"A Brief History of Hollywood" – Acclaimed Animated Short by Filmmaker Nate Barlow Premieres at Dances With Films Festival Tuesday September 7, 2021
Long before the Hollywood Sign became the iconic symbol of the Entertainment Industry, it was merely an oversized billboard for a new housing development. Nate Barlow’s 9:30 minute short takes the audience on a fantastic historic journey covering 97-years of the Signs ups and downs, modifications, decay, and reconstruction. Using a unique computer animated time-lapse technique to overlay the Sign’s history, Barlow also superimposes major technical advances and milestones within the Film Industry.
"…irresistible nostalgia porn.”
“… a must-watch for cinema buffs across the board.”
“…a fantastic animated short!”
– Film Threat – 8/10 Score https://filmthreat.com/reviews/a-brief-history-of-hollywood/
According to Barlow, “The first time I drove way up into the Hollywood Hills and truly sensed the size and scope of those letters, I instantly became captivated. Upon researching, I realized there was so much more to its story than most people know, and I wanted to share that history in the most visual way possible.”
Barlow continues, “A billboard is not always a billboard… Beyond the show business iconography, the story of the Hollywood Sign and its ups and downs are a direct reflection of the times, a town, an industry, and what was happening in culture. It’s alive and has become the symbol of everything around it.”
From Hollywoodland to Hollyweed to GoUCLA to Perotwood and every prank and promotion in between, this innovative short with a perfect musical score, creates a truly magical and entertaining experience that have fans and film critics raving.
Barlow wrote, directed and produced the project, with original music by composer, David James Nielsen.
See the film's trailer below or on Vimeo here: https://vimeo.com/451997737
The Dances With Film Festival: “A Brief History of Hollywood” makes its Los Angeles debut screening at the festival on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 at 4:30PM. Nate Barlow will be available for interviews on the Green Carpet and after the screening.
About Nate Barlow:
In addition to A Brief History of Hollywood – Barlow is also Co-Producer of a current feature documentary entitled, The Water of Life focusing on the craftsmen, chemists, and renegades at the heart of the whisky revolution that turned the industry into the titan it is today.
A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Nate quickly rejected an engineering career to become a filmmaker in Los Angeles. He wears many hats in the Industry, from producer to writer, actor, director, and executive. Previously he wrote Random Encounters and produced & directed Tales From Beyond starring Adam West, which won several awards on the film festival circuit.
Upcoming Festivals include:
- Dances With Films – August 26 – September 12, 2021.
- L’Hospitalet – Barcelona International Film Festival – September 13-18, 2021 – Barcelona, Spain
- Rising of Lusitania – AnimaDoc Film Festival – September 24-26, 2021 – Gdansk, Poland
Past Festivals:
- American Documentary and Animation Film Festival
- San Francisco Frozen Film Festival
- Sonoma International Film Festival
“Ǝvolution” Comes Full Circle At The Chelsea Film Festival
The Chelsea Film Festival, running from October 16th through October 20th, 2024, at Regal Cinemas here in Union Square, is set to host the East Coast premiere of Ǝvolution, a thought-provoking experimental micro-short film that proves big ideas can come in small packages and in perfect circles.
In just 1 minute 16 seconds, this cinematic gem by Award-Winning Director Romina Schwedler, with original music by Argentine Composer Ignacio Montoya Carlotto, explores a cycle as old as time: life leads to progress, progress leads to destruction, and destruction, well, leads back to life. But is this vicious circle unbreakable? Ǝvolution suggests the answer is yes, unless we decide to open our eyes.
Inspired by the overwhelming number of recent events that threaten human existence, Ǝvolution, possibly the shortest film in this 12th edition of the festival, plays out entirely through the symbolism of circles, cleverly illustrating —in the blink of an eye— the repeating patterns of history, and confronting viewers with the uncomfortable truth that our so-called “progress” may, in fact, be guiding us to our own ruin.Premiering at the Regal 14 Union Square, New York City, on October 18, 2024, at 11 a.m., Romina Schwedler's micro-short, featuring Leah Young with cinematography by Alan J. Carmona, will be sure to spark conversations longer than the film itself! Forcing viewers to reconsider the true meaning of evolution, not just as a biological process, but as a reflection of our collective journey as humans.
With a string of festival appearances across the globe, including CineGlobe at CERN (Switzerland/France), Oscar®... Read More