Jonathan Douglas Duran (born May 15, 1980) is an American writer, filmmaker and multimedia artist. A life-long Surrealist, Duran considers his work inseparable from the revolutionary, philosophical and political ideologies of the movement.
He is the creator and CEO of Surrealist Gesture, an American based multimedia production studio and co-founder and CEO of Subvex film studios, an American independent film production studio. He is a vocal supporter of open source content creation and the use Creative Commons licensing practices to distribute his work.
Life and career
Jonathan Douglas Duran was born in Kansas City, Missouri. From a young age he was exposed to the world of cinema and avant-garde art by his parents; he has been quoted as saying that while growing up, around the age of 11, Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film A Clockwork Orange was his favorite film . His ambitions as an artists grew out of these formative years, an avid reader from childhood Duran's first love was writing, however after reading Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon Duran insisted on seeing one of the author's film, his father obliged with the single Anger film in his collection; Invocation of My Demon Brother. After viewing the film Duran decided to start making short, experimental films. Also around this time he first read Andre Breton's poetry which inspired his lifelong study into the Surrealist movement.
Film
Duran has made numerous short and longer form films throughout his life on a variety of formats, ranging from 8 mm film to High-definition video, most of these films are nonlinear narrative and silent.
Selected filmography
* Desperate - 1996
* Pull All the White Strings (from your trashy heart)- 1999
* Woman - 2003
* The Human Verb - 2007
* God Rest, Ye Merry Gentlemen - 2008
* Pop Tart - 2009
* images/dissonance - 2010
* Distorted Ghosts (dance for death) - 2010
* Paradise Circus - 2010
* Open - 2010
The Auteurs' Garage
In November of 2008 Duran helped to create a sub-site to the popular film social networking site (at the time named 'The Auteurs'), named "Garage" . The site was designed to bring exposure and credibility to independent filmmakers from all over the world. Eventually he took on the role of editor for their "Production Notebooks" , a collection of essays and anecdotes written by filmmakers discussing their creative processes. In 2010 The Auteurs, with The Garage, was awarded a "Movie and Film" Webby Award for being voted best movie site online.
Subvex
In May 2010 Duran, along with the other original creators of the Auteurs' Garage and outside filmmakers, including Remodernist filmmaker Jesse Richards, founded their own production company which they named "Subvex" . They described Subvex as follows:
Subvex is an international collective of multi-media artists. Currently based in New York, Paris and London. Subvex produces independent films, advocates the occupation of new spaces for the projection of films that would otherwise struggle to receive distribution in a mainstream market, and emphasizes the development of ground-level cultures around new waves in contemporary film making. Subvex embraces and seeks to cultivate the viral, open-source, copy-left content models which will shape the future landscape of artistically pertinent media creation, consumption and proliferation.
An eclectic, globally disparate family of cinema creatives with wildly differing views on most things aesthetic, they nonetheless all share one key perspective— they understand that the mainstream film industry is a largely written book, dictated by money and the pursuit of profit.
Subvex then exists to commission, curate, showcase and produce cutting-edge media and vanguard cinema— to give life blood to a new wave of creative action in film production. We collaborate. We pool funds for film productions. Often we pitch not just one production at a time, but multiple productions that share the monies raised between the directors.
The broad-sweep emphasis is on encouraging independent control of the means of production, improving upon economies of scale and seeking alternative tactics and routes for distribution, including (but not limited to) live events and screenings outside of the traditional cinema/theatrical environment. The ultimate goal is the creation of a global platform for new and sometimes radical work by filmmakers and audio-visual artists.
We then aim to bring a wider context to this work so that the work may thrive, and allow the filmmakers to build a direct relationship with a dedicated audience through the development of cutting edge media websites and professional networks.
Duran then devised and organized the first Subvex production; a collaborative, anthology film which was presented under the tentative title of "The Subvex Exquisite Corpse 8mm film Experiment" . His concept was to play a cinematic version of the old Surrealist Parlor game known as Exquisite Corpse, a game in which different artists collaborate on a single piece by each contributing their own parts without knowledge of that the other artists are contributing. The result is a collage of disparate and often times, incongruous aesthetics which in turn make the larger whole take on new, unplanned contextual meaning. The film's budget was collecting through crowd funding. The feature length film is produced by sending 8mm film and cameras out to directors from all over the world and to make the film more interesting Subvex allowed the public, who funded the film, to be given producer's credits and also inform the director's style to a certain degree by offering up "rules" which the filmmakers would have to follow while creating their films (such as 'all editing must be done in camera', for example).
Subvex pulled together some of the best avant-garde, independent filmmakers still currently working to collaborate on the project, people such as Amos Poe, Jonas Mekas, Bill Morrison, Lav Diaz, Nina Menkes and Nabil Shaban amongst others. This anthology film project is unique in the aspect that the filmmakers do not proceed with their productions knowing how, where or why their short films will fit into the larger whole.
Big Screen Project
In mid 2010 Subvex became one of the original content programmers for 'The Big Screen Project',http://bigscreenproject.org</ref>, a non-profit organization based out of Manhattan, New York who have installed a thirty foot tall HD LCD screen on 6th avenue in Manhattan. Subvex programs content ranging from independent to established world filmmakers,offering a unique venue for independent filmmakers to showcase their work and gain exposure to large audiences. Original content created specifically for this ongoing collaboration is in pre-production, planning stages as of late 2010.
Teaching
Duran spent approximately five years teaching film appreciation courses
, to eventually having his students take part in the creation of a film themselves. The project this eventually led to was titled "The Human Verb", a feature length, silent film completely improvised and made with non-professional actors, no external lighting of sound equipment and the entire technical crew consisting only of Duran himself. His direction consisted of telling people in front of the camera to do whatever came to his mind depending on the location they were in - later on, during the editing process he added intertitles to the film, creating his own loose story based on automatic responses to the action on-screen. The actors were never informed of what their 'characters' were doing or 'saying' until they saw the completed film.
Writing
Duran writes Fiction and non-fiction material in roughly equal measure, ranging from poetry, short stories, screenplays, novels, manifestos and literary/cinematic criticism.
He has self published and released under Creative Commons licensing, at least two books under his legal name including a collection of fiction and non-fiction work entitled "I Am the Fire that Flares up Again", as well as an original novel "Libido Sciendi" - a story set in early nineteenth century France concerning a group of individuals inspired to revolutionary actions by the political and artistic teachings of (at the time) new art movement known as Surrealism.
Duran's poetry has also been published in print and online in various publications.
Multimedia visual art
Duran began painting in his early teens and continues to work, mostly in oils, to this day. He has been the subject of numerous solo gallery shows in and around the Kansas City area. These shows usually consist of multimedia works ranging from painting, photography, sculpture and audio/visual installation pieces.
Music
Along with creating music and being sound designer for his films, Duran has also released albums under the names "Process" and "I Stand Alone". Duran also works with bands in collaborative capacities by creating remixes and visual components to their work, such as videos, cover art and performance pieces.
A collection of his work ranging from the past decade can be found on the compilation album "Enharmonic Intervals", available for free under a Creative Commons license, or on a "pay what you will" model from Bandcamp and also from regular, monetary based online retailers such as amazon.com and iTunes.
His music can best be described as arhythmic organized noise, or commonly referred to as industrial music or experimental music.
He is the creator and CEO of Surrealist Gesture, an American based multimedia production studio and co-founder and CEO of Subvex film studios, an American independent film production studio. He is a vocal supporter of open source content creation and the use Creative Commons licensing practices to distribute his work.
Life and career
Jonathan Douglas Duran was born in Kansas City, Missouri. From a young age he was exposed to the world of cinema and avant-garde art by his parents; he has been quoted as saying that while growing up, around the age of 11, Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film A Clockwork Orange was his favorite film . His ambitions as an artists grew out of these formative years, an avid reader from childhood Duran's first love was writing, however after reading Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon Duran insisted on seeing one of the author's film, his father obliged with the single Anger film in his collection; Invocation of My Demon Brother. After viewing the film Duran decided to start making short, experimental films. Also around this time he first read Andre Breton's poetry which inspired his lifelong study into the Surrealist movement.
Film
Duran has made numerous short and longer form films throughout his life on a variety of formats, ranging from 8 mm film to High-definition video, most of these films are nonlinear narrative and silent.
Selected filmography
* Desperate - 1996
* Pull All the White Strings (from your trashy heart)- 1999
* Woman - 2003
* The Human Verb - 2007
* God Rest, Ye Merry Gentlemen - 2008
* Pop Tart - 2009
* images/dissonance - 2010
* Distorted Ghosts (dance for death) - 2010
* Paradise Circus - 2010
* Open - 2010
The Auteurs' Garage
In November of 2008 Duran helped to create a sub-site to the popular film social networking site (at the time named 'The Auteurs'), named "Garage" . The site was designed to bring exposure and credibility to independent filmmakers from all over the world. Eventually he took on the role of editor for their "Production Notebooks" , a collection of essays and anecdotes written by filmmakers discussing their creative processes. In 2010 The Auteurs, with The Garage, was awarded a "Movie and Film" Webby Award for being voted best movie site online.
Subvex
In May 2010 Duran, along with the other original creators of the Auteurs' Garage and outside filmmakers, including Remodernist filmmaker Jesse Richards, founded their own production company which they named "Subvex" . They described Subvex as follows:
Subvex is an international collective of multi-media artists. Currently based in New York, Paris and London. Subvex produces independent films, advocates the occupation of new spaces for the projection of films that would otherwise struggle to receive distribution in a mainstream market, and emphasizes the development of ground-level cultures around new waves in contemporary film making. Subvex embraces and seeks to cultivate the viral, open-source, copy-left content models which will shape the future landscape of artistically pertinent media creation, consumption and proliferation.
An eclectic, globally disparate family of cinema creatives with wildly differing views on most things aesthetic, they nonetheless all share one key perspective— they understand that the mainstream film industry is a largely written book, dictated by money and the pursuit of profit.
Subvex then exists to commission, curate, showcase and produce cutting-edge media and vanguard cinema— to give life blood to a new wave of creative action in film production. We collaborate. We pool funds for film productions. Often we pitch not just one production at a time, but multiple productions that share the monies raised between the directors.
The broad-sweep emphasis is on encouraging independent control of the means of production, improving upon economies of scale and seeking alternative tactics and routes for distribution, including (but not limited to) live events and screenings outside of the traditional cinema/theatrical environment. The ultimate goal is the creation of a global platform for new and sometimes radical work by filmmakers and audio-visual artists.
We then aim to bring a wider context to this work so that the work may thrive, and allow the filmmakers to build a direct relationship with a dedicated audience through the development of cutting edge media websites and professional networks.
Duran then devised and organized the first Subvex production; a collaborative, anthology film which was presented under the tentative title of "The Subvex Exquisite Corpse 8mm film Experiment" . His concept was to play a cinematic version of the old Surrealist Parlor game known as Exquisite Corpse, a game in which different artists collaborate on a single piece by each contributing their own parts without knowledge of that the other artists are contributing. The result is a collage of disparate and often times, incongruous aesthetics which in turn make the larger whole take on new, unplanned contextual meaning. The film's budget was collecting through crowd funding. The feature length film is produced by sending 8mm film and cameras out to directors from all over the world and to make the film more interesting Subvex allowed the public, who funded the film, to be given producer's credits and also inform the director's style to a certain degree by offering up "rules" which the filmmakers would have to follow while creating their films (such as 'all editing must be done in camera', for example).
Subvex pulled together some of the best avant-garde, independent filmmakers still currently working to collaborate on the project, people such as Amos Poe, Jonas Mekas, Bill Morrison, Lav Diaz, Nina Menkes and Nabil Shaban amongst others. This anthology film project is unique in the aspect that the filmmakers do not proceed with their productions knowing how, where or why their short films will fit into the larger whole.
Big Screen Project
In mid 2010 Subvex became one of the original content programmers for 'The Big Screen Project',http://bigscreenproject.org</ref>, a non-profit organization based out of Manhattan, New York who have installed a thirty foot tall HD LCD screen on 6th avenue in Manhattan. Subvex programs content ranging from independent to established world filmmakers,offering a unique venue for independent filmmakers to showcase their work and gain exposure to large audiences. Original content created specifically for this ongoing collaboration is in pre-production, planning stages as of late 2010.
Teaching
Duran spent approximately five years teaching film appreciation courses
, to eventually having his students take part in the creation of a film themselves. The project this eventually led to was titled "The Human Verb", a feature length, silent film completely improvised and made with non-professional actors, no external lighting of sound equipment and the entire technical crew consisting only of Duran himself. His direction consisted of telling people in front of the camera to do whatever came to his mind depending on the location they were in - later on, during the editing process he added intertitles to the film, creating his own loose story based on automatic responses to the action on-screen. The actors were never informed of what their 'characters' were doing or 'saying' until they saw the completed film.
Writing
Duran writes Fiction and non-fiction material in roughly equal measure, ranging from poetry, short stories, screenplays, novels, manifestos and literary/cinematic criticism.
He has self published and released under Creative Commons licensing, at least two books under his legal name including a collection of fiction and non-fiction work entitled "I Am the Fire that Flares up Again", as well as an original novel "Libido Sciendi" - a story set in early nineteenth century France concerning a group of individuals inspired to revolutionary actions by the political and artistic teachings of (at the time) new art movement known as Surrealism.
Duran's poetry has also been published in print and online in various publications.
Multimedia visual art
Duran began painting in his early teens and continues to work, mostly in oils, to this day. He has been the subject of numerous solo gallery shows in and around the Kansas City area. These shows usually consist of multimedia works ranging from painting, photography, sculpture and audio/visual installation pieces.
Music
Along with creating music and being sound designer for his films, Duran has also released albums under the names "Process" and "I Stand Alone". Duran also works with bands in collaborative capacities by creating remixes and visual components to their work, such as videos, cover art and performance pieces.
A collection of his work ranging from the past decade can be found on the compilation album "Enharmonic Intervals", available for free under a Creative Commons license, or on a "pay what you will" model from Bandcamp and also from regular, monetary based online retailers such as amazon.com and iTunes.
His music can best be described as arhythmic organized noise, or commonly referred to as industrial music or experimental music.
Erik Shaw (Born Erik Alan Shaw in Panama City Florida) is a Veteran-rights advocate,spokesmen and Author, formally out of Pittsburgh, PA.
Shaw was a well known veteran-rights personality in Pittsburgh, PA from 2008-2010 while working with multiple non-profit organizations that specialize in veterans issues, and more specifically post-military career issues that veterans often have upon completion of their military service.
Shaw was Born in 1979 to Ed and Linda Shaw, both of Pittsburgh, PA. Shaw's parents were both members of the US Air Force during this time and in 1980 they left Florida for their hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. Shaw has 1 sister.
Shaw was raised in Imperial, PA and went to school in the West Allegheny school district until 1993 when his family moved to the city of Pittsburgh where Shaw's father is currently a police officer.
In 1993, Shaw went to a catholic school (Incarnation Academy) and claims he "never bought into the system and spent the year in the hallway". The school has since closed. Shaw's classmates included Luke Ravenstahl, the current mayor of Pittsburgh.
He attended Perry Traditional Academy from 1994 until graduation in 1998. He says these 4 years were the toughest of his life and other than a diploma got "nothing" from attending this school. He claims he will never support the school in any capacity for any reason in the future. He maintains very few relationships from this time period.
In the year 2000, Shaw joined the United States Army. He joined with military occupational specialty 14R and upon completion of basic training was sent to Ft Bliss, TX to train as a Bradley Line Backer Crew member.
From 2001-2003 Shaw was stationed with 4/3 ADA battery in the 1st Infantry Division (Big Red One) and attained the rank of Specialist (E-4).
From 2003-2004 he was stationed in Korea with 5/5 ADA in the 2nd Infantry Division. While in Korea he met his wife, Kristen, who was also a member of the United States Army. They currently have 1 child. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2003.
From 2004-2006 Shaw was stationed at Ft Carson, Colorado and spent time with the 4th Infantry Division; upon the deactivation of C 1/44 ADA Battery volunteered to join the Army's elite [http://3rd%20Armored%20Cavalry%20Division 3rd Armored Cavalry Division].
In 2005 he was deployed to Iraq as a Dismounted Team leader. The regiment and his platoon were in charge of a 40 mile area in the South Baghdad region. The fighting was intense and the platoon was hit by over 40+ Improvised Explosive Devices during this time.One of these IED resulted in the death of one of Shaws Platoon members and the serious injury of 3 others. The Regiment was sent to northern Iraq in June 2005 and in July, Shaw's platoon was sent to Tal Afar, Iraq to improve security for upcoming elections and eliminate the threat of Al-Qaeda in this insurgent stronghold. The infamous Iraqi Al-Qaeda leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was using Tal Afar as a base in which they could launch attacks throughout Iraq.
The Regiment and Shaw's platoon were involved in the methodical raid of Tal Afar called "Operation Restoring Rights". Shaw would serve on his unit's sniper team as a "in-house" trained spotter and was also a Bradley Fighting Vehicle Commander. This mission would be the first positive mission for the military while in Iraq and would later be called by President George W Bush as the "turning point" for Iraq. The Regiment would be awarded The Presidential Unit citation for their heroic actions in Tal Afar.
Post-military, Shaw moved from Colorado to Washington D.C. where he became active in Veteran issues. From his own experience having difficulties finding a job, he started to make others aware of this widespread problem, and linked up with a non-profit organization out of Atlanta, GA, Hire Heroes USA. Shaw volunteered to assist this organization from 2007 to 2010. In 2007, Shaw was part of feature in Forbes Magazine that highlighted post-military issues. Shaw now says he has "retired" from assisting non-profit organizations, but does endorse The Fisher House and The Wounded Warrior Project. Shaw says he doesn't like the "wounded" label many of the magazines has given him. Shaw insists he was "deathly sick for a little while there, but not wounded". Shaw was directly hit by an IED while commanding his Bradley Fighting Vehicle in 2005 in South Baghdad and was exposed to multiple enemy engagements with his platoon during OIF 3; he was ultimately medically evacuated from Iraq in January 2006.
In 2008, Shaw moved back to Pittsburgh and accepted a position with the University Of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). While in Pittsburgh Shaw became more active with Veteran hiring efforts and worked with UPMC on various initiatives to hire disabled and combat veterans. In 2008 Shaw was featured in multiple national and local publications, and was interviewed multiple times by various media outlets in an attempt to make more people aware of the difficulties that veterans face when their military careers are over. He gave multiple speeches around the Pittsburgh area that "drove the point home" and really made a difference in the Pittsburgh area. A speech Shaw gave on Veterans Day in 2008 became an internet phenomenon, and has been featured by radio host, Betty Kilbride, on her radio program "All Fired up" in Washington DC and was even copyrighted on Shaw's behalf by a Vietnam Veterans Support Group based out of Delaware. Shaw claims to this day he always knows when the speech is "on the move" because his Facebook page explodes with friend requests! Shaw says that speech is his best work and his greatest moment as a writer. "The Speech", as Shaw calls it, has reportedly been featured on Veterans Day and Memorial Day around the United States on various media outlets. He says he even signed an autograph or 2 after some of his appearances, and was blown away that people thought that highly of "The Speech".
In 2009, Shaw was invited to speak at a program to announce UPMC's commitment to the US Army Reserves Employment Partnership program. Shaw spoke at the ceremony and met with US Army Reserve Commanding General, Jack Stultz. Shaw and General Stultz were subsequently featured in GI Jobs Magazine, a national publication that assists in Veteran hiring efforts.
Shaw stayed active in Pittsburgh and worked with the VA,UPMC and other organizations until the Spring of 2010 when he started working as an adviser for the US Army Reserves.During his time in Pittsburgh and his time as a key note speaker he created opportunities for hundreds of veterans nationwide but also in the Western Pennsylvania region. Shaws efforts in raising awareness changed how a Billion dollar company went about hiring Veterans and as noted in during a Press conference in 2009 "UPMC is unmatched in it's dedication to veterans". The ability to identify a problem and fix it in a fast and cost effective manner was Shaw's strong suit in helping veterans and it was used to place wounded and disabled Veterans in situations in which they could lead normal lives and begin to heal.
In the Spring of 2010, Shaw started working full time as an adviser and moved to Colorado Springs, where he says he will write an autobiography (Brave Rifles) about his time in the US Military and his post military trials and tribulations . The book is on schedule for a Fall 2011 release in selected markets and nationwide availability in 2012.
Shaw currently works with his fellow Cavalry Troopers to organize an annual reunion in reminiscent of The Doolittle Raiders annual traditional toast. The event, Cavfest, is held at start of every summer and will continue to honor all the fallen soldiers of the 3RD ACR until all the members of Predator Battery, the Regimental leadership, and invited veterans of the 3RD ACR and OIF 1-6 have all passed on.
Shaw is an avid collector of WWII memorabilia and has made efforts to meet with WWII vets any time he gets the opportunity and also works to preserve their legacy's.
Shaw was a well known veteran-rights personality in Pittsburgh, PA from 2008-2010 while working with multiple non-profit organizations that specialize in veterans issues, and more specifically post-military career issues that veterans often have upon completion of their military service.
Shaw was Born in 1979 to Ed and Linda Shaw, both of Pittsburgh, PA. Shaw's parents were both members of the US Air Force during this time and in 1980 they left Florida for their hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. Shaw has 1 sister.
Shaw was raised in Imperial, PA and went to school in the West Allegheny school district until 1993 when his family moved to the city of Pittsburgh where Shaw's father is currently a police officer.
In 1993, Shaw went to a catholic school (Incarnation Academy) and claims he "never bought into the system and spent the year in the hallway". The school has since closed. Shaw's classmates included Luke Ravenstahl, the current mayor of Pittsburgh.
He attended Perry Traditional Academy from 1994 until graduation in 1998. He says these 4 years were the toughest of his life and other than a diploma got "nothing" from attending this school. He claims he will never support the school in any capacity for any reason in the future. He maintains very few relationships from this time period.
In the year 2000, Shaw joined the United States Army. He joined with military occupational specialty 14R and upon completion of basic training was sent to Ft Bliss, TX to train as a Bradley Line Backer Crew member.
From 2001-2003 Shaw was stationed with 4/3 ADA battery in the 1st Infantry Division (Big Red One) and attained the rank of Specialist (E-4).
From 2003-2004 he was stationed in Korea with 5/5 ADA in the 2nd Infantry Division. While in Korea he met his wife, Kristen, who was also a member of the United States Army. They currently have 1 child. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2003.
From 2004-2006 Shaw was stationed at Ft Carson, Colorado and spent time with the 4th Infantry Division; upon the deactivation of C 1/44 ADA Battery volunteered to join the Army's elite [http://3rd%20Armored%20Cavalry%20Division 3rd Armored Cavalry Division].
In 2005 he was deployed to Iraq as a Dismounted Team leader. The regiment and his platoon were in charge of a 40 mile area in the South Baghdad region. The fighting was intense and the platoon was hit by over 40+ Improvised Explosive Devices during this time.One of these IED resulted in the death of one of Shaws Platoon members and the serious injury of 3 others. The Regiment was sent to northern Iraq in June 2005 and in July, Shaw's platoon was sent to Tal Afar, Iraq to improve security for upcoming elections and eliminate the threat of Al-Qaeda in this insurgent stronghold. The infamous Iraqi Al-Qaeda leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was using Tal Afar as a base in which they could launch attacks throughout Iraq.
The Regiment and Shaw's platoon were involved in the methodical raid of Tal Afar called "Operation Restoring Rights". Shaw would serve on his unit's sniper team as a "in-house" trained spotter and was also a Bradley Fighting Vehicle Commander. This mission would be the first positive mission for the military while in Iraq and would later be called by President George W Bush as the "turning point" for Iraq. The Regiment would be awarded The Presidential Unit citation for their heroic actions in Tal Afar.
Post-military, Shaw moved from Colorado to Washington D.C. where he became active in Veteran issues. From his own experience having difficulties finding a job, he started to make others aware of this widespread problem, and linked up with a non-profit organization out of Atlanta, GA, Hire Heroes USA. Shaw volunteered to assist this organization from 2007 to 2010. In 2007, Shaw was part of feature in Forbes Magazine that highlighted post-military issues. Shaw now says he has "retired" from assisting non-profit organizations, but does endorse The Fisher House and The Wounded Warrior Project. Shaw says he doesn't like the "wounded" label many of the magazines has given him. Shaw insists he was "deathly sick for a little while there, but not wounded". Shaw was directly hit by an IED while commanding his Bradley Fighting Vehicle in 2005 in South Baghdad and was exposed to multiple enemy engagements with his platoon during OIF 3; he was ultimately medically evacuated from Iraq in January 2006.
In 2008, Shaw moved back to Pittsburgh and accepted a position with the University Of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). While in Pittsburgh Shaw became more active with Veteran hiring efforts and worked with UPMC on various initiatives to hire disabled and combat veterans. In 2008 Shaw was featured in multiple national and local publications, and was interviewed multiple times by various media outlets in an attempt to make more people aware of the difficulties that veterans face when their military careers are over. He gave multiple speeches around the Pittsburgh area that "drove the point home" and really made a difference in the Pittsburgh area. A speech Shaw gave on Veterans Day in 2008 became an internet phenomenon, and has been featured by radio host, Betty Kilbride, on her radio program "All Fired up" in Washington DC and was even copyrighted on Shaw's behalf by a Vietnam Veterans Support Group based out of Delaware. Shaw claims to this day he always knows when the speech is "on the move" because his Facebook page explodes with friend requests! Shaw says that speech is his best work and his greatest moment as a writer. "The Speech", as Shaw calls it, has reportedly been featured on Veterans Day and Memorial Day around the United States on various media outlets. He says he even signed an autograph or 2 after some of his appearances, and was blown away that people thought that highly of "The Speech".
In 2009, Shaw was invited to speak at a program to announce UPMC's commitment to the US Army Reserves Employment Partnership program. Shaw spoke at the ceremony and met with US Army Reserve Commanding General, Jack Stultz. Shaw and General Stultz were subsequently featured in GI Jobs Magazine, a national publication that assists in Veteran hiring efforts.
Shaw stayed active in Pittsburgh and worked with the VA,UPMC and other organizations until the Spring of 2010 when he started working as an adviser for the US Army Reserves.During his time in Pittsburgh and his time as a key note speaker he created opportunities for hundreds of veterans nationwide but also in the Western Pennsylvania region. Shaws efforts in raising awareness changed how a Billion dollar company went about hiring Veterans and as noted in during a Press conference in 2009 "UPMC is unmatched in it's dedication to veterans". The ability to identify a problem and fix it in a fast and cost effective manner was Shaw's strong suit in helping veterans and it was used to place wounded and disabled Veterans in situations in which they could lead normal lives and begin to heal.
In the Spring of 2010, Shaw started working full time as an adviser and moved to Colorado Springs, where he says he will write an autobiography (Brave Rifles) about his time in the US Military and his post military trials and tribulations . The book is on schedule for a Fall 2011 release in selected markets and nationwide availability in 2012.
Shaw currently works with his fellow Cavalry Troopers to organize an annual reunion in reminiscent of The Doolittle Raiders annual traditional toast. The event, Cavfest, is held at start of every summer and will continue to honor all the fallen soldiers of the 3RD ACR until all the members of Predator Battery, the Regimental leadership, and invited veterans of the 3RD ACR and OIF 1-6 have all passed on.
Shaw is an avid collector of WWII memorabilia and has made efforts to meet with WWII vets any time he gets the opportunity and also works to preserve their legacy's.
<table class="infobox" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" rules="rows" align="right" style="font-size:85%; width:25em; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid black;">
<tr style="background:LightBlue;">
<td style="font-size: larger;" align="center" colspan="2">Smugglers Records</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="4">
<div class="center">
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right">Label Type</td>
<td>Indie</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right">Founded</td>
<td>2008</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right">Founder(s)</td>
<td>Will Greenham, Phil Self</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right">Genre(s)</td>
<td>Folk, Roots Music, World Music</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right">Location</td>
<td>Deal, Kent</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right">Country</td>
<td>United Kingdom</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right">Web address</td>
<td>http://www.smugglersrecords.com</td>
</tr>
</table>
Smugglers Records is an Independent record label and artist collective. It was founded in 2008 in Deal, Kent by Will Greenham and Phil Self. It is a non-profit organization and works in a similar way to a worker cooperative.
Started during the economic downturn of the late 2000s, Smugglers Records has worked with a number of folk based acts including Cocos Lovers, The momeraths and Will Varley. In 2010 Cocos Lovers received warm reviews for their debut album from critics including The Independent , Subba Culture and UKMusicReview.co.uk . As well as releasing records the label organises community music events and has played a large part in the revival of The Astor Theatre . The "Smugglers Sessions" and "Smugglers Records Presents..." nights have hosted numerous internationally acclaimed acts such as C. W. Stoneking, Nuru Kane and Bayou Seco.
History
Smugglers Records began as an information exchange between a small group of musicians in Kent and South London. The first release came in 2009, a short press of an EP by Cocos Lovers entitled Lunatic Van Rogue (SR001) which sold out and received a seven out of ten review from In The News . The Ukulele Gangsters Album was also released in 2009.
In early 2010 The Smugglers' Sessions began running weekly at The Astor Theatre in Deal, Kent. The night hosted a number of acts from across the UK including The Zen Bicycle Band, Russel Joslin, Sam Airey and Theo Bard, as well as regular performances from acts who are associated with the label.
The Momeraths released A Single Cup of Tea (SR003) in early 2010 and gained positive reviews . On March 6 Cocos Lovers Launched their debut Album Johannes (SR005) at The Astor Theatre. It received national press coverage and airplay and the band were invited to play at the Cambridge Folk Festival amongst others.
In 2010 Smugglers Records took residence at a number of London club nights such as Folking Good Night at The Enterprise and Bloody Awful Poetry at The Queens Head. Smugglers Records also programmed stages at The Small World Festival in Headcorn and Lounge On The Farm Festival near Canterbury.
Artists released on Smugglers
*Cocos Lovers
*The Bucket Boyz
*Tom Mcinerney
*Will Varley
*Son of Kirk
*Tom Farrer & The Pharaohs
*Uncle Meat & The Highway Children
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<td style="font-size: larger;" align="center" colspan="2">Smugglers Records</td>
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<td colspan="4">
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<td align="right">Label Type</td>
<td>Indie</td>
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<td align="right">Founded</td>
<td>2008</td>
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<td align="right">Founder(s)</td>
<td>Will Greenham, Phil Self</td>
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<td align="right">Genre(s)</td>
<td>Folk, Roots Music, World Music</td>
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<td align="right">Location</td>
<td>Deal, Kent</td>
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<td align="right">Country</td>
<td>United Kingdom</td>
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<td align="right">Web address</td>
<td>http://www.smugglersrecords.com</td>
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Smugglers Records is an Independent record label and artist collective. It was founded in 2008 in Deal, Kent by Will Greenham and Phil Self. It is a non-profit organization and works in a similar way to a worker cooperative.
Started during the economic downturn of the late 2000s, Smugglers Records has worked with a number of folk based acts including Cocos Lovers, The momeraths and Will Varley. In 2010 Cocos Lovers received warm reviews for their debut album from critics including The Independent , Subba Culture and UKMusicReview.co.uk . As well as releasing records the label organises community music events and has played a large part in the revival of The Astor Theatre . The "Smugglers Sessions" and "Smugglers Records Presents..." nights have hosted numerous internationally acclaimed acts such as C. W. Stoneking, Nuru Kane and Bayou Seco.
History
Smugglers Records began as an information exchange between a small group of musicians in Kent and South London. The first release came in 2009, a short press of an EP by Cocos Lovers entitled Lunatic Van Rogue (SR001) which sold out and received a seven out of ten review from In The News . The Ukulele Gangsters Album was also released in 2009.
In early 2010 The Smugglers' Sessions began running weekly at The Astor Theatre in Deal, Kent. The night hosted a number of acts from across the UK including The Zen Bicycle Band, Russel Joslin, Sam Airey and Theo Bard, as well as regular performances from acts who are associated with the label.
The Momeraths released A Single Cup of Tea (SR003) in early 2010 and gained positive reviews . On March 6 Cocos Lovers Launched their debut Album Johannes (SR005) at The Astor Theatre. It received national press coverage and airplay and the band were invited to play at the Cambridge Folk Festival amongst others.
In 2010 Smugglers Records took residence at a number of London club nights such as Folking Good Night at The Enterprise and Bloody Awful Poetry at The Queens Head. Smugglers Records also programmed stages at The Small World Festival in Headcorn and Lounge On The Farm Festival near Canterbury.
Artists released on Smugglers
*Cocos Lovers
*The Bucket Boyz
*Tom Mcinerney
*Will Varley
*Son of Kirk
*Tom Farrer & The Pharaohs
*Uncle Meat & The Highway Children
99% of musicians fail to make money; The percentage may sound high, but in such a competitive industry, making it to the top of the pack can feel like climbing the tallest mountain in the world. Making it to that 1% often seems like a combination of luck, timing, and talent. What are some of the reasons that talented musicians fail to reach the heights of their potential?
Lack of Commitment
Sure, making music is fun. Getting with a group of friends and creating something new can be addictive and rewarding. However, getting out there and playing music in front of uninterested crowds, getting repeatedly rejected by labels or an artist manager, and discovering years have passed without any improvement are all unfortunate outcomes in this industry. It may be easy to give up when certain aspects of the music industry don’t appeal to you. However, a lack of effort or commitment will only hold you back. Being committed does not guarantee success but sitting on the sidelines doesn’t either.
Poor Marketing
“Art's not food. It's a luxury, not a necessity. Somehow, you have to convince them that your art is different, and is worth paying for. And the only way to reach that is--here's an evil word--marketing.” Most budding musicians will have to dabble in many different types of marketing: viral, social, print, and word of mouth. For those who fear marketing or are simply lacking knowledge in this area, it is generally a good idea to hire someone else to take care of the marketing. That way, an artist is freed up to do more creative thinking.
Technology Surpasses You
For many artists, anything but the music can be viewed as a distraction. “Most musicians are just learning about the necessity of integrating technology into their budgets, touring, and media.” The music industry is struggling with its digital evolution, but the fans are embracing it. To ignore it entirely ensures that artists ignore a whole group of target audience.
Expect Too Much
Many new musicians believe that their talent will get them through. Unfortunately, the world is populated with very talented artists who never make it. It is important to not get too wrapped up in what is possible or how talented you are. By acting like a star and being difficult, an artist is impeding their own progress. Getting signed onto a record label is a big deal, but just because there’s a contract does not mean the label will pull out all the stops for every new artist they sign. Set realistic expectations and goals and focus on growing instead of becoming famous.
Only Understand the Music
The truly successful artists are either jacks of all trades, or employ specialists in business, marketing, accounting, and other areas to handle the aspects of the career the artist may not be familiar with. In fact, today, the best way to maintain control over a musician’s craft is to find a way to finance and run it without depending on a large recording label or manager. Artists can no longer think of themselves only as musicians, but as the product being sold. Understanding the business aspect of being a recording artist is just as important as making great music.
Lack of Commitment
Sure, making music is fun. Getting with a group of friends and creating something new can be addictive and rewarding. However, getting out there and playing music in front of uninterested crowds, getting repeatedly rejected by labels or an artist manager, and discovering years have passed without any improvement are all unfortunate outcomes in this industry. It may be easy to give up when certain aspects of the music industry don’t appeal to you. However, a lack of effort or commitment will only hold you back. Being committed does not guarantee success but sitting on the sidelines doesn’t either.
Poor Marketing
“Art's not food. It's a luxury, not a necessity. Somehow, you have to convince them that your art is different, and is worth paying for. And the only way to reach that is--here's an evil word--marketing.” Most budding musicians will have to dabble in many different types of marketing: viral, social, print, and word of mouth. For those who fear marketing or are simply lacking knowledge in this area, it is generally a good idea to hire someone else to take care of the marketing. That way, an artist is freed up to do more creative thinking.
Technology Surpasses You
For many artists, anything but the music can be viewed as a distraction. “Most musicians are just learning about the necessity of integrating technology into their budgets, touring, and media.” The music industry is struggling with its digital evolution, but the fans are embracing it. To ignore it entirely ensures that artists ignore a whole group of target audience.
Expect Too Much
Many new musicians believe that their talent will get them through. Unfortunately, the world is populated with very talented artists who never make it. It is important to not get too wrapped up in what is possible or how talented you are. By acting like a star and being difficult, an artist is impeding their own progress. Getting signed onto a record label is a big deal, but just because there’s a contract does not mean the label will pull out all the stops for every new artist they sign. Set realistic expectations and goals and focus on growing instead of becoming famous.
Only Understand the Music
The truly successful artists are either jacks of all trades, or employ specialists in business, marketing, accounting, and other areas to handle the aspects of the career the artist may not be familiar with. In fact, today, the best way to maintain control over a musician’s craft is to find a way to finance and run it without depending on a large recording label or manager. Artists can no longer think of themselves only as musicians, but as the product being sold. Understanding the business aspect of being a recording artist is just as important as making great music.