Academy Award-winner Joel Harlow is one of the most innovative makeup and special makeup artists and designers in American motion pictures. He has proven himself to be one of a very few number of artists who is able to span the world of makeup effects design and creation to the world of on set makeup application. With his company Morphology Inc., Harlow has worked on some of the industries most popular tent-pole films to date.
Director Statement The world of “Old Time Radio” is meant to pay homage to the classic themes of the horror serial radio dramas from the 30s-40s-50s. There is an innocent quality that those programs offered that has been lost today. A chance to, collectively, adventure into a horror experience with a fun, almost comic, exuberance. I found that using old school movie tricks, such as rod puppets and miniature sets helps to convey the “feeling” I wanted to achieve. Hope you like it.
I met Andy in New York in 1963. This year I was invited by the Martha Graham Dance Academy to take an intensive course in contemporary dance. Once in New York, I met Harold Stevenson, a well-known American painter at the time, at an opening at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He invited me to a cocktail dinner given by Adelaide de Menil, a photographer and the daughter of John de Menil, a famous art collector during that time in New York. The youngest of her daughters founded the Dia Art Foundation, a renowned organization whose mission was to promote artists. At that dinner was Andy Warhol, and Stevenson introduced him to me, we greeted each other, and that was it. When the dance course at the Graham Academy concluded, I returned to Venezuela for the next two years, and it was in 1965 that I finally settled in New York. Manhattan seemed to be a melting-pot city where crucial things in relation to art were about to happen. When I arrived, I stayed at the YMCA on 23rd street, just across the Chelsea hotel. One day, I invited a dancer friend of mine to have dinner at a Spanish restaurant called “El Quijote” at the Chelsea Hotel. When we sat at a table, Warhol and some of the Factory members were next to us. I was intrigued when I saw Gerard Malanga approaching me to tell me that Warhol liked my style and presence. Back then, I used to dress in black with a cape. Malanga and I barely were able to communicate partially in English and partially in Italian; Warhol wanted to know if I would like to be part of his next film. I responded that certainly yes, but it wasn’t until another day I saw my friend Waldo Díaz-Balart that I heard from them again. Waldo told me that Warhol was going to shoot a movie at his house in the East Hamptons, he knew that we were friends and wanted to know if I was still interested in playing a role in the movie, so once again I said yes. Waldo and I became friends one day I was walking through the East Village when I first went to New York in ’63 . And that is how my group “Foundation for the Totality” and I participated in the filming of “Four Stars,” a 24-hour movie in which I performed a happening called “THE PAELLA- BICYCLE-TOTAL- CRUCIFIXION”.
-You’ve made several experimental movies with Andy Warhol… Tell us about it…
After “Four Starts,” I made some other films with the Factory, among them “The Nude Restaurant” and “The Loves of Ondine.” Besides the movies, I also collaborated with the Factory on many exhibition projects like for example, the idea of Mao Zedong was one of mine that I shared with Andy, and like that, many others that he thought were very good.
-What are your memories of the Factory?
I have unforgettable memories of the Factory and its members. It would be worth doing a full interview since only about it since there is a lot to tell: Gerard Malanga, Joe Dallesandro, Edie Sedgwick, Viva, Ultra Violet, the photographer Billy Name, and Paul Morrisey, who was the one who actually shot the movies, and so many others. My collaborations spanned various disciplines, in particular, I participated in the initial conversations about the “Interview” magazine project and in the first issue that was made, which was a silver box filled with various objects. Being part of the Factory was an extraordinary experience that marked my life as a before and after.
-How was Andy Warhol’s New York City?
Andy was an outstanding character and unquestionably a great genius. Andy perfectly understood and knew how to project the spirit of that magnificent city.
I have always said that Andy Warhol is a great documentarian, one of the most brilliant I have ever met. He knew how to capture the energy, the characters, the odors, the creativity, and the underground poetry that emanated from the asphalt of the streets of New York. Undoubtedly, the rarefied, polluted air that we breathed in the midst of that immense mass of concrete of its skyscrapers transmitted a powerful energy that urged us all not to stop, to keep going and cross the tightropes without a protective mesh. The sensation of the risk of the unknown, of the encounters, was a source of immense inspiration we transformed into urban poetry. No doubt that Warhol understood all this and wrote his memorable story.
He was an extraordinary and brilliant artist with whom I have great memories, very close memories, and great solidarity. I hope he is well, and that he is having a great time, and I would not be surprised if he is also recording and photographing this interview that he will surely publish; so get ahead of him and post it before he does.
-Who is Rolando Today?
Rolando Peña today is an avant-garde artist as he has always been, a tireless researcher with extreme curiosity accompanied by infinite energy. Rolando Peña has survived all the prejudices, denials, and infamy of the ignorant. The figure of the “Black Prince” is gone. It served as a shield for me in the sixties, but now it has turned against me. Several times I have tried to make him disappear, to bury him, but he is extremely stubborn, and it reborn again. However, I am Rolando Peña, his creator, and I am much more significant and thought-provoking than him. I currently live in Miami, but I work for the world. I live with a wonderful woman, Karla, my angel, whom I love enormously; we are blissful.
I can tell you that I still have many years to live to continue creating art accompanied by science and technology. So get ready, all the good is just starting.
Rachel Dolan is a Latina theatre artist, actor, writer, and filmmaker. Her love of theatre and film was sparked at an early age, a passion she knew she could not live without. As a theatre artist in her local community, she focuses on social justice themes, contributing to shows which focus heavily on the voices of those that are unheard or historically ignored. Rachel gained her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Temple University in Philadelphia and most recently acquired her Master of Fine Arts in Performing Arts from the Savannah College of Art & Design. As an actor and theatre artist, Rachel has an additional curiosity in all roles in theatre and film, spending time as a theatre apprentice, and eventually creating her own short film during her graduate program at SCAD. Creating her short film, El Canto de los Coquis quickly became an opportunity for further exploration of creativity, craft, and a love letter for Puerto Rico as seen through the eyes of a Puerto Rican-American woman. Rachel’s love for creating live beings through acting, reflecting the reality individuals must endure as well as welcoming space for new perspectives and voices was expounded upon through the creation of her film. She has a passion for art, empathy, creativity, collaboration, education, and the drive to contribute to the world in a positive way.
–What inspired you to become a filmmaker? I absolutely love to write. Writing gives me a sense of peace, an opportunity to process life into a world of creativity, one in which there is freedom to be our whole selves. Because of my love of writing, I would often create my own plays, as an actor, my own monologues and scenes, and my own scripts. The process is exhilarating, in a similar way acting is. One is bearing their soul, feelings, and emotions for others in hopes that they, too, feel truly seen in a world where we feel we must hide who we are for safety, from the pressure of others, or sometimes out of our own fear. The stories that come alive through writing then have the opportunity to be shared with others, to be felt by an audience, and exist to promote discussion or education, empathy or understanding. One of the most important reasons why I became an artist and filmmaker is for others to feel seen, heard, and to feel less alone. Witnessing a character living through a struggle in their life or something they cannot see their way out of and eventually overcoming it, becomes transformative for an audience because we can all identify with the human condition and a journey in which we are constantly discovering what we need and who we are. We all have a place in this world, and not only should we share our own unique perspectives and who we are, but we should also encourage others to do the same. I created my short film partly because I felt like there was no space for me, struggling with the complexity and experience of being a Latina and American, but also to communicate that those who might feel the same way are not alone and that it should be encouraged to accept all that we are. The other importance for me was that I know what it is to struggle and to come from a community that does not have the support that they should, but in that place still lives joy and love and opportunity. If I can dream and create and continue to rise above obstacles, then I would love to inspire those who also experience barriers to overcome them.
-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?
I absolutely believe that any form of art, film, theatre, and more can become a catalyst for change. We have the unique opportunity as artists to impact individuals in ways that others may not. Artists work in the language of souls, being and living, in that which cannot be seen but that is felt. Cinema has the opportunity to welcome conversations, change viewpoints and bring people closer. Cinema is often categorized as entertainment, but it also has the capacity to educate. We find ourselves more open to storytelling or experiencing another journey through art, whereas we may not be so inclined in other facets of life. Many may argue that film is based in fiction, although art mimics life, even art that may not be so overtly grounded in what we view is normal reality. Cinema compels us to consider what is beyond our everyday, even when we are presented with what may be viewed as daily life. Stories are slowed down and viewed on a larger scale, moment to moment is witnessed which is often glazed over in daily life. In cinema, moments are not passed, they are savored, and display life being lived, considered, and felt. I often argue that fact and statistics, although useful, are cold and unapproachable to many people. Numbers are distant, they can be brushed aside. However, when one is faced with an individual who may be included in the statistics discussed, they are humanized. They become someone who reminds us of our mother or friend, or even ourselves. Change is brought about through feeling and responding, something cinema will not allow audiences to turn away from. Throughout history, cinema based in documentaries, narratives, and any type of work has inspired change whether unearthing truth which has been kept in the dark or asking us to face that which has remained hidden within ourselves, and it will continue to do so as time moves on. Cinema inspires, challenges, illuminates, and welcomes individuals to be transformed and in my opinion, that is the best kind of art there is.
What would you change in the world?
Incredibly, there is an innumerable amount that people have discovered or achieved, but there also is so much more we are unaware of or have gotten very wrong. So many lives are being uprooted by countless issues in our world and of course everyone should be working to better these occurrences. As individuals, we can only help to better things where we can, making differences in the ways we are able to. Together, we have the capacity to better living situations on a larger scale and work to ensure that people’s basic rights and needs are met. Of course, I would love to see a world where people do not suffer, although it is not the one we live in. However, we can still try to alleviate that suffering when we are met with it, on whatever scale that may be. People wish to be seen, heard, understood, loved, included, and valued. In my own life and work I attempt to meet those needs and feel that if we can individually meet people with kindness, we can make steps towards positive change. I would also love to see the arts valued for how they impact people and the world. Funding, education, and excitement about the arts should be promoted, not stripped away. Not only because art can promote joy or assist in processing issues in our own lives, but because it fosters empathy which the world needs more of. If we can better learn to understand, listen, and close the divide between peoples, we may have a better chance of creating change that is rooted in action.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
I think the film industry has its problems like any, but it continues to move in the direction people are calling for. It pushes society forward, even when society may not want to follow it, but it is what is needed. Artists and filmmakers can often be the most open minded, and inclusive group of people because we are asked to analyze life, to listen to what is around us and to invite conversation and collaboration. We are a group that considers the disciplines of history, technology, anthropology, psychology and more into an art form that asks us to face what we must and look towards where we wish to go. I hope, and I believe the industry will continue to become more inclusive to all individuals, especially those that fall outside of the normative societal view. Technology and equipment may become even more detailed in extracting true essences of life and I also believe performances will move in the same vein. Art movements follow life and world events, and cinema will continue to experience groundbreaking changes as will people and the world. I do have hope that all things will move towards a better future and that cinema will remain thriving and celebrated and will not only capture these changes but drive them forward.
I am mainly a writer, although I spent some years as an improv acting teacher, among other things. I’ve written screenplays, novels, plays and recently finished executive producing/directing an album of a musical called These Are the Times. I was the lyricist and Grant Johnson, the remarkable composer.
-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
I’ve always wanted to be a filmmaker, especially once I started writing screenplays professionally and realized filmmaking was a director’s — not a writer’s — medium. The turning point in my career as a filmmaker was when I decided to capture the comedic stories that chronicled the history of comedy in the U.S., as told by the comic/director/teacher Howard Storm. Then it was no holds barred to make my feature documentary, Eye of the Storm,happen.
-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?
I think cinema — actually, all the arts — can help inspire change in society. But I don’t think art alone can do it.
-What would you change in the world?
I hope people could start treating each other with more compassion and respect for their common humanity. The divisions are what is making it so difficult to solve the world’s most existential problems, as well as what is keeping us in a state of perpetual wars.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
I think smaller films will find their niche in streaming services, but that larger films will command the theatrical experience, more reminiscent of the mid-nineteenth century with moving panoramas that captured the attention of large crowds than the meaningful, story- and character-focused movies of the 70s. I also thing that serial movies, much like TV series, will have a place in streaming. Sadly, a lot of the power of movies will be lost when people won’t have the experience of seeing a film in theaters, but my guess is that, all around the world, festivals and small theaters will rise up to find a way of giving that experience to the audience that wants it.
I’m one of the lucky filmmakers. I entered this industry in the late 1980s, when the traditional strategy was still dominant in Japanese film production. After graduating from university, I worked for Toei Studios Kyoto and gained experience in yakuza and samurai films.
I also learned about B-movies thoroughly and became independent in my late twenties. I made a lot of commercials, MV and TV pieces in my twenty to thirties.
I debuted as a film director before forty; I have made more than ten theatrically released films by now. As an aside, I’ve produced four films with Afghan directors, which, perhaps, makes me a “rare case” in Japan.
-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
I was working as a care worker while studying at the university.
One of my charges was a man on the spectrum whose father happened to be a film director. Back then, I had a dream, albeit nebulously, of working in the film industry.
So, I started learning about screenwriting from this director while taking care of his son once a week. Our textbooks were the works of Kurosawa, Ozu, Mizoguchi, etc., the legends of Japanese traditional films. This encounter decided my future.
(Though I must add that I was very attracted by New Wave films, such as Stranger Than Paradise by Jim Jarmusch.)
-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in society?
That’s very difficult when it comes to Japan, where mainstream movies are either manga-based love stories or animated films. Supposing a creator makes a provocative film with a strong social message, she or he usually wouldn’t be able to get enough money for marketing.
In other words, there is no support or distribution system for this type of film in our country yet.
Film directors don’t belong to a company but work as freelancers, so it’s also difficult for them to stay financially stable. We’re behind Korea or Taiwan, in this sense. Japanese films—fiction and documentaries alike—are certainly in a critical situation.
-What would you change in the world?
What I would do is to keep raising awareness about people with disabilities, refugees and social minorities, such as the LGBT community or people with mental health issues. It’s personal for me, because my son is living with a disability.
You’ve just got to keep doing what you believe in.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
Our society is overflooded with images made by AI on social media, such as Youtube, Instagram and Tiktok.
Many of those images, however, are only copies or reworkings of past creations.
We hardly see truly “new” images nowadays. The visual world is impoverished by digital technology.
We’ve obtained an innovative tool, but the world it shows has become rather dull. Now, more than ever, filmmakers are free to create. The future of the industry rests on our shoulders.
It will be the outcome of how seriously we confront society, how sincerely we commit ourselves to the world.
