Check out new video from Beverly Fre$h on Detroit-based label sUPERIORbelly. Hot diggity damn do I ever wish we could say we made this video. Sadly, we cannot. Note: The “HOW YA DO,” is an original dance move, resembling a frantic handshake along with an uncontrollably shaky leg that was introduced by Beverly Fre$h on the second single from his latest album “BED” on sUPERIORbelly Records.
STILL HERE!
Geez, after something of a hiatus though. For no good reason other than what you may have predicted… “We’ve been busy!” But you expected that, right? Why else would have there have been such an awkward silence? But hey, things have been happening—
Development news seems to be abundant– A new BDubs! Bagger Daves next door! The new Illitch Hockey Arena! The first HATCH business (HUGH) is open! The nights have been fun– Macklemore came to Detroit! Noel Night was smashing! Creative Mornings is now happening in Detroit! Ernie plays slow jams on Mondays at the Woodbridge Pub!
It’s all good.
To boot, we’ve got some great client projects coming down the pipe in the first quarter of 2013 that we are pumped about. Been working with some new clients that are exerting a bit of faith in our process which is fun– ie, we are getting to do more and more in terms of crafting content both in scope and reach. So that’s cool. We’re also looking at a new proper office downtown which has been kind of fun– albeit slow– process. It’s kind of fun seeing all the spaces and envisioning what our little LAUNCH PAD could look like. It’d be fun to throw a party when we open? We’ll see.
As a send off, check out a piece we just completed on Supino Pizzeria for the UIX folks. Dave Mancini is cool as a cucumber– both cause his pizza is stellar, but because he possesses an unassuming knack for recognizing authentic talent and supporting it. Check it out, and WORD UP for now people!
Urban Innovation Exchange: Dave Mancini, Supino Pizzeria from DETROIT LIVES! on Vimeo.
We’ve been fortunate enough to chronicle the growth and evolution of the Green Garage over the last couple years in Detroit and have put together a piece looking at their work in the city for the Urban Innovation Exchange. The Green Garage is primarily a co-working office space Midtown, but the building itself is pretty amazing– specifically the fashion in which it was renovated. In 1920 it was a Model T showroom, but beginning in 2008 Peggy and Tom Brennan started its rebirth as a fixture in the community. Over the next three years they conducted a zero waste renovation project which implies that essentially nothing was put in the dumpster in the renovation. Old drain pipes are now rails for the staircase, flooring was re-planed and made in to decorative shelving, shingle and tar materials were sold to the state to go in to paving roads, etc. Pretty incredible. Listen to Peggy talk about the building and the community that is formulating around it, giving Detroit’s entrepreneurial community a nice spark.
Urban Innovation Exchange: Peggy Brennan, Green Garage from DETROIT LIVES! on Vimeo.
We were pleased to shot some of the footage used in Quicken Loans’ “Made in Detroit” TV spot featuring Kid Rock. It aired during Game 4 of the World Series just after Cabrera smashed a two-run home run to give the Tigs the lead. The ad kept the momentum going when it appeared, though unfortunately, the series didn’t end in our favor. That said, the commercial stands as testament to the momentum and cool things happening in the city right now. Check it out here:
In early 2012 we toured through Europe premiering the film in Poland, Germany and the Netherlands. From those days on the road we created a tour film showing the value of getting “After the Factory” out in to the world. The film is a short piece that aims to share a bit of the fun that comes along with traveling to places and creating discussion from the film. We hope you enjoy it.
After the Factory – On the Road from DETROIT LIVES! on Vimeo.
Today, the Rust Belt Tour continues as we go through cities throughout the United States that have falled victim to much of the same circumstances as Detroit and Lodz. For more information on screenings and the film in general, see the ATF website.
Not every town in America has a marching band that takes it upon themselves to surprise folks in a variety of circumstances– in a bar while sipping a cocktail or while sitting on the porch enjoying a lazy summer Sunday, for example. The Detroit Party Marching band has certainly honed their craft in the art of creating a good surprise, but they do it in a way that is so unique and fun that people almost hope that they show up on any given day to a place where they will be.
American Hipster Presents, a show going across 10 cities in the US, did a 10 minute episode on the Marching Band and the result is a really vibrant and fun look at but another one of Detroit’s quirky idiosyncrasies:
The latest in the series of short films we’ve been doing for the Urban Innovation Exchange was released today. The piece looks at Soh Suzuki and his work with DAY Project, an organization focused on mentoring Asian American youth.
For more of the work we’ve done with UIX, head over to their website.
The Urban Innovation Exchange: Soh Suzuki, DAY Project from DETROIT LIVES! on Vimeo.
Corey Booker, practically a personal hero of mine at this point, was in Detroit last week campaigning for President Obama and stopped in the WDET studios to have a chat with Craig Fahle.
What resulted was a pretty thought-provoking conversation from a guy that is currently tackling many of Detroit’s problems (successfully) in Newark. From identifying unique funding platforms to create a culture of entrepreneurship to increasing public safety by employing experimental equipment like gunshot technology, Booker is quickly creating an administration in Newark that is getting stuff done. Plain and simple. His words about unifying the efforts and voice of the city and putting aside partisan lines in an effort to just create actionable steps every day is quite inspiring. I’ve always said a guy like Corey Booker would be loved in Detroit, and hearing this conversation on the Craig Fahle Show only reinforces that assertion.
Listen to the full segment here
Or, be like one of the nearly 1.2 MILLION people that follow Booker on Twitter here
We’re pumped about a new piece that we just finished up for the Urban Innovation Exchange. Featured this time around is Steve Nawara of Beehive Recording Company (and who you may also remember as the former bassist for Electric Six. Look!: