Hello, if you’re looking for the current Scrappers press kit, download it here:

Scrappers lo-res press kit

Scrappers hi-res press kit (5mb)

The icing on the cake…hand-painted titles by David Handschuh and Megan Ross at 11hundred !

We spent the past week doing the immensely enjoyable job of overseeing the fine post-production work of Jonathan Schenke at the Experimental Sound Studio at Mike Matusak at Nolo Digital Film. Scrappers is looking and sounding better than ever before!

This movie is almost finished! Thanks to everyone who has supplied us with their detailed feedback over the past 2 months during the fine-cutting process.

Frank Rosaly’s original score for Scrappers was recorded on July 26th and 27th at Strobe Studio in Humboldt Park, by owner and head engineer Jamie Wagner.

Playing on the compositions are:
Jason Adasiewicz – vibraphone
Keefe Jackson – contrabass clarinet
Jason Roebke – bass
Frank Rosaly – drums, percussion, scrap metal, electronics, piano
Jason Stein – bass clarinet

Here’s a few shots from the sessions:

Expect video from the sessions soon, but in the meantime, enjoy this Frank Rosaly solo performance filmed by Brian and Ben:

Brian gave a talk to a group of Chicago Public Schools teachers at the University of Chicago Center for International Studies’ 2009 Summer Teacher Institute. The talk encouraged teaching on the circulation of natural resources in the world economy, with case studies on informal scrappers in Chicago as well as mineral extraction in the Democratic Republic of Congo. You can watch the talk here:

A group of K-12 science teachers developed a curriculum unit based on the material, which will be available by the end of the summer on the Summer Institute webpage.

Thanks to support for Scrappers from the Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation, the film will be made available after its release to all interested CPS teachers in their schools via CITF’s EBS broadcast system.

Scrappers has received generous finishing funds from the Chicago Instructional Technology Foundation, in the form of the CITF New Filmmaker’s Production Grant. CITF is a non-profit corporation that provides free instructional programming to schools in the Chicago area using frequencies reserved by the FCC for delivery of educational programming via an EBS system. CITF’s mission is to contribute to the education of students by providing compelling, quality programming that reflects the diversity of the human experience.

Brian Ashby has also received a grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, through the Community Arts Assistance Program (CAAP). The CAAP grant will specifically aid in the recording of Frank Rosaly’s original score, sound design, and audio clean-up. The 2009 CAAP press release, featuring Scrappers, can be downloaded by clicking here.

Thank you CITF and CAAP!

The main Scrappers site has been re-designed, and our trailer is up.  Check it out!

http://www.scrappersmovie.com/trailer.html

We’re thrilled to be working with editor Aaron Wickenden, Producer/Associate at Kartemquin Films.  Most recently Aaron co-edited and co-produced Steve James’ Academy Award shortlisted (fingers crossed!) At the Death House Door.  Aaron was post-production supervisor for the 7-hour immigrant epic, The New Americans, and associate editor for the innovative and terrifying first-person Iraq invasion documentary, The War Tapes.  If you haven’t seen these films, you should.

We’ve been working intensively with Aaron since November, and will continue through the early  months of 2009.

And watch out for a new trailer soon, on the main site.

Thanks to our 100+ supporters for coming out on a rainy Friday!

Special thanks to Jack Ashby, John Corbett, Jim Dempsey, Erin Drain, Josephine Ferorelli, Chris Hammes, Marco Kane & Martine Syms, Rebecca Lyon, Samip Mallick, Bernie McGovern, Mike Olive, Ilana Percher, Susannah Ribstein, Catherine Sullivan, Pete Toalson, and Rachel Wolther for your time, equipment, raffle items, and other help.

And an extra special thanks to all our donors.

Photos by Jack Ashby, Dave Schalliol, and Jim Steiner.