Sunday, July 16, 2006

Korean Kickboard Terrors


"hidden in my soul" courtesy of Aytena

She is a woman haunted by the dreamlike memory of a market in Seoul, South Korea, chasing after the legs of a man she thinks may have been her father as they receded further and further into the distance. She remembers sobbing and sobbing and a man who came to comfort her and then it's all just a haze. She recalls little of the orphanage except the straw mats she slept on every night as rats skittered past. To this day she is terrified of rodents, so much so that she would jump into his arms whenever a low flying sparrow would swoop by.

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Dancing With a Ten Year Old Teacher

She told me once beneath the covers as we pretended we were in a cave high up in the mountains about the promise she made herself on her 10th birthday. She remembers it well. There in the vast expanse of that Chelsea loft, just after her friend's mother berated her for dancing on the Art -- oversized minimalistic bubble-ized clear plastic Art that would go to the museum the week following. It was there she said to herself "Don't ever forget how much you know right now that people don't know you know. Don't ever underestimate a kid." I imagine her smacking her pink tutu with a pout and giving a little "harrumph."

Another time that same year, summer of 1982, on the roof with her father as the amber sun went down behind the blackened outlines of Empire State Building, she said "Remember this moment and don't ever forget it. Don't ever tell your kid she can't be a dancer."

She has never forgotten. Her mother thinks it's because she can't get past those silly childhood disappointments. I know she remembers them because she never wants to get past them. Because she told herself not to forget. She knew already that the only way to make sense of the world is to know that we must forget how much we actually knew once upon a time. That is what makes her her. I didn't know her then, but I know that this is what has always made her her. I knew it the moment I met her and the moment I lost her. And I know she's the same her now as she was then; just a little bit older, a little bit wiser, and a little bit dumber.

May she never grow up in a way that she forgets to see with the eyes of that ten year old. And may she still become the dancer she always imagined. Even if she has to dance in a way she has yet to imagine.

photo "Dress Up!" by Sean Sheridan

Social Commentary

STATES OF MIND
  • The Fear Survey
  • Happiness Survey
  • Hope & Belief American Style
  • The Ephemeral Frozen Moment in Lieu of... whatever.
  • Sad Songs We Sing
  • The Unbearable Lightness (of Wallet) of Being (Honest)
  • I see... living people...

    AMERICAN DREAMINGS
  • Everybody's Gotta Have A Dream, Right?
  • Shhh!!.. Don't tell Bush...
  • Is "irregardless" a word?
  • A Rising Tide Raises All... Giraffes?

    CULTURAL RELATIVISM
  • Galileo : Synaptical Fool
  • Some Things To Remember Next Time You Fall Through That Hole You Dug to the Other Side of the Earth
  • Roshomonistic Way To Win A Beer

    PERSONAL AGENCY
  • Doubting Thomas and the Terror of Belief
  • yes-no-Suzie-Oh
  • Boojummy in Action - JED Films
  • Letter To a Friend: It Could Be You

    BY THE NUMBERS
  • 17 Things About Men You Might or Might Not Know
  • 5 Reasons Even Seahawks Fans Can Be Happy the Steelers Won
  • 3 Truths for Parents
  • Theoretica

    POETICS OF EXPERIENCE
    related flickr group :::: Boojummy
  • Tomorrow's Melody
  • Definition: Method Reality
  • The Downside of Knowing Too Much


    HUMAN ECONOMICS
    related flickr group :::: Business Artivist
  • What is Business Artivism?
  • The Evolving Priciples of Business Artivism
  • Steal This Business Concept!
  • Introducing “Trickle Up Economics” (aka “The One Song”)
  • What the hell is boojummy?

    QUANTUM RELATIVITY
  • Quantum Social Relativity :: Z=PI^2
  • Base Two & Quantum Math
  • Friday, July 14, 2006

    Experience

    ABOUT ::::: PORTFOLIOS :::: ONLINE PRESENCE

    RAPHIE FRANK :: BUSINESS ARTIVIST

    Background
    Raphie Frank is a New York City-based interactive producer, writer, photographer and designer with sixteen years of hands-on cross-industry experience in a variety of managerial, creative and technical capacities in media including journalism, film & video, theater, music, commercial design and marketing communications. At heart, however, he considers himself a storyteller with the desire to tell reality-based stories with happy hopeful endings. He is currently engaged in a process to create the stories he wants to write about within a business context.

    PORTFOLIOS (on Raphie Frank :: business artivist)
    producing ::::: writings ::::: photography ::::: design

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    COLLABORATIVE ENTERPRISE
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    BOOJUMMY
    Founder: Business Artivism
    New York • December 2005 - present
    Business Artivism is a business model for the 21st Century Information Age with an underlying philosophy that aims to enfranchise and monetize vast, untapped societal reservoirs of creative talent and goodwill. Primarily Media- and Internet-driven, Business Artivism is differentiated from standard “Corporate Good Citizen” business model by it’s bottom-up, personal agency-based grass-roots blending of business, art and activism. Contributors to the business artivist network are themselves the network’s greatest promoters, in part because expenditures of time and creative energy are valued on a par with monetary investment. Organic growth from inside is encouraged while not excluding newcomers. Projects currently in development include Blogs, an eCommerce Product launch and sundry, but related, Image-based enterprises.

    related writings:
  • What is Business Artivism?
  • Introducing “Trickle Up Economics” (aka “The One Song”)
  • Steal This Business Concept!
  • Steal This Business Concept!
  • What the hell is “boojummy”?

    ASYLUM
    Co-Director
    Prague • 1993
    Asylum, an underground café/theater/art gallery in the heart of Prague, served as a home for numerous ongoing and special events. Programmed theater, lectures, round table discussions, film screenings, concerts, readings and art exhibits etc.; Managed cafe & mostly volunteer staff; and oversaw community outreach and public relations efforts.

    related writings:
    :: Planning Warhol in Prague: The Asylum Culture House & The Warholesquian Sensibility
    :: Planning Warhol in Prague: Kafka & The "Refounding" of the Prague Culture House
    :: Performing Cultures: English Language Theatres in Post-Communist Prague by Dr. Gwen Orel

    FIRST STEP
    Founder & Co-Director
    Vassar College • Poughkeepsie, NY • 1987, 1988
    Conceived, developed and directed the first two of what evolved into an annual week long "Step Beyond" festival designed to increase student involvement in the local community. Coordinated staff of 150 students. Oversaw PR and fundraising campaign. Organized guest speakers and entertainment. Activities included a volunteer push into the community, speeches, debates, and the “36 Hour Ultimate Frisbee Marathon for Hunger Action” Events received the Innovative Programming Award (National Association of Campus Activities, 1987) and the Francis Aaron Hess Award for Community Involvement (1988) and helped President Frances Fergusson cement her legacy as the Vassar President to do most to improve relations with the local community.

    :: Giving A Damn :: Back to the Future

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    EDITORIAL
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    GOTHAMIST.COM
    Interviewer
    New York City • 2004- 2005
    Conducted 50 interviews for a Top 100 New York City-focused blog named Forbes 2004 pick as "Best City Blog."

    Other
    Well-versed in a range of Marketing Communication and business-style communications, including, but not limited to Industry-related Articles, Press Releases, Case Studies and Marketing Copy (e.g. responsible for the bulk of website copy while at swandivedigital). Additional writings include political essays, personal histories, and a variety of creative compositions including songs, short stories and poems.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    DESIGN & MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    SWANDIVEDIGITAL
    Senior Producer / Partner
    New York City • December 2000— February, 2005

    Full service design and integrated marketing communications agency. Range of engagements encompassed identity & logo development; website development (inclusive of database architectures, content management systems and blog implementations), corporate marketing and communication campaigns (i.e. report design & production, email list management and delivery, trade show materials, direct mail), advertising (i.e. print ads, online banners) and video production. Clients have included The Task Force on National Security in the Information Age, The Markle Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Connecting For Health, Cepacol, The Shubert Organization, Dreyfus Records, Metamorphoses on Broadway, Enron and Referral Networks.

    PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
    Account Management: Client interface, concept & strategy • RFP responses and proposal writing • Lead generation & client acquisition • Maintenance of precise and clear communication between client and project team • Keep abreast of developing industry and technology trends • Development of swandive promotional materials.

    Project Management: Team assembly and coordination • Budget estimation • Project Plan development • Scheduling • Delivery of project deliverables in timely fashion; meeting or exceeding creative standards and technical benchmarks • Vendor research, negotiation and management (both interactive and print related)

    Online Marketing: Search engine optimization and placement • Email list management and delivery • Occasional media buys and trafficking

    User Experience: Research and ensure implementation of usability & universal accessibility online best practices • Site maps and page schematics. • Developed User-centric Assessment method to quantitatively rate Website Usability along parameters of Usefulness, Ease of Use, Efficiency, Engagement and Trustworthiness.

    related writings:
    :: :: The User-Centric Guide to Web Design

    FREELANCE CONSULTANT / DESIGNER
    New York City • March 2005 — present

    Internet strategy and design consulting with a focus on non-profits, the arts and small business. Have functioned variously in an advisory capacity, as part of a team, and as a one-stop shop offering strategy, design, editorial, photographic, programming and project management services. Partcicular competencies include Usable Design (including Section 508 compliance) Online Branding & Strategy, Account & Project Management, Content Development and Viral Marketing. Clients have included Swandivedigital, Adele Twig, Melissa Ferrer, Tilefish, Inc., The Levee, eMedia and Jed Films. In association with Swandivedigital, clients have included The Markle Foundation, Connecting for Health, Just for Men and Just for Men Select

    related writings:
  • Say It Again Sam, Don’t Pay it Again
  • The New Internet Math
  • Dollars & Sense

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    PHOTOGRAPHY & LIGHTING
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    Still Photography
    New York City, Prague • 1994 - present
    Theatrical publicity & performance photography and digital photography for usage in original design output. Highlights have included Blackbird (London, 2002), Quentin Crisp for Resident Alien (NYC, 2001, 2002), A Thread In The Dark (NYC, 2002), Liz Estrada (NYC, 2002), No Tragedy, Conference of the Birds, Angels In America, and A Christmas Carol (Prague, 1994 - 1996).

    Film & Video
    New York City • 1997 - present
    Cinematography & Videography highlights have included Bacchus, an award winning 16mm short film for Bacchus Productions (DP, Co-Producer & Co-Writer, 1997); What is to be Done?, a 20 minute video short (DP, 1998); A Simple Gesture, 16mm short film, (Director David Snedeker, co-DP, 1997); Here Everything Still Floats and Whitney Biennial '97 DV short film & documentary (Director Michael Rush, Operator, 1997 &1998); and Bass Method, Piano Method I & II educational videos for eMedia (DP, 2001, 2002, 2005)
    no reel currently available. work samples available upon request

    Film Lighting Technician
    Gaffer, Best Boy, Electrician, Grip
    New York City • 1990 - 1992, 1993, 1996 - 2001

    Over 150 film projects in various lighting technician capacities on such feature films as Happiness, Empire, Niagara, Niagara, Hangin' with the Homeboys; television shows(i.e. "100 Centre Street"); music videos for such known artists as The Strokes, The Fugees, Foxy Brown, Tom Jones, and Billy Joel; commercials, industrials and shorts. Member IATSE Local 52.
    partial credit list available at IMDB.com

    Theatrical Lighting Design
    Prague, New York • 1994 - 1996, 1998
    Envisioned, drafted and executed lighting concepts to underscore and complement directorial vision. Incorporated artistic styles ranging from naturalism to expressionism and social realism. 20 + Productions. Highlights include A Christmas Carol (Director Jesse Webb, Prague, 1994), No Tragedy (Director Peter Dubois, Prague, 1995), Itaka 2888 (Choreographer Petr Tyc, Czech Republic and Poland,1996), and Arcadia (Director Mervyn Willis, Visiting Artist at U. of Rochester, 1998)
    portfolio available upon request, online portfolio forthcoming

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    EDUCATION & SKILLS
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    Vassar College, 1990
    Dual Degrees: Dramatic Writing & Psychology
    Thesis Topic: Sam Shepard & the Philosophy of Roads

    Post-Graduate
    16 years of self-study of art, philosophy, history, design, world events, politics, financial markets, computer programming & human interaction; extensive travel throughout Europe and The United States.

    Software Proficiencies: Blogger software such as Movable Type & Wordpress, Photoshop, MS Office suite, MS Project, Omnigraffle (similar to Visio), BBEdit (handcoding), Dreamweaver, Contribute, HTML , CSS Stylesheets, Lyris ListManager. Familiar with: Illustrator, Flash, InDesign, Quark Xpress, Final Cut Pro

    More detailed media-specific resumes and/or portfolios available upon request


    ABOUT ::::: PORTFOLIOS :::: ONLINE PRESENCE