Kevin Krumenauer Collaboration

I have entered into collaboration with classical composer Kevin Krumenauer. Kevin is currently composing a classical mass that will be theatrically presented. I have been asked to produce film/video visuals to accompany a live theatrical presentation of this work. The piece is currently in pre-production, and will be presented in Fall 2009.

9x9

I am proud to announce that I have been asked to be the editor of the feature film titled 9x9 directed by Evan Lieberman. The film is and will be in production into Summer 2009.

Having worked on the set of this film, I can say I am as excited to see the finished product as I am to start working on it... this will be a great film!

-Travis

VitaMix XL Comercial Release

I am excited to announce the release of a new stop-motion animated commercial we produced this fall. It is a commercial designed for YouTube release promoting a new blender, VitaMix XL®.

See the video on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk-fOzuGqNs
Or just search "Godzilla Blender" on YouTube

Please check out the video, and leave some comments on it... I'd love to know what you think!!

Also, we are hoping to have LOTS of hits on it, so watch it a lot, and share with friends!

Credits:
Director.... Jason Ellis
Cinematographer.... Angie Sciulli
Executive Producer.... Evan Lieberman
Producer.... Travis Pollert
AC.... Lizzy Barry

Thanks!!

Travis

Translation Theory (as understood Fall 2007)

Translation Theory (as understood Fall 2007) by Travis Pollert
originally posted October 12, 2007

For the last two years I have been working in a mode very different than I have ever worked before. In summer 2006 I began to verbally articulate this mode, and it at that point became my driving concept. After working through and around this concept for the last year and a half, it has refined itself in my mind. Put simply, it is Translation Theory.

The idea that I am interested in is that inside of all of us there is an internal core of understanding; a place in our mind and heart which we put information we receive, it is the place where information is processed, and it is where the information we put out comes from. If someone has an idea which they deem worthy to speak, they do so with a language.

Language, in this model, can be several different things. It may the verbal and non-verbal communication which passes between two people when they speak face to face; it may be an author communicating his or her ideas through the written word; or it may be an artist communicating their ideas through their art, whatever their art may be. For example, a dancer may take and idea from their core and articulate it through the expressive language of dance. Another example may be a speaker may speak strength and power into a listening group. In both instances, someone is able to communicate the emotional concepts, as well as the cognitive.

My fascination with this idea comes when you try to capture the essence of these artists on video. Something is lost. The dancers are moving images, and the speaker is a talking head. What happened? Well, we forgot what we learned in kindergarten by trying to place a round peg in a square hole. Film and video, just like dance and the spoken word, is a language. And just as if you were translating something from English to Spanish, you couldn't just exchange the words to words with similar meanings; if you did, your sentences wouldn't feel right. And yes, the Spanish teacher would understand what you were trying to say, but the emotional information packaged with the original sentence would be lost… lost in translation.

So what does this mean? This means that in order to translate something from one language to another, it must be done with care. Remember that the main idea is not to regurgitate what was said, but to carefully carry the idea, or the message, contained within the communication across the bridge to another language… and for the idea to be in tact when it is received by the next audience. The idea is received by you, then transcribed across your own mind and heart, through a sort of emotional Rosetta-Stone, and rearticulated using the vocabulary and delicacy of the language you are choosing to speak in.

This relates to my work now as I am working with different artists and communicators and am finding that simply capturing a video of a performance, speech, etc. is not effective in carrying the message of their work; and that in order to communicate the idea of their work, I must first understand what that idea is, and I do that by experiencing fully the work, becoming as intimate with it as I can. It is at that point where I can take the idea (both the cognitive values and emotion values of the idea) and, using the delicacy of the language of video, I can articulate that idea through this alternate medium.

Translation Theory then, to summarize as best I can, is the concept that an idea is passed through a channel of communication between sender and receiver (basic communication model), when the recipient of that idea experiences that idea, they can then process it through their own internal core of understanding, and restate the idea in a different language, or channel. This concept allows ideas to not be limited to a single medium, it also provides an environment for ideas to evolve, and the idea itself to become more and more exposed.

Translation Theory possess a unique quality to raise conscious awareness of ideas in individuals as well as society. It also encourages the artists' attempting it to become more alert to the subtleties of different languages. I predict that as an idea is transcribed from one form to another, and audience members are given the opportunity to experience articulations of the same idea through multiple languages, it will show that the mediums themselves are not as important as the ideas presented through them; humility is promoted through this revelation; and ultimately people, with all my hopes, will consider ideas more carefully, and not just believe them because they spoken through a trusted language (such as television).