How Do I Look
Encyclopedia
How Do I Look is a LGBT
Historic Art Documentary, released in 2006 as a documentary film
directed by Wolfgang Busch
, assistant directors are Kevin Omni and Luna Khan. Distributed by Art From The Heart; USA , 80 minutes. How Do I Look world premiered at the NewFest Film Festival in New York City in 2006, won a Humanitarian Award at the Black International Cinema in Berlin, Germany in 2008, and won the Pill Award for Best Documentary in New York City in 2007. The How Do I Look DVD is available on Amazon.com and ships worldwide.
How Do I Look is an artistic empowerment and HIV/AIDS awareness community project and is used by university, college, and high school students and by community based institutions for theses, research and outreach, and is screened at festivals and special events worldwide.
How Do I Look is about the Harlem House Ball competitions, also known as "Drag Balls" (see also ball culture
). According to a 2005 article published by The New York Times
, the director spent a decade collecting footage to create How Do I Look.
How Do I Look is a journalistic alternative and a balance to the 1990 documentary entitled Paris Is Burning
, distributed by Miramax Films, which exploited the House Ball community and is to this date suffering from the consequences. As a result of the release of Paris is Burning, no still cameras and video cameras were allowed for years. Ballroom member Octavia St. Laurent sued the director Jeannie Livingston successfully and Jeannie Livingston was never invited back to the House Ball community.
, Kevin Ultra-Omni, Octavia St. Laurent
, Ross Infiniti and Jose Xtravaganza. The film interviews its artists about their experiences with Ball competitions and the every day challenges faced by the Ball community. Among the issues this community confronts are persistent social misconception, drug use, sex work, acceptance of sexuality and gender, and sends HIV/AIDS hope messages.
In a 2000 article in The Village Voice
, noted fashion writer Guy Trebay wrote that the cultural impression was that "the world of the balls was transitory."
In the 2005 New York Times article, one of the stars of How Do I Look commented about the mainstream's lack of acceptance of Ball children and their creative forms of dancing.
A significant number of the artists who are featured in How Do I Look, such as Willi Ninja
, Octavia St. Laurent and Pepper LaBeija
, have died since the beginning of the filming of this documentary. Because the footage for this film was collected after the release of Paris is Burning and Madonna
's hit single, "Vogue," How Do I Look measures the impact on the community since 1990. Some successful artists, such as the dancer Jose Xtravaganza, recounts his appreciation for having worked as a choreographer for Madonna
. Other dancers and artists address their experiences with transgender issues and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.
As of 2007, an article about a major Ball competition in Philadelphia commented that the artists who are trained in the Ball community are looking for opportunities to use their talents positively. "As the ballroom scene becomes more accessible, there's hope the talent and creativity it nurtures may finally achieve commercial success."
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
Historic Art Documentary, released in 2006 as a documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
directed by Wolfgang Busch
Wolfgang Busch
Wolfgang Busch, born on November 6th, 1955 in Heppenheim, Germany, is a humanitarian award winning documentary filmmaker, director, producer, cinematographer, editor and special events coordinator, and is also a social and artistic activist for the LGBT community who has used his skills to lead...
, assistant directors are Kevin Omni and Luna Khan. Distributed by Art From The Heart; USA , 80 minutes. How Do I Look world premiered at the NewFest Film Festival in New York City in 2006, won a Humanitarian Award at the Black International Cinema in Berlin, Germany in 2008, and won the Pill Award for Best Documentary in New York City in 2007. The How Do I Look DVD is available on Amazon.com and ships worldwide.
How Do I Look is an artistic empowerment and HIV/AIDS awareness community project and is used by university, college, and high school students and by community based institutions for theses, research and outreach, and is screened at festivals and special events worldwide.
How Do I Look is about the Harlem House Ball competitions, also known as "Drag Balls" (see also ball culture
Ball culture
Ball culture, the house system, the ballroom community and similar terms describe the underground LGBT subculture in the United States in which people "walk" for trophies and prizes at events known as balls. Those who walk often also dance and vogue while others compete in various genres of drag...
). According to a 2005 article published by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, the director spent a decade collecting footage to create How Do I Look.
How Do I Look is a journalistic alternative and a balance to the 1990 documentary entitled Paris Is Burning
Paris is Burning (film)
Paris Is Burning is a 1990 documentary film directed by Jennie Livingston. Filmed in the mid-to-late 1980s, it chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African American, Latino, gay and transgender communities involved in it...
, distributed by Miramax Films, which exploited the House Ball community and is to this date suffering from the consequences. As a result of the release of Paris is Burning, no still cameras and video cameras were allowed for years. Ballroom member Octavia St. Laurent sued the director Jeannie Livingston successfully and Jeannie Livingston was never invited back to the House Ball community.
Content
How Do I Look is a LGBT Historic Art Documentary focusing on those Ballroom members that opened the doors artistically for the community, the passing of the House Ball traditions from generation to generation, and is a "talent showcase" for this trend setting community in fashion, dance (the originators of the dance "Vogue"), music and runway. It follows several famous artists, such as Willi NinjaWilli Ninja
Willi Ninja was an American dancer and choreographer best known for his appearance in the documentary film Paris is Burning....
, Kevin Ultra-Omni, Octavia St. Laurent
Octavia St. Laurent
Octavia St. Laurent was an American trans woman and performer featured in the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning....
, Ross Infiniti and Jose Xtravaganza. The film interviews its artists about their experiences with Ball competitions and the every day challenges faced by the Ball community. Among the issues this community confronts are persistent social misconception, drug use, sex work, acceptance of sexuality and gender, and sends HIV/AIDS hope messages.
In a 2000 article in The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
, noted fashion writer Guy Trebay wrote that the cultural impression was that "the world of the balls was transitory."
In the 2005 New York Times article, one of the stars of How Do I Look commented about the mainstream's lack of acceptance of Ball children and their creative forms of dancing.
"Break dancers get together and do stuff like this, and it's fully accepted," said Willi NinjaWilli NinjaWilli Ninja was an American dancer and choreographer best known for his appearance in the documentary film Paris is Burning....
, surely the most celebrated dancer ever produced by the ballroom community, speaking in a mainstream sense. "If Madonna does voguing, it's O.K.," he added. "But when the ball children dance, even now, people say, 'Oh, it's a bunch of crazy queens throwing themselves on the floor.' "
A significant number of the artists who are featured in How Do I Look, such as Willi Ninja
Willi Ninja
Willi Ninja was an American dancer and choreographer best known for his appearance in the documentary film Paris is Burning....
, Octavia St. Laurent and Pepper LaBeija
Pepper LaBeija
Pepper LaBeija , born William Jackson, was an American drag queen performer and designer featured in the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning and in the 2006 documentary How Do I Look directed by Wolfgang Busch...
, have died since the beginning of the filming of this documentary. Because the footage for this film was collected after the release of Paris is Burning and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
's hit single, "Vogue," How Do I Look measures the impact on the community since 1990. Some successful artists, such as the dancer Jose Xtravaganza, recounts his appreciation for having worked as a choreographer for Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. Other dancers and artists address their experiences with transgender issues and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.
As of 2007, an article about a major Ball competition in Philadelphia commented that the artists who are trained in the Ball community are looking for opportunities to use their talents positively. "As the ballroom scene becomes more accessible, there's hope the talent and creativity it nurtures may finally achieve commercial success."
External links
- How Do I Look NYC Website for Wolfgang Busch's documentary on the ballroom scene as it has evolved since Jennie Livingston's Paris is BurningParis is Burning (film)Paris Is Burning is a 1990 documentary film directed by Jennie Livingston. Filmed in the mid-to-late 1980s, it chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African American, Latino, gay and transgender communities involved in it...
(1990). - http://www.llgff.org.uk/films_details.php?FilmID=106342 The 21st London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.
- http://agliff.bside.com/2007/?_view=_filmdetails&filmId=33159160 Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival.
- http://www.nyadff.org/films_list2.html#how The 15th Annual African Diaspora Film Festival.
- http://www.ArtFromTheHeartnyc.org Website