Jonathan Schwarz

GOOD Transparency Cities: Emerging City Innovation

// November 7th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cinematography, My Work, The Internet

Check out this video by my friend Mark Owens that I helped him shoot for Good Magazine.  I’m really happy with the way it turned out.

UK and Ireland Trip Photos

// November 5th, 2009 // No Comments » // My Work, travel

I’m back from Europe and am finally getting over my jetlag.  I had a great time speeding through England, Scotland, and Ireland.  I’m sure I missed a ton but I also saw a whole lot.  I would have gained 10 pounds had it not been for the fact that we walked every where.  It was much too short but at the same time, I’m glad to be back home.

Click here to see the rest of the trip photos on my Flickr account.

Adventures in Photoshop

// October 13th, 2009 // No Comments » // Random

This is an early attempt at photoshop color grading.  I’m quite like the result.  Click here to see a few others.

I love the Internet

// September 29th, 2009 // No Comments » // The Internet

Mopper poster - first draft

// August 31st, 2009 // No Comments » // Film

I spent most of last night messing around with Photoshop and trying to teach myself Illustrator and in doing so came up with this.  I’m pretty happy with it and would love to hear what other people think.  And for those who haven’t seen Mopper yet, please check it out here.

Mopper - the complete movie

// August 14th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Film

So after long last, I’ve finally put Mopper up online.  For those of you who don’t know, Mopper was my second and final narrative movie I directed while at UCLA.  I believe it was shot at the end of January 2004.  I couldn’t have asked for a better cast and crew.  David Harris shot it, Regina Tsasis production designed and art directed it, Dave Herr edited it, Ho Keen Fi build the sets, Amy Adrion was the assistant camera, Thabo Wolfaardt assistant directed it, Martin Kisselov did the sound, Vanessa Rojas was the gaffer, and even Shawn Adams flew in from Cincinnati to be the script supervisor.  I also love that the band The Unicorns gave me permission to use one of their songs for the end credits.  And my cast members Vanessa Mizzone and Pat Battistin were both hilarious and great to work with.

But it’s the films star, Tony Mouleart, that I’m most proud of.  Tony was the real inspiration behind Mopper and whom without him, there wouldn’t have been a movie.  Thanks Tony!

I hope you all enjoy it… and look for new adventures of Mopper coming soon.  I’ll keep you updated!

Projects page just added!

// August 11th, 2009 // No Comments » // Random

Hello readers,

I wanted to let everyone know that I just added a projects page to the site.  You can find it up at the tope of the page next to my reel.  Go here to find more information about the various projects I am working on or have worked on in the past.

Enjoy.

Jon

The Sound Project - Promo Teaser

// August 8th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cinematography, Film

So I finally got around to purchasing a Vimeo plus account this weekend and thought the first thing I would put up would be our very first promo for The Sound Project.  Look for another one coming soon.

ps. enjoy some flickr photos.

David Lynch launches Interview Project

// May 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Film

This is Fi: Update

// April 30th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // This is Fi

What’s happening with Fi:

Some of you may know our friend, Ho Keen Fi, a filmmaker/photographer/set builder, the subject of a documentary film THIS IS FI and lastly an illegal immigrant.  Because of his immigration status, Fi had to travel from Los Angeles (where he lives) to Rochester, NY on a Greyhound bus.  He was headed back from Rochester, NY to Los Angeles (first detouring in Massachusetts to see Jack Kerouac’s grave), when he was picked up by the U.S. Border Patrol on the Greyhound bus.  We are seeking your help in finding a pro bono immigration attorney in New York state who will fight Fi’s imminent deportation.  Any leads and/or financial support towards Fi’s defense will be greatly appreciated.

What Fi called one of the greatest weekends of his life, in attending the wedding of his friends David Harris and Amy Adrion, turned into the possible end of Fi’s American Dream.  Fi is currently being detained in the Buffalo Federal Detention Center (in Batavia), which is a temporary detention center for those whose immigration status is being determined.

Fi came to the U.S. from Singapore on a six-month visa that expired about seven years ago.  Dreaming of freedom and artistic opportunities only possible in America, Fi left Singapore, a notoriously repressive city-state and chose to carve out a life here.  David and Jon Schwarz became friends with Fi during their time at UCLA Film School, when they hired Fi as a set builder for their student films.  For the past three years, they have been collaborating on a documentary film about Fi’s life as an illegal immigrant; his video journal chronicles the hardships shot through his unique lens on America.  But we’ll let Fi speak for himself: please see the trailer at www.thisisfi.com to experience what Fi means to all of us.

Any attorney who would take on this high-profile case would benefit from sympathetic coverage (and subsequent publicity upon its release) in David, Fi and Jon’s documentary film THIS IS FI.  David is a producer at MTV, Jon is a rising documentary filmmaker and Fi is one of the most compelling documentary subjects ever filmed.  Fi is as singular and entertaining as Timothy Speed Levitch in THE CRUISE and the Beales in GREY GARDENS.

We are asking for your help not only because Fi is one of our closest friends, but also because he truly is a filmmaker/artist of extraordinary talent.  We are seeking a pro bono immigration attorney who can immediately take Fi’s case, defend against removal charges, contest his deportation and make his case for political asylum.  Fi urgently needs an attorney who can counsel him on his case for asylum and help him prepare for an imminent meeting with his deportation officer, Dan Henderson.

Please forward this information on to anyone you think might be able to help out.  Time is a factor here and we really really need an immigration lawyer now.

Thanks.

Jonathan Schwarz

JWSchwarz@gmail.com