Dream Lab Productions

Honkfest

2010-04-12T23:07:00.000-07:00

Have I told you how much I love our neighborhood?

Our city streets were closed for musicians, artists, dancers, families, friends, people.

The last band, Vamola really was the icing on the cake for me. I have a special place in my heart for the rhythms of Brazil. And the last song I heard came to Seattle from Brazil by way of New York. My roots. It was a good day.

The first two pics are of EE and the third Orkestra Slovovica (I think?)

Food Desert.

2010-04-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

I live in one. Kinda. If I didn't have a car....I'd really be in one.

There are thousands of people- families, who are living in a zone where the only access to food is white bread and jugs of water (one blue water?) and if you're lucky, a bin of potatoes of onions.

If you're really lucky, fried chicken and hotpockets.

Yikes. How do we expect our families to stay healthy with those options?

It must be hard as a small business owner. You can get $300 for putting up a beer logo. Would you take the money?

How do you get 20,000 people to shop at your store? How do you get a million hits on youtube?
We're thinking comedy. Something fun. Why does this Matter? We're hungry, let's go get some food. There's no good food. What do we do about it?

How do you transition your inventory from addictive cigs and beer (that hardly expire),
to tofu, tortillas, and fresh veggies?

There are so many people working towards healthy living...

I want to tell the stories of Delridge and help build a healthy community.

I hope to meet with Tammy, Jesse, Diana and Mandy to learn more about FEEST and The Healthy Corner Stores Project (and the Night Markets, Soul Sundays, CPPW, SYEP, KCFFI, DNDA, The Kellogg Foundation conference, Delridge Days, phew!)....
and make a video promoting the cool stuff that is going down on Delridge.

Turn this zone back into what is was originally. The opposite of a Food Desert.

Stay tuned for more stories of Delridge...Gotta go finish making dinner!

Healthy Living, Healthy Community

2010-03-23T22:33:00.001-07:00

Today was a good day. Got the boys on the bus, volunteered in my son's class for an hour, met with my dear awesome friend, Annie Musselman to brainstorm about grants and life, then felt compelled to stop by Youngstown Cultural Art Center on Delridge.
I had stopped by last Fall, met some cool folks- Kiwai (operations/production wizard) and Amos (music corp fellow) and was really inspired. Kiwai was so welcoming and showed my the sound recording studio, and introduced me to the Youth Media Institute guys (Esteban and...?) and then to Amos. Amos and I talked about working together in regards to his youth-run record label- trying to link them with the whatever creative agencies that are looking for music for their productions- video or films or events.
I don't know what happened to the time (actually, i do- mexico, holidays, 3 videos, Usnaps, kids, school), but here we are in March and Today was the day I needed to reconnect with Youngstown.
Long story, short...I happened to talk to Alberto (programming) about my work experience (10+ yrs film/video production, Usnaps.com) and Estevan walked by and then Randy (Exec Director) stepped out of his meeting where they just mentioned needing a video! Yes. Serendipitous.
They invited me into their meeting and I can't believe how perfect this project is for me.
Building a healthy community.
The two projects they want to highlight are the "Healthy Corner Stores" and "FEEST".
Tackling obesity through giving families healthier options and helping local businesses thrive without depending on tobacco and alcohol sales. (22 corner stores in this community, but no grocery store for miles).
Did I mention Seattle is building a skatepark across the street from Youngstown?
I've been trying to stay focused- and there are a couple common themes threads that run through my head and heart...
Skateparks (recreation, parks, kids, families, healthy, outdoor play, transportation)
Girls and Womens' health (sports/movement, empowerment, confidence, career/family juggling, images in the media, role models, mentors, friends)
Good Food (you are what you eat, better food=better health= better mood, feed your body/brain, ready to learn, preventative medicine)
Well, now I'm starting to stray from my focus...Time to collect my thoughts again.
Stay tuned for a visual video treat to be debuted at the South Seattle Youth Summit on 5/29/10!

My 2nd video!

2010-03-17T11:32:00.001-07:00

Writer's Workshop
I made this for our school auction. It helped raise $7,500 for our Writer's Workshop program. It was super fun to be in the class working with the kids and teachers.
I shot this with my Canon HF200 and edited in iMovie.
Thanks to Thotunu and AfliXion for the music!

My 3rd video.

2010-03-17T11:26:00.001-07:00

"Come Play At Our House"
Song by the Not Its, From their album, "We are the Not-Its" Directed, Shot and Edited by Kim Schwarzkopf.
Big Thanks to Jimmy Clarke, Anne Bradfield, ShadowCatcher Entertainment and Alvaro Letelier!
It was one wild shoot with 100 or so kids and parents, and such a great experience. Kids, music, professional musicians and robots...We brainstormed for a couple weeks, shot in a day, and I learned how to edit in Final Cut from my friend, Alvaro (animator, director, editor).
Looking for my next project...seaweedtoasted@comcast.net

Usnaps.com The photo is for you!

2010-03-05T15:29:00.001-08:00

Email kim@usnaps.com to book your event today!

Delridge Grassroots Leadership: WSB: Delridge Skatepark: Date set for next move – finalizing funding

2010-01-15T15:08:00.000-08:00

Delridge Grassroots Leadership: WSB: Delridge Skatepark: Date set for next move – finalizing funding

What's really important.

2009-06-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

Make the time to wish. To dream.

About the important stuff.

And make it happen.

Dreaming

2009-02-28T10:25:00.000-08:00

I just ran across a quote that I love and thought I would share.
"To accomplish great things we must not only act but also dream,
not only plan but also believe." –Aristotle
Things are good here, hope all is well with you too. Send me a note with your dreams and beliefs. I'll do my best to try and help make it happen.
Peace.

For our community.

2009-01-19T21:53:00.000-08:00

We collected diapers for WestSide Baby a local non-profit that helps families in need in South King County. It was a great way to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday and answer Obama's call to service! I got to talk with my kids and more importantly, show my kids what I believe in. My community is important to me. I get so much. So, I want to give. Peace.
For more info, check out the best local news blog, the WestSeattleBlog.com

I love West Seattle!

2009-01-03T12:58:00.000-08:00

We have some of the best parks around. It's part of what I love about Seattle. The boys and I went to Camp Long this morning. It was crisp and green and the sun came out too. We found the last bit of snow! Fresh air and being in nature is so good for the soul.
Pics posted soon...

Staying Positive.

2008-12-16T12:31:00.000-08:00

Mark just called. He officially submitted the final permits to DPD for River City Skate Park! I thought that happened last week, but they were denied at the counter because they needed an appointment.

We could easily get frustrated with the process. Just when it seems like we have everything together, we get surprised by another permit. They tried to pull that on us again today. Something about a Right of Way use permit. They never mentioned that in the years of getting permits (SEPA, structural, building, drainage).I couldn't imagine going through this process without a professional architect on our side!

Now, we just warm up the shovels and get ready to dig in 6 weeks. Keep you fingers crossed.

River City Skate Park, Delridge Skate Park, Skate Like a Girl

2008-12-08T15:53:00.000-08:00

This has been a big skatepark week.

We have been working on building River City Skate Park for about 5 years now. I just brought the stamped plans(thanks, Mark!) to Grindline, to add to another pile of official papers, to then be copied and brought to DPD on Wednesday.

We have the money, the location (cloverdale in South Park, thanks SeaMar!), the design(Grindline), the support(far and wide, high and low- EVERYONE)- now we just need the final blessing permit for grading and drainage to get BUILDING!

Delridge Skate Park has the support, location, funded design and designer and Parks put the proposed budget on hold. Check out www.seattleskateparks.org for more detailed info. Bummer, but I still feel hopeful that it will be built one day in the nearish future.

Skate Like A Girl is rockin and rolling, as usual! I plan on heading to the Wheels of Fortune jam style contest at Skate Barn this Saturday, December 13th! Hope to see you there!

Peace.

2008-11-29T19:01:00.000-08:00

I just edited my profile and had a hard time choosing what to call my industry. I wanted to choose "Entertainment". That is what I choose for LinkedIn, so...But, it wasn't an option. How weird is that? I wanted to put Mom,not a choice. I thought telecommunications and media sounded nice, but then I saw environment. That wouldn't be accurate, though, really.So, sports and recreation will do for now.

I seem to be honing in on skatepark advocacy and building community through parks and recreation. I also love to skate and snowboard. It makes me who I am.

So, sports and rec it is.

We also have a company called Usnaps.com. A digital photo booth that people rent for events. Check it out, and I'll fill you in more next time, if that's cool.

http://www.usnaps.com

http://usnaps.blogspot.com

Just the Beginning

2008-11-28T17:11:00.000-08:00

Kids just got home, so my time on the computer is up. But, I had a good 5 hours to get in gear and start writing and figuring it out. Usnaps.com, facebook, google, blogspot, family, friends, home, health, community, skateboard parks, snowboarding, environment, music, history, culture, travel, grants, art,film,fun.

Happy friday and peace to all.