James Eck Rippie, sound artist. Lake Ann, Michigan.
Back to Your Senses is a series of short video portraits about people in Northern Michigan leaving the safety of what they know for the sake of what they love in a time of economic crisis. Completed and premiered in 2013 for an artist's residency in Northern Michigan at Eastern Michigan University's Jean Parsons Center.
A profile of sound artist James Eck Rippie. "Most striking to me, during our interviews, was the driving force behind James' work as an artist. He wants to live a life in which everyone is more highly aware of their surroundings, and he wants to make work that demands that level of awareness from others. His work is a call to come "Back to Your Senses" in a very literal way; asking the receiver be fully present in the moment, and experience the nuances of their own perception."
Camera, Director, Editor: Andrea Claire Morningstar
Sound: James Eck Rippie
Yuri Namkung, Violinist. Frankfort, Michigan.
Recently Emily left New York City, where she had a successful career working for magazines including The New Yorker, GQ, and Gourmet, to return to her home state of Michigan, and live a life more in line with her ideals. Here, the tiny village of Elberta, on the shores of Lake Michigan, Emily is working to revive a long retired community newspaper, and to turn her small plot of land within the village limits, into a homestead that can sustain her.
Producer, Director, Editor: Andrea Claire Morningstar
Camera: Jeff Morgan
Music: Mildew and Star
Erik Peterson, Carpenter. Empire, Michigan.
This is Zoe Moseler. Her parents, Mark and Mandy Moseler, former public school teachers, are taking a big leap. They're putting all their resources towards starting an artisan distillery in Northwestern Lower Michigan. They've sold their house, and are squatting Zoe's grandma's house, and hoping for the best. Zoe has a plan of her own; she's making jewelry out of a special stone that can only be found in the region where her folks are hoping to start their business.
Producer, Director, Editor: Andrea Claire Morningstar
Camera: Jeff Morgan
Score: Mildew and Star
Mark and Mandy Moseler, former public school teachers in Michigan who left teaching to start their own artisan micro-distillery. This piece chronicles their leap into being small business owners at a time of economic and environmental uncertainty. It also features their daughter Zoe, who was featured in micro-episode #1.
Additional music by:
The Library Anns and
Perigree Moon
William Apostle aka "Billy Strings", Musician, Traverse City, Michigan.
Northern Michigan musicians Billy Strings and Don Julin take the leap into gigging full time. Don, a seasoned musician who has learned how to juggle multiple musical talents in order to make a living, and young, virtuosic Billy, whose musical career is just beginning, find one another at just the right time.
Special thanks to NM3 Magazine and Wings of Wonder Bird Sanctuary