"From The Bottom" Synopsis

I am so pleased to have the trailer completed for my documentary. Here is a synopsis of the story:

Ulysses Lee Gooch. His parents were laborers on a large southern farm, and it was the farmstead owner's family who named him. The word Ulysses was not only hard to pronounce, it was misspelled on his eighth-grade graduation certificate. Being from Ripley, Tennessee, he welcomed a nickname later in life: Rip.

Early on, his father jailed, Rip and his mother lived with a relative in an area referred to as "the bottom". It was low, flat land touching the Mississippi River where cotton grew and houses were built on stilts. At age four, his mother passed away. "Not only was I living in the land referred to as 'the bottom', but I was in the bottom of my life."

Rip was a dreamer who would look into the sky from the dusty crop fields and see airplanes. He wanted to be up there and he wanted more for himself.

This insightful documentary is about struggle and triumph. It is about a youngster who realized the importance of hard work and essential education, growing to become an airplane pilot and Senator. Many who know him do not know this profound accounting of his life.

The feature-length version is now available for bookings, and is for viewers of all ages.

To view the three-minute trailer, click here: From The Bottom.

Photograph and written content © 2007 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Inked

My client Leonard, moved to Hollywood and started a clothing company. He returned one day with trendy garments and a brace of models primed for promotional photographs.

This colorful lass obliged me by showing off more ink and less threads while Leonard was distracted by his mobile telephone.

Copyright Larry F. Levenson. 

 All rights reserved.

My Garage / Gallery

For years I entered my fine art photographs into the most desirable juried art shows in the nation. When I gave up the shows, framed pieces remained that did not deserve to sit unappreciated in my basement. So, I turned my mid-1920's detached garage into a gallery and hung them.

The lighting is daylight-balanced lamps in Chinese paper globes.

For a list of art expositions and awards, click here: Curricula Vitae.

Copyright 2007, Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Missouri Western State University Commercial

In June of 2006, I was Director of Photography for a commercial directed by Tara, who is based in Los Angeles . The client was Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Recently, the university asked for a bit of new footage, so I called my friend Andy for assistance and off we went.

Our first location was the Heartland Regional Medical Center where I made practical and effective use of these nursing students with their teacher. The "patient" is one of my crew.

Andy also excels at editing, so he was my first choice to be editor.

To view the :30 commercial, click here: MWSU Commercial.

Copyright 2007, Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Editing My Documentary, "From The Bottom"

A documentary on which I am Producer and Director is entitled, "From the Bottom". 

The editor I chose is a very talented woman, Andrea, and we met early this morning to tweak the footage, making sure we were moving the story without losing the story. 

The subject of the documentary is a gentleman who was orphaned at the age of four. He overcame myriad obstacles to become a successful businessman, airplane pilot and Senator.

"Tulips On Troost" Documentary

This morning I traveled to the southern part of Kansas City, Missouri to shoot stills and video tape for the Tulips on Troost project. The venture is an ongoing collaboration where 70,000 tulips have been planted along Troost Avenue and the intent is to plant a million.

Today, and last weekend, I was documenting volunteers planting thousands more tulip bulbs that will bloom in 2008. Three locations were involved and I managed to cover all of them.

The weather was beautiful, the subjects helpful and the tape and stills are superb. This photograph was taken at 54th Street and Troost Avenue next to Coffee Break.

I spoke with Rich, the video editor, and we believe this could be an Emmy Award-winning story.

To view the five-minute documentary, click here: Tulips On Troost. This first version shows tulips blooming in the Spring of 2007.

Copyright 2007, Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.