'Metroxical New York' wins Cinema Paradiso Award

Helloooo hellooo Peeps, exciting news! Our documentary film 'Metroxical New York' has won the 'CINEMA PARADISO AWARD' for great Cinematography, interesting Concept and being a truly International film at the Auroville Film Festival 2013. It has won in the category 'Films made by Aurovilians, residents of Bio-region and Guests of Auroville' and has been chosen among 53 other films in the category. More than the award itself, we had a lot of people in the audience say some really nice things about it. The reason we feel high is that it connected with people at some level, the same way we connected with the project when we created it. Thanks universe, we owe you more exciting work!

Metroxical New York at Auroville Film Festival 2013

Folks, our recent Documentary Film 'Metroxical New York' - A poetic narrative about the underground subway music in New York City and how it forms the basis for a futuristic collective society - directed by Koushalya and created by Accessible Horizon Films is now screening at the Auroville Film Festival. Everyone's welcome and friends in Pondicherry, do make it! It screens on September 19th, 2013 at 7:30 p.m at the Outdoor Venue to be announced by the Auroville Film Festival. Please see their website for details - http://aurovillefilmfestival.org/

'Metroxical New York' Schedule at IDSFFK

Trailer for Metroxical New York

Metroxical New York Documentary Film at IFFK 2012

Ok here's a bit of an exciting news for y'all! 'Metroxical New York' is having its World Premiere at the 5th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala, between 8th-12th June 2012, at Trivandrum. It's part of the official selection under the Long Documentary Competitive section. Directed & Narrated by Kousalya, Co-directed by Dass, Co-created by Raghu & Ramesh Mourthy as part of the production of AccessibleHorizon FilmCollective, Accessible Horizon Films. Here's a poster.
For those who are wondering what, about a year and half ago, we shot our now, latest documentary film called 'Metroxical New York' in underground New York City(some of you know about it). Due to 500 & 5's production, it had taken kind of a backseat w.r.t editing and post-production. But now it's all done and ready. For more info, visit www.AccessibleHorizonFilms.com.

Trailer New Doc - Metroxical New York

Here's the trailer for our new documentary film, Metroxical New York.

Metroxical New York - New Documentary Film

Music. Metro. New York city. Future of society. A poetic narrative about underground subway music in New York city and how it forms the basis for a futuristic collective society. Metroxical New York is our latest production in the roster of Accessible Horizon Films' documentary genre. The doc. is about music, the musicians and the New York city subway. Well, it's actually much more than that. 
It really started out with our exploratory subway commutes over time interacting with musicians from almost every part of the world, eventually leading upto this moment where we just burned DVDs for submissions to various international film festivals. Audio post-production was really tedious but we made it through. Still tons of things to learn. Anyways, will add more stuff about it soon. Trailer's on the way.

Sax Player in New York City Subway

This was shot during our documentary film shoot about the Subway Music in New York City Times Square Stattion. Something about his pathos inducing note made us wanna obscure his identity. Think his name's Ahmed or something, couldn't quite catch it coz his voice was broken. He himself seemed a broken man and his music was haunting enough to prove it.

Must-see Documentary - Man on Wire...

...should actually be phrased 'Man on Fire' - the fire of determination that is; and the indomitable will to do what you want no matter what. The documentary film directed by James Marsh 'chronicles Philippe Petit's 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center. It is based on Philippe Petit's book, To Reach the Clouds, recently released in paperback with the new title Man on Wire'.(source Wiki)
In the film Philip says "It was impossible...that's why I had to do it". There are 2 profound aspects in the film. One, the triumphant will of Philip, and two, his post-walking "success-story" as a human being and the impact on his friendships/love(though not depicted much). This is something to watch out for because the current knowledge about the WTC changes the way you see the film.

Filming & Photography in NYC Subways

A quick reference and a MUST-HAVE for filmmakers and Photographers filming in New York City Subways. Print out these two documents and put it on your camera-bag and just FLASH it when cops or MTA officials interrupt you. Many of them don't know that this exists.

1. NYPD Directive - On April 3, 2009, the NYPD issued a directive to officers stating that it is legal to take pictures within the subway system so long as it is not accompanied with suspicious activity.

2. MTA Rules of Conduct saying it's ok to film/photograph inside the Subway. Check out 1050.9.
LINK - http://mta.info/nyct/rules/rules.htm
Currently, the MTA Rules of Conduct, Restricted Areas and Activities section states that anyone may take pictures or record video, provided that they do not violate MTA regulations:

Section 1050.9 Restricted areas and activities.

Photography, filming or video recording in any facility or conveyance is permitted except that ancillary equipment such as lights, reflectors or tripods may not be used. Members of the press holding valid identification issued by the New York City Police Department are hereby authorized to use necessary ancillary equipment. All photographic activity must be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this Part.

Very handy documents. Source from Wiki.

Calling all fellow HUMANS positively!!!

POSITIVE PEOPLE TODAY IS HERE FOR ALL!!
TO SPREAD THE POSITIVITY IN THE WORLD..AROUND YOU!!!
Well, here are the details of the much awaited website for the non-profit we have started..
this is a very good venue for us in our journey..PPT(positive people today) as we call it..is an official non-profit organization from october 2007..and we have started this to spread positivity in the minds of people..!!
But, we are initially trying to spread the word around..
we are also going to use PPT as a platform for the world children's forum..
so, please register at the site and start adding articles..also any friends of yours could join this, add articles and positive energy to this..we will soon form a positive people's network where all of us will get together and spread love in the world..also upload your pictures/ art work /photographic skills to the gallery....
so go to PPT here from the link below..
www.positivepeopletoday.org
please do the registration and go through the whole website..pls also give us a review and tell me if the site is user friendly...
..pls spread the word..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WINGS OF EVOLUTION - Screening at CCNY

After ages, I had an opportunity to step into a college and that too in a place where the culture, environment and people very different from what I was exposed to, almost a decade ago. Recollecting those old days of my college I went searching for the class room in the City college or New York, NYC, where our documentary film Wings of Evolution by Accessible Horizon Films was screened for the students pursuing their studies in Urban education in the U.S.

The response was very good as there were a lot of students who raised a lot a questions. Although addressing a group of people was very much new for me, handling the questions seemed to be easy because I had to explain what I did, unlike struggling to answer for curriculum based educational system.

One of the question that interested very much was "Would you make sequel for the documentary after 4 or 5 years?" I look forward to revisiting the school after few years and know how the students and the school evolved in the mean time.

Our special thanks to Carol for screening the documentary.

Related Topics

1. Documentary Film - Wings of Evolution
2. World Wide Postcard Sharing - Connecting the kids together all over the world
3. Siragu Montessori School - A School for underprivileged and homeless children in chennai

Bringing Cities & Countrysides together...

If Cities and Villages are close enough, then the people can interact and have more new and varied experiences which will reduce the day-to-day stress which drives the people towards exhaustion. Let us together try and reduce the gap between the cities and the countrysides!
How do we do this?? Like, take kids on trips to nearby villages? pls suggest my fellow humans!!
Courtesy: Pattern Language

Outrage: NYC Pedicab (Cycle Rickshaw) Regulations

NYC against alternative transportation? NYC against reduction of green house gas emissions? NYC council against a better tomorrow?
This is what we call purely outrageous. Can you believe it? NYC council has passed a regulation against the Pedicab (Cycle Rickshaw) industry on its streets owing to 'congestion' and 'safety standards'...whatever that means.
I just got off the phone with the man who pioneered the Pedicab Business and is still fighting the regulations of the NYC council - George Bliss. He needs the support of everyone who's for the pedicab industry. Just remember that there are larger ramifications if we don't fight this right now. Check out this article for more information - NY State Vs. NYC
Also check out Times Up, which is a New York City-based not-for-profit direct-action environmental group that uses events and educational programs to promote a more sustainable, less toxic city.
This is mostly due to the lobbying of the Yellow cabs/Medallion in NYC which are trying to suppress the pedicabs. Check out this video "Inclusively Green" which is an antidote to the video by the yellow cab lobbyists.
Images courtesy: http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/14/pedicab-rally-in-the-news/

This is especially disheartening because our documentary film "Men of Burden - Pedaling Towards a Horizon" is advocating the cause of Cycle Rickshaws (Pedicabs)
For more information, check out our website www.AccessibleHorizonFilms.com