Today The Happiest Medium shines the spotlight Somewhere in The Dark, in this interview with Danish filmmaker Mads Jeppesen.

“Somewhere in the Dark is an insightful cinema verite documentary that encompasses the raw undiscovered talents within a plethora of individuals and their hunt for somewhere to create and express their art through the dark and underground of New York City.  This documentary depicts the essence as to why people are drawn to this capital of the world and conveys a deep, rich and compelling insight into the people that work to realise their dreams and their passions. To strive for a destiny, or find fulfillment in the dark, this piece captures the journey and the struggle it takes to find a way when you’re somewhere in the dark.” ~ Mads Jeppesen

Mads Jeppesen

In November 2010, you came from Denmark to New York City and started filming the underground arts scene. What first brought you to the U.S.?

MJ: I came to America to work for a well-known Danish film producer. I spent much time on that project, but I ended up having some free time, and then my film project really began to grow. It started just like a little film meant for the Internet. That all changed somewhat when I met Tony Kaye, who said that my idea was brilliant! (laughs)

How is the underground arts scene in NYC different from that in Denmark?

I must admit that my curiosity for the artistic underground occurred in the U.S. We have underground artists in Denmark, but not in the same way. The widely accepted artists are paid by the state to make art. Then we have all the others. I think the biggest difference between U.S. and Denmark is that, in the U.S., if a guy wanted to make playing music a way of life, but had to work on the side, he would still call himself a musician … I just saw something here that I had to shoot. It’s crazy here. It’s truly amazing.

Tell us about your artistic vision for Somewhere in The Dark.

Well, Somewhere in The Dark is actually my first serious film project. After I got curious for the arts in NYC, I decided that I simply had to document it.

The film reflects the talent going around New York’s underground and the people who try to fight their way to the limelight, for money or just a better life. The film is also a reflection of the tendencies we see in our society where people are looking to become famous just for the fact of being famous. I would like to try to portray that as people who bring art to a different level and really have something to say.

For me the film represents something very special. It shows a very special passion and that’s the reason I have fallen in love with the environment and the city. People really pursue  it here! I love it and think it’s cool. It’s very rare we see this kind of passion in Denmark. Here we all are guaranteed an education and it is more usual to focus on that and get a 9 to 4 job afterwards.

An example from the film, as it looks now, is the focus on the acclaimed film director Tony Kaye (American History X, Detachment) and Penny Pollak, who hosts Penny’s Open Mic (UNDER St. Marks Theater). Tony and Penny are interesting because they represent two different environments with very different backgrounds, but they are both artists, expressing themselves somewhere in the dark.

Tony is a great and world known film director who is financially secure. Yet, he throws himself into completely new areas, risking more than people would imagine. He’s actually very nice and a shy gentleman who just wants to be recognized and respected for his art. Conversely, we have Penny, who is a contrast to Tony. She is super outgoing girl and an artist who doesn’t have a lot of money. She hosts Penny’s Open Mic and from there, a huge network of artists expands who all know each other and are all trying to succeed with their art for various reasons.

There’s so many people out there expressing themselves through art. I would like to interview everyone who has something to say! But the film is far from finished, and I want to come back to the U.S. for a minimum 6-months to continue filming and finish the project.

Somewhere in The Dark – CPH:DOX trailer from Mads Jeppesen on Vimeo.

You have an IndieGoGo fundraising campaign to help finish the film…

The IndieGoGo campaign is running alongside this project, and it will help us to kick start it all. If we can raise just half of the $ 18,000 goal, we can have sent me to NYC to finish filming, and it won’t be that difficult for the production company to find money to finish the film. We just have to start it up. But there is a long way to go.

God, I really hope this film will be completed. It would mean so much to me and it would really be a movie for all the people in it, and all the underground artists who struggle to have their voices heard. I really like the idea to immortalize some of these artists. Many of them are so damn talented, but let’s be honest, only a part of them will succeed. I really feel a lot of these artists deserve to be remembered for who they are and what they do. Have you seen underground artist Mike Milazzo play? Damn! Go to Penny’s Open Mic, you can hear him every Tuesday! We hear the legendary stories about such people as Bob Dylan coming to NYC all the time. We hear how they started out and became big and famous. What about the thousands of thousands of people who are struggling somewhere in the dark? It’s them we want to hear about!

You filmed Somewhere in The Dark at several open mics in NYC (Caffé Vivaldi, Lucky Jacks, Penny’s Open Mic, Pete’s Candy Store, R-Bar, Sidewalk Café, etc). What was it like filming in the open mic environment?

Frankly, I have not really experienced anything uncomfortable while shooting. I’ve focused on a few places, but the original intention of documenting what an open mic is, is no longer the goal of the film. Now I have found myself a story and that is what I’m coming back for … Well, I guess I had to cross a limit to stick the camera up in the faces of people at first, but it actually ended up being perfectly normal. I’m sure many can’t remember my face, but they can probably remember me as a lens with a very bright light on top of it! (laughs)

In addition to working on Somewhere in The Dark, you have done a few music videos. (Heidi Mattsson, Mike Milazzo, Trine Jørck Petersen) What other projects are you currently working on?

Well I’ve made some music videos before, but it’s mainly something I do to develop myself. It is not a business for me and it is more about art. I certainly don’t do it for everyone. But I really don’t have the time anymore. I’m working a lot to raise the money for the film instead. I actually found a producer at production company who wants to help me finance the film, but everything is very uncertain yet, but I think it all looks really good. There’s a very long way to go but I have never felt so confident regarding film. This might actually end up being a dream coming true.

Right now I’ve got two short documentaries in I need to do before I come back to New York. They are both already financed. One will be sold to TV if all goes well and the other is about Danish rock band who have booked me as a director to make a short documentary about them as a band, accompanied with their debut CD. But this is just small project to keep me warm. My real baby is Somewhere in The Dark.

~~~

Support Mads Jeppesen and the talented underground artists in NYC who are struggling to have their voices heard somewhere in the dark!

You can donate to the making of this film through IndieGoGo. Also, check out some of Mads Jeppesen’s videos on Vimeo, view the attention the film has already received on Danish television, and be sure to “like” Somewhere in The Dark on facebook, to show support for this project, receive more information, and keep up-to-date about the developments of this exciting film as it unfolds!

Related Posts:

• Mike Milazzo — Open Mike
• Joe Yoga: Retrospective NYC Tour
• Early Risers / Night Owls … Come With Me – Help Save UNDER St. Marks
• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Penny Pollak
• Following The Path Of Yoga

interview done by Karen + Stephen Tortora-Lee

Mike Milazzo – The Show from Mads Jeppesen on Vimeo.

If you’ve ever seen Mike Milazzo play the guitar then you already know what an amazing experience it is to watch him – his fingers fly effortlessly over the strings producing almost unbelievably complex sounds that are not only beautiful and powerful but raw and real.  As a songwriter Mike has the ability to find the core of what connects us all and finesse it into thoughtful words and haunting melodies.  As a singer, Mike’s voice is earnest and true; evocative and filled with emotion.  He takes you on a journey with every line he sings, and it’s not until he’s strummed his last note that you’re able to break the hypnotic spell which his music has cast over you. You only have to sit through one of Mike’s performances to know that he is one of the best musicians around.

For those not lucky enough to be able to see Mike perform in person, he’s working on getting a new album out called “The Show”.   Mike Milazzo took some time in between gigs to chat with us about what inspired him to write these songs, what the differences are between collaborating and going solo, and he finally solves the mystery of who, exactly, “Mr. Barry” is.  Read on …

You’ve got an album coming out called “The Show”. Tell us a little bit about the songs that you chose to be on that album. What do they mean to you?

MM: All these songs came out of the Manhattan experience of being at Under St. Marks and hanging out with the open mic crowd.  A lot of the songs were developed at Penny’s Open Mic.  A couple of the songs besides “The Show” (which is really the core of this album) that I like a lot are “Love is A Cage” and “Angels”.

“Angels” started out as a song about how friends of mine were having some problems and struggling with their singing voices, but how they could start finding their confidence. The rest of the song veered off into my own spirituality, and my spirituality, as if angels were singing to me, representing the angels in my life. But my songs are about a lot of different things, and mean different things to different people. I think songs should be like that.

The title of the album is very evocative … it can mean The Show as in “The performance”, or The Show as in … “the big reveal”. What does “The Show” mean to you?

It means a little of both. Yes a performance, but on another level Life itself  is The Big Show.  The most important message of the album is “just make it happen“.  It’s the lesson I’ve gotten from working at Penny’s – that if you have an idea you should start out with what you have and build on it … the more you work on it the better it becomes.

A lot of people ask me what some of the lyrics of “The Show” mean.  For instance, there is a line in”The Show” about Mr. Barry, that everyone ask me about.   “Mr. Barry” as a phrase just rolled off the tongue well. He’s really the composite of a lot of people in my life. So “Mr. Bary” is really whoever you want him to be. It originally was from Barry Manilow but “Mr. Manilow” just didn’t roll off the tongue as well. When people listen to the song I imagine them adding their own layers of meaning and experiences for their own versions – their own “Mr. Barry”s of what they see in the song.

How long has The Show been in the works?

I’ve been putting it together from a lot of pieces since the last album (The World Outside) came out.  So for a couple of years now.

The few songs that I’ve heard from that album are amazingly complex as well as deeply thoughtful. Where does your inspiration come from?

In general most of my songs are from my relationships, with women, girlfriends, but also relationships in general. Many of the new songs on this album came from me workshopping and performing in front of people. For example, the song “The Show” is about my experiences with those performing at Penny’s Open Mic. I like story songs, songs about characters and people, which helps me to get out of the relationship box. I tend to write about relationships, I just take a slice of life and tell a story about it and it’s those stories that people seem to be able to relate to.

You’ve got a solo career as well as a collaborative career. How do you find yourself working differently alone than with other people?

I get a lot out of working alone, I can definitely go deeper when I’m working on a solo project, but sometimes it’s hard examining your own emotions so intently all the time for months and months and months without taking a break. When I collaborate I can get out of myself and go in a different direction than I would on a single project. It keeps me from getting too self absorbed and keeps me fresh.  I have more breakthroughs while playing in my other bands (Broken Arrow, Cutleri, Kill The Band, The Boardlords, Anacoustic Mind) and come back to my own material refreshed.

With The Boardlords, I get to satisfy my lead guitar jones, playing lead guitar in a punk band. With Kill the Band, I get to express my comedic side, playing a character, and its more of a cabaret act. With Cutleri and Anacoustic Mind, I get to play mandolin, which is an instrument I don’t get to play a lot. I love using different instruments, and playing different styles of music.

I get a chance to do things I wouldn’t normally do all on my own. I can move into a direction musically which I wouldn’t move in by myself and so it helps expand my range as an artist. I feel like I began to be a part of a lot of bands because I’m inherently lazy, but I’ve discovered by balancing my collaborative work with my solo work its really helped me become more of a storytelling songwriter. Now I have a lot more range from all the work I do and it shows in the songs I write.

As far as collaboratively, I know you’re doing a lot of work with Killy Dwyer and Kill The Band. That’s got to be a lot of fun for you. Tell me about that experience.

Yeah, that experience really helped pull me into this whole scene.  Joe Yoga and I went from just being sort of backup for Killy to being a part of this comedic cabaret with Killy as this mock rock icon battling against the boardrooms of America.  It’s really a lot of fun, and Kill the Band has become one of my regular gigs.   My work with them has given me a lot of breakthroughs that I wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t been part of that experience.

You’ve got an IndieGoGo campaign going right now that’s got around a week left.  I know how important it is for a solo artist to gain support form the community. How can people learn more about you and support your upcoming album?

This campaign is something I learned from being part of this community of artists over the last few years.  It’s about not only making art, but making art the way you want to.  With so many people in this scene having the same sort of goal, it just seems like IndieGoGo or KickStarter is now the smart way of doing these sort of projects.  It becomes sort of a “pay it forward” sort of thing. Mads Jeppesen From Finland is using IndieGoGo for his film Somewhere In The Dark and it’s a great example of how these things can work to take artists’ concepts to a whole other level with this method of making projects happen on a bigger scale than they could have before things like KickStarter and IndiGoGo existed.

I felt it was really important to do it for myself, and also do it for my other friends. I’ve contributed to a lot of projects and being part of these communities it just make sense to pitch in a little where you can to make it happen or find people outside of the community and see if they can help.  Sometimes it just becomes a problem of finding a patron. Other times patrons are looking for people they want to support and IndieGoGo and other campaigns are a great way to build awareness with new people who might not have heard of us before.

Bonus Question! You can tell me anything you want. Tell me a joke, give me your favorite quote or lyrics … or recipe … promote a cause … tell me something else about The Show that I may have not asked … anything! The mic is yours …

Through Horse Trade Theater Group, Under St. Marks Theater, and Penny’s Open Mic, a community opened up that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. I’d never have known them without them creating this space for artists to come together.

So many good groups of musicians and performers got their start at Under St. Marks Theater. It’s a great place for a lot of networking with supportive people. Right now, it is in risk because the building is for sale. There’s a campaign for Horse Trade to save the theater from being another venue destroyed in NYC. I Just wanted to get that message out again because it’s a really good thing that has really changed my life.

Mike!  Such a pleasure to learn more about the man behind the music.

For those of you who want to help this amazing man get his album realized you can go to his Indie GoGo page  … for a donation of just 25 bucks you can get a copy of his first album “The World Outside” and you’ll also get that warm fuzzy feeling of knowing that you helped the amazing Mike Milazzo get his next album out there for the world to enjoy.  In a world of Britneys couldn’t we all use a little more Mike Milazzo?  So go there now!

Related Posts:

• Early Risers / Night Owls … Come With Me – Help Save UNDER St. Marks
• Following The Path Of Yoga
• Last Looks At The Happiest Medium In 3-D – Pull Your Glasses Out
• Interview With Mads Jeppesen: Somewhere In The Dark
• “Kill The Band” Knocks ‘Em Dead (Frigid Festival 2010)

Linda Evangelista is the source of the oft-quoted line “I won’t get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day.” I’ve often paraphrased and said that I won’t get out of bed before six a.m. unless a number like that is mentioned. Yeah, well … how about a number like over 5 million?

Let me explain …

Regular readers of The Happiest Medium know that UNDER St. Marks Theater is one of the theatres that I return to time and time again.  It’s where I first laid eyes on Killy Dwyer and Kill The Band, it’s where Alex Bond did her staged reading of Late Nights With The Boys, it’s where Penny Pollak holds Penny’s Open Mic and where Gigi LaFemme holds Revealed Burlesque. It’s where I saw Heidi Grumelot make a sock puppet into something much more in Donnie and the Monsters.  UNDER St. Marks is home to not only an army of downtown theatre artists but also to countless people who sit in the audience and shower them with love.  People like … me.

Well, this news had hardly hit the grapevine before all of downtown took it as a call to action — and very quickly Save UNDER St. Marks was formed.  Please join the group and throw your support behind this if you value all the precious gifts Horse Trade Theater Group has been able to funnel through this space.

So what does this have to do with getting up early?

Well, on Thursday, April 7 · 6:30am – 8:30am Save UNDER St. Marks is having a televised breakfast Event -

We want to invite you all to come out on Thursday morning at 6:45AM (yes AM) to join us in Showcasing the Horse Trade Talent at UNDER St Marks on NY1. Roger Clark will be there to interview us about UNDER St. Marks.

There will be two segments shot, one at 7am and the other around 8am, between the two segments we will run it open mic style with folks jumping up to do short 5 minute sets, the theme will be OWN IT.

We need a good turn out to show NYC that this is so important that even Artists are willing to get out of bed at 6AM and represent.

So if you can stay up all night and get there early — or if you can get out of bed, get yourself purty and look alive — please come join me at UNDER St. Marks on Thursday, April 7 · 6:30am – 8:30am.

Do it because there are moments when you need to join your voice with others in order to make a difference.  And this is one of those moments.

I’ll see you there.  Right?

~~~

More Info about UNDER St. Marks:

UNDER St. Marks is a downtown performance venue with a rich history. An experimental theatre space since the 1970’s, this 45-seat basement theater is now home to a wide variety of performance artists including The BTK Band, Penny’s Open Mic, Revealed Burlesque, Thank You Robot, Adam Wade, Tanya O’Debra, The Management, Little Lord, the Rising Sun Performance Company, No Tea Productions, Wide Eyed Productions, Animal Parts, Subjective Theatre Company, The Pumpkin Pie Show, and the FRIGID New York Festival.

Related Posts:

• Mike Milazzo — Open Mike
• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Heidi Grumelot
• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On GiGi La Femme
• Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women In The Arts – Spotlight On Penny Pollak
• Following The Path Of Yoga

These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.

Today we continue our series with Penny Pollak. I picked this photo above ‘specially for her: “DON’T let your woman announcer be too agressive.  She will antagonize all men, and many women.  She must, however, speak with authority, either form experience or special knowledge of the product.  A woman announcer is always a hazardous risk and few can please all viewers.” (snicker.)

If you’re part of the downtown NYC scene and an emerging artist (or a seasoned artist who just needs a comfortable place to work through some new material) then chances are you know Penny Pollak best as the producer and host of “Penny’s Open Mic“.  Yes, Penny is the ringleader – but she’s so much more. Ms. Pollak welcomes the crowd, sets the tone, supplies the rules (there are very few, but they matter) and keeps the night humming along at a solid pace.  You only need to attend one of these open mics to find yourself hooked.

Hearing each performer refer to Penny’s Open Mic as “Home” before they launch into their own song, story, routine or reverie is to understand that you’ve walked into a sacred space where magic happens week after week  - and while regulars count on the rituals and habits the truth of it is – no two nights are ever the same.  And therein lies the reason people come back time and again.  To rediscover the joy of the first time – every time.

Penny Pollak herself is a gifted actress, a talented writer, but most of all, an all encompassing spirit that moves artists every week to dig deep and hone their craft, share their heart, and sharpen their skills.  The world could use a million more like her, but for now I’m grateful that the one Penny Pollak we’ve been alotted  this time around has been put straight in my path.  I’m honored to showcase her here :

Talk to me about being a woman who does what you do- just overall.

Honestly, I don’t think about it that often. My parents did a really good job raising me to be completely independent; supporting the idea that I could be anything I wanted. But of course the world doesn’t work that way and I still find myself surprised and offended by the double standards and the simple language difference. For example, a man who is in charge and exerts his authority is strong and just doing his job whereas a woman who does the same thing is a diva, a cold princess or just a bitch. I’m very lucky that the men who surround my shows and projects don’t see the world that way, and when I work I feel I’m treated as an equal. But the inequality is so ingrained into our society — and the fight is far from over — which is why I’m delighted you’ve made this issue a feature this month.

Are there days it makes a difference – good or bad?

These days not as much; I’m in a great place in my life now and surrounded by amazing people. The fact that I do more theater now than bartending is the biggest change. A few years ago I used to manage a bar on First Avenue for a short time which is actually where I started my open mic before I moved it to UNDER St. Marks Theater. Managing a bar I was constantly presented with those problems. By patrons as well as management. In fact that’s the reason why I quit working there. I’ve butted heads for months with the owner over the women I hired and so forth. He wanted me to base my decision on the picture they sent in rather than the resume. Oh – and I wasn’t allowed to hire men as bartenders, only barbacks. Then one day he told me to fire three of our very talented bartenders because “They weren’t hot enough”. That was it for me, not only did I quit but I told everyone who worked there. Everyone quit immediately and in protest we all stayed in the bar all night drinking his booze until he came in the next morning apologized and begged us ALL to take our jobs back. It was a small triumph but it felt pretty good at the time.

Are there barriers you fought against in the past that are now becoming easier?

As writers we are taught to above all, write what we know. I am a woman, so my writing reflects that. There have been a few instances where a piece I think is universal and human has been remarked as being ‘woman’s issues’ and ‘Men just can’t connect.’ There may be some truth to that but I think it’s just a lazy way of thinking. My play No Traveler (which will be in the Winnipeg Fringe Festival this summer) addresses themes such as suicide, abuse, self-destruction and control brought together in a very dark humorous way. I think our society allows woman to connect more freely to these subjects but they really do touch everyone in some way, male or female. As I’ve taken it around to different festivals and countries I was very excited to receive those responses. One goal I’d like to achieve with my writing is to express that ‘woman’s issues’ are actually human issues and affect everyone.

Oh, and one more thing about Penny?  My dad is completely smitten with her.

~~~

More about Penny:

“PENNY POLLAK earns major points for her creativity in her dark and fascinating No Traveler” (stagebuzz.com)
No Traveler a comedy about suicide written and performed by Pollak received glowing reviews in this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival and NYC Frigid Festival. She recently starred in Broken Dog Legs a one-woman play by Emily Conbere.

For almost three years now she has hosted and produced Penny’s Open Mic, (featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Backstage.com, NY Press and Time Out NY) a weekly show at UNDER St. Marks Theater dedicated to supporting artists of every kind to experiment and workshop in a safe environment.

A past resident of Horse Trade Theater Company she has produced and performed in just about every performance venue, bar and street corner in the east village since she moved here in 2007. She graduated with a degree in Theater and a minor in Sociology. After graduation she studied at the TVI London theater intensive program at Rose Bruford College, UK. She was nominated for Best Actress in this year’s Strawberry Festival and has won awards for her writing as well as been featured in a number of readings in NYC.

Related Posts:

• Early Risers / Night Owls … Come With Me – Help Save UNDER St. Marks
• Following The Path Of Yoga
• Brrrrrr! Temperatures Are Dipping! Must Be Time For FRIGID 2010!
• Interview With Mads Jeppesen: Somewhere In The Dark
• Mike Milazzo — Open Mike