and performed by Hugo The Poet
Video edited by Flomos
Audio Mixed and Mastered by Frank Pearce at Studio Squid
Thanks to my early adopting Patrons who pledged on Patreon and chipped in for some Audio Mixing and Mastering on this track: Sod Oscarfono, Sarah Smith, Nils R Grotnes, Stephan Taylor, Chad Schott, Tommi Mononen, Olivier Serres, Eero Af Heurlin
Support more videos by Hugo The Poet:
PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/hugothepoet?a…
PAYPAL: https://www.paypal.me/hugothepoet
LYRICS:
Commencing this short rap in Jorhat, north east India
the city where living for many is hard, for others even trickier
Also the city of our narrator, Jitu Korlita
A photographic capturer of images of nature
In all its splendor, and splendor it certainly delivers
near to the Bhramaputra one of India’s most crucial rivers
The banks of which many millions call home
who are threatened every year during the monsoon
With floods brutally rising, eroding land, unruly climbing
No where more evident than Majuli island
The world’s largest river isle a natural diamond pristine
It’s lost half its land mass since nineteen seventeen
And could be completely gone in thirty years’ time
Nevertheless on a visit there in two thousand and nine
Jitu Korlita overlooked a barren wasteland and to his surprise
he seemed to spy an entire forest on the horizon
He couldn’t believe his eyes and when he saw a man
Jitu approached him to see if he could perchance explain
After being convinced that Jitu wasn’t a poacher, the man made a startling claim
He planted that whole forest himself and his name is Jadav Payeng
This is the tale of Jadav Payeng
Who saw the harsh end of this hard path we wend
And while many acquiesce to the dark farce ahead
He made a means to mend our ways by planting plants instead
Jitu reported this tale in the press and on-line
How this man had been planting trees since nineteen seventy nine
Every day of his life, assisted by his family and wife
Heading over the water to arrive Bucket in hand,
At the former sand bar of land where his forest stands
and which year by year incrementally he expands
Planting seedlings, and tending each one with best care
His forest is now five hundred and fifty hectares
Bigger than central park and providing habitat
For deer, rhinoceros, rabbits and even elephants to travel back
And on top of that, it’s well known that
The roots of healthy trees maintain soil and halt erosion
For almost forty years his routine’s been to plant plants and tend
and every tree and animal that exists there he calls his friend
Poachers and loggers are a constant threat
So he guards and defends, saying cut me before you cut my friends
Now Jitu and this man are the fastest of friends
He’s watched him attain fame but never let it go to his head
The prime minister even honoured his name
The Forest Man Of India, Jadav Payeng
Jadav Payeng loves all animals, humans the same
But humans are the only animals of which he’s afraid
The only difference is that humans will take take take
And would log his forest for the sake of making a short-term economic stake
Jitu watches Jadav at awards engagements
But suspects that in his private thoughts he hates them
He’s too humble, too self effacing
To get caught up in all that noise they making
But he goes along to try to make a statement
About the benefits of undertaking widespread afforestation
So far, too few people are listening to him speak
But he doesn’t get discouraged, he has patience indeed
Because whether it’s a whole forest or a change to our creeds
Jadav Payeng knows you just have to keep on planting the seeds
Who knows what we could achieve if this started a trend
And every town had a Forest person, lauded as him
And enough people reduced consumption, and planted plants instead
All thanks to the example of Jadav Payeng
This is the tale of Jadav Payeng
Who saw the harsh end of this hard path we wend
And while many acquiesce to the dark farce ahead
He made a means to mend our ways by planting plants instead
Our planet may seem far too vast to defend
But the imminent catastrophe is far too large to pretend
And which story would you rather artists sing
The chant of our end, or the tale of Jadav Payeng?
BONES > LUKA LESSON
Words by Luka Lesson – http://www.lukalesson.com.au
Score by Jordan Thomas Mitchell – http://jordanmitchellmusic.com/
Video Created by: Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore – https://vimeo.com/claudiasangiorgidal…
Additional footage by: Nigel Raynard – http://uniqueimages.com.au
Download Bones audio from: http://lesson.bandcamp.com
LYRICS:
BONES
There are 206 bones in our bodies
and mine
are just like yours
but I’ll be white ochre if I want to
I’ll bleached by sun and soaked by sand if I want to
I’ll be eaten and reclaimed
decomposed and desired if I want to
There are 22 bones in my feet
and I’ve named them after the poets who have walked before me
I will burn if I need to
be dust
if I choose to
desire smoke signals of yesterday
reminisce in my own future
I will be a figment of my own imagination if I choose to
I will be rubble
.drift wood
.dead weight
.dead set
.dead end
dead poet’s society
There are 206 bones in my body
and each one will be fine bone china tea cup discussions of what could have been
use my fibula to mark the chalk outline
of what went wrong
reform my skeleton into a shape of something you think you can come to terms with
like
how did he?
why did we?
why wasn’t there?
when was it?
why didn’t we?
There are 40 litres of water in our bodies but most of us still can’t find a fucking flow
I will build a dam if I want to
I’ll build a river
an estuary
a lake
I will build a tear duct the width of your mother’s face
I will not let her tell me we can’t hear your voice anymore
I can’t hear your voice any more than my own sometimes
My heart
beats
me up all day
and I know you know what that means
I know you miss me
but I wish you’d missed
And I’m not ready to shoot
the breeze with you
.not ready to fall with you
.not ready to flow
.not ready to go
.not ready to be that bold with you just yet
.not ready to decompose disintegrate or dissolve
I’m not ready to feed the dirt
just yet
as a poet
we’re only ever respected once we’re dead so I guess I’m not ready for fame just yet
I’d rather be anonymous – but breathing
Alive – in secret
a “bad poet”
but livid
average
but dealing with it
I’d rather be another number
than a statistic
there is a difference
I’m not ready to fall just yet
There are one thousand miles of veins in our bodies and I’ve given each vein a name
so when I’m gone
you still can’t use my name in vain
And there are 36 breaths
in this poem
that I may have never taken
and they
are the best shit
that I ever wrote.
All The Way > Charles Bukowski
Directed, filmed and edited by Willem Martinot
Based on “roll the dice” by Charles Bukowski
Voice: Tom O’Bedlam
Music: Tony Anderson
Shot in Andalusia, Spain
Actor and assistant: Imre Tigchelaar
http://www.limestonepictures.nl
Copyright Willem Martinot 2014
I AM NOT A LABEL > Pince Ea
A Poem about Labels, and why we MUST get rid of them.
Artist/Writer – Prince Ea
SLAM TV 