Q&A with Choreographer Devin Fulton of ZINGDEED: a dance film
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1tBiIy7Too]
ZINGDEED: A Dance Film featuring The Pin-Down Girls
Produced by Devin Fulton & Jamila Glass
Director & Writer: Jamila Glass
Choreographer & Creative Director: Devin Fulton
Soundtrack: AWOLNATION - "Sail" & "Burn It Down" (InnerPartySystem Remix)
Premiered at the Sweat Spot in Los Angeles, CA on January 14, 2012
SYNOPSIS: The Palashakopians are the native, estrogen-powered people of ZINGDEED, a mystical land of otherworldly deer-like super beings. Their world is dramatically altered when their leader sends the pack to a planet called Earth to rescue a lost soul.
The Palashakopians: Charlene Bittinger, Genevieve Carson, Devin Fulton, Jamila Glass, Chereese Mackey, Amanda Meyer, Jaime Randall
The Earthling: Estefano Suazo
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Featured Artist: Choreographer & Creative Director, Devin Fulton
Q&A by Desiree East
One word: Phenomenal
That is what comes to mind while watching Zingdeed.
And you might say that I am a teenie-bit biased solely because I personally know the mind-blowing talented Choreographer, Devin Fulton. (Or, perhaps it's because I became a fan of Awolnation's music after I had learned that my brother, Kalae Gam, worked as an Art Director for Awol's production of 'It's Not Your Fault' and 'Sail'...)
So yes, I am proud of my family and friends. I am always inspired by Influencers in society, and yes, even though I am a little biased toward (absolutely loving) the work of the people closest to me, here's the reality: the world is filled with pure, creative geniuses. And their creative intelligence is quite contagious. The dance film, Zingdeed is proof of that. It is evident in everything - from how the dancers interpret the storyline through their movement and emotions to how the allure of post-modern costumes fit the mood of the narrative.
They say if you share your love and talents with the world, then good karma will come back to you ten-fold. Well, Devin has been a huge influence in my (dancing) life for several years, and I feel very grateful and humbled to have the opportunity of being showered with her ingenious bits of choreography in the studio. I am pretty sure she has shared the same drive and inspiration with other dance students, as well as company members at LACDC (Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company) and in her own company, The Pin-Down Girls. Devin has been blessed with a successful career as a professional dancer and choreographer for many years, and her generous spirit and passion for dance is contagious. And now, after partnering with talented dancer and filmmaker, Jamila Glass of The Cutting Room, it will only open the door to bigger, spectacular opportunities for these truly gifted artists...
Desiree East: What was your inspiration for Zingdeed and how did you come up with the concept?
Devin Fulton: The choreography from ZINGDEED was something I originally created for a live fashion show called Urban Odyssey. One of my company members in the Pin-Down Girls, Jamila Glass was part of the cast, and when we exited stage that night she said, "I think we should turn this piece into a dance film, whadya say?" She is a USC film school graduate and an incredible talent, and I trusted her whole heartedly with my work and my vision. I simply answered, "Lets do it" and we immediately started the pre-production process. We wanted this to be more than just shooting dance for the sake of shooting dance, but with a storyline and concept. We locked ourselves in my house for 4 days, until we had a cohesive idea. She wrote the treatment and we sent it off to our dream team. We got all yes replies and were shooting two weeks later.
DE: From Costumes to Photography, Choreography to Production, and everything in between, it sounds like you had an amazing group of artists to collaborate with...is it safe to say you are hooked on the process of combining Dance Performance with Filmmaking?
DF: Jamila and I are still completely overwhelmed by the 42 person cast and crew who donated their time and skills to make this thing come together in the incredible way that it did. This was so humbling and inspiring and we are absolutely thrilled about keeping the ball rolling! There is not enough dance film making happening in the U.S. and we are excited about being pioneers, if you will, in getting people thinking and producing more in this way. We have started pre-production for the next project, and have about 3 more concepts in mind to follow. It is indeed fair to say, that we are totally hooked :-)
DE: As a professional dancer/performing artist, what do you think is the biggest challenge in the industry?
DF: I think that there are two main challenges in pursuing dance as a career. 1) Figuring out a way to pay your bills and survive. 2) Being respected in the same way that artists in other forums are. These two things go hand in hand really. I will fight to my death about dance being by far the hardest art form to go after. I am still trying to figure out why we are so under appreciated and how to help in making changes in the right direction.
DE: As a choreographer, what is your creative process like? How do you get motivated and where do you draw your inspiration?
DF: My inspiration first and for most, comes from the 9 insanely talented dancers in my company. I work with the most unique and versatile women, which makes it so easy to create dances and shows that have many layers, and different tonality that is constantly changing and evolving. I believe in hiring dancers who can do a whole lot of everything, which keeps it fun for me because I am then able to apply all of my background and training, and also keep trying new things and pushing in new directions. When doing these things, I believe as an Artistic-Director that you must create a safe environment for your dancers. Also, a balance between a fun and productive work space. Second to all that, music of course is a huge part of where my motivation comes from.
DE: Do you have any advice for young, aspiring dancers for overcoming any of the challenges they may face?
DF: No matter what path you pursue in your life, there will always be challenges that come along with it. It is so important to do and go after what YOU love, not your mother, father, or Sally Joe down the street. I am scared to death every time I try something new. That is never a valid reason not to try it out though. In the brilliant words of those Nike ads..."Just Do It!" Trying not to give a shit what others think about you is a perfectly normal battle that I think most people face. I am still learning how to not give a shit, and Just Do it. The result in doing so, is usually incredibly fulfilling.
Producers: Devin Fulton & Jamila Glass Director & Writer: Jamila Glass Choreographer & Creative Director: Devin Fulton
The Palashakopians: Charlene Bittinger, Genevieve Carson, Devin Fulton, Jamila Glass, Chereese Mackey, Amanda Meyer, Jaime Randall
The Earthling: Estefano Suazo
Music: AWOLNATION - "Sail" & "Burn It Down" (InnerPartySystem Remix) **We own the rights to the choreography, not the music. This falls under "Fair Use" as no revenue is being generated from this film. Purely for entertainment.
Associate Producer: Jessica Bodner Cinematographers: Brad Haskell & Ben Clarke Costume Designer: Kellsy Mackilligan Headdress & Harness Designer: Kittinhawk Sculptor & Boot Designer: Jessica Bodner Set Designer: Kathi Leineke 1st ADs - Connor Casavan & Tiffany Sweat 2nd AD - Estefano Suazo Editor - Jamila Glass Camera Operators: John Kennedy & Raymond Demeritt Makeup & Hair - Michael Kelley Salon Sound - Taylor Quinn Set Wardrobe - Sara Duarte Set Photography - Abby Darby & James Scolari Catering - Duke Gervais
