The Devil's Violinist
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama
The vignette of a Man in a state of purgatory – a former violin maestro must repay his deal with the Devil. Using the ability he so quickly sold his soul for, the Man must play over and over again, for eternity – albeit to a crowd he’s not familiar with.
The Devil's Violinist
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama
Green Light
This campaign raised $11,329 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
31 supporters | followers
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The vignette of a Man in a state of purgatory – a former violin maestro must repay his deal with the Devil. Using the ability he so quickly sold his soul for, the Man must play over and over again, for eternity – albeit to a crowd he’s not familiar with.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
The Story
The seed of the idea for The Devil’s Violinist can all be attributed to Stanley Kubrick. Earlier in the year, like a good film industry Angeleno, I visited LACMA for the Stanley Kubrick Exhibit. Obviously inspired, my girlfriend and I proceeded to take in the rest of the museum, and came across a painting that struck a chord.
The piece – Violinist on a Bench by Marc Chagall, caused a double take, then a 2-minute silent observation, before moving on. But then I immediately backtracked to take a photo of the placard so that I would always remember it's name.
During that period of silent observation, I couldn’t help feeling haunted by this beautiful piece. Perhaps it was the pitch black eyes on the man, or the way he was just off center, allowing a small second man to look away from us. Or perhaps it was because I had just come from seeing props from The Shining.
Regardless, I knew immediately that this painting had given me inspiration. I wanted to make something based off of this painting - based off of what this painting made me feel.
It took a couple bad ideas, most venturing to some really dark places, until I landed on the idea for The Devil’s Violinist. I wanted to convey the same sense of haunting beauty that I got from this painting, and put it on film. I set out to accomplish two things with this project, and that was to have the visuals and the music both hold their own. I want The Devil’s Violinist to be a pure sensory experience – for people to lose themselves in the music, and what’s playing out on screen.
The Devil’s Violinist (or DV for ease) is a minimalist film, a vignette of a moment in The Man’s eternity. There is no dialogue, only music, so as to not take away from the beauty of the song. The camera moves simply, smoothly, with very few shots and cuts. I want people to feel as if they are there, standing across from the Man as he plays.
To be sure, there are a few statements on society and culture in the film. To me, the best films foster discussion. I want people talking about the “meanings” behind what they saw in DV, but I do not intend to overtly tell them what to talk about.
The ability to shoot on 35mm film is extremely important to The Devil’s Violinist – not only for the visual asthetic, but also as a statement on the times. My generation is all digital, all the time... yet the “analog” way is something pure that needs to be kept alive. While the shift to digital will continue to push, I don't think film will ever fully go away, it is something timeless. I want DV to feel timeless, eternal, and because it is that, film is the best medium to achieve that goal. Sure film, with stock and processing, can be more expensive, but you can't put a value on the feeling you get from seeing it.
I am one of a generation where digital has opened doors to creativity, and I am thankful for that. Now, however, it's my turn to use film to tell this story, and hope to at least show generations after me, the value film still holds.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Permits
Costs $2,000
Permitting costs + Fire/Police
Misc.
Costs $238
Covers a fraction of miscellaneous expenses that arise during production & creates a round number :)
Film Magazine
Costs $390
Magazines to hold that precious film stock
35mm Film Scanning + Telecine
Costs $2,000
Develop & create hi-res scans of the film, in proper digital format, able to be edited
35mm Film Stock
Costs $750
The lifeblood of the shoot: sweet sweet film stock
Cube Truck
Costs $400
Truck for all the grip & lighting equipment
Grip & Electric Package
Costs $1,000
Grip & Lighting package to give Chris & Lucas the tools to create a beautiful image
Catering
Costs $300
Food for the tummies!!
Production Sound Mixer
Costs $750
Rate + Equipment rental for Production Sound mixer - IMPORTANT FOR LIVE VIOLIN RECORDING
Accessories - Filters
Costs $65
Camera filters giving us ultimate control over our image
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Arricam Studio Support
Costs $120
All the bells and whistle for camera support
Monitors - External Monitors
Costs $158
Director's monitor + Camera onboard monitor
Accessories - Batteries
Costs $78
Power for the Arricam LT
Accessories - Follow Focus
Costs $36
Gotta keep things in focus!!
Accessories - Tripods / Heads
Costs $150
O'Conner 2575 fluid head w/standard & baby Mitchell sticks
Lenses - Angenieux Optimo Zoom
Costs $358
Lens used for the bulk of the film
Accessories - Zoom Control
Costs $13
Nice controlled zooms - the bread and butter of Devil's Violinist
Film - Arri 35mm
Costs $1,195
Shooting on film for aesthetic & thematic purposes
Location Rental Fee
Costs $2,000
The location is the signature of the visual look of the film.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
I am extremely excited to be moving into production with the cast and crew I have assembled. Most, if not all, of us work together on a regular basis on narrative films, commercials, music videos, and web content. No great film was made without great collaboration, and with these amazing people with me; it’s a step in the right direction!
A few of the team:
BARRY SOCHER – The Violinist, Lead Actor
Los Angeles native BARRY SOCHER, a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra since 1981, studied violin with Alice Schoenfeld, Eudice Shapiro, and Zino Francescatti, composition with Frederick Lesemann and Darius Milhaud, and conducting with Hans Beer and Daniel Lewis. He taught at the Idyllwild School of Music and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestral Institute for many summers and has been on the faculties of Pomona College and the University of Southern California.
Socher performs frequently with the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s New Music Group and Chamber Music Society and has appeared in recital throughout Southern California. Having led the Los Angeles Master Chorale Orchestra and the Pasadena Pops Orchestra as concertmaster, he has also been concertmaster of the Fresno Philharmonic and the Ojai Festival and Oregon Bach Festival Orchestras. He is the founder and first violinist of the Armadillo String Quartet and has been a soloist with the Los Angeles Chamber and Pasadena Pops orchestras and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. His compositions have been performed by the Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Chamber Music Society, and at the Ojai Music Festival, in addition to other ensembles in the United States and Europe. He has been assistant conductor of the Idyllwild Festival Orchestra and the national touring company of Jesus Christ Superstar, and has conducted orchestras throughout California.
JEFF LAMB – Writer/Director/Producer
An LA native, Jeff Lamb graduated from the UC Santa Barbara Film and Media Studies program in 2008. Jeff has written and directed numerous short films, most recently The Feud and Heatwave. He has produced a number of sketch comedy videos for Paulilu and Above Average, which have garnered more than 7 million views on YouTube. Clients include Audi, the Emmy’s, and Bacardi.
JAKE CASSIDY – Producer
Producer and UPM of numerous commercial, film, and new media projects, Jake has worked with clients such as Bacardi, Audi, the Emmy’s, and US Cellular, to name a few.
CHRIS WESTLUND – Cinematographer
Chris Westlund is a freelance cinematographer hailing from Lexington, KY. Ever since moving to Los Angeles 3 years ago he has shot numerous music videos, commercials, and short films – some of which have traveled the festival circuit and won awards. Clients include Bacardi USA, Audi, and the Emmy’s. Among other things, Chris is currently shooting a feature documentary about the prison systems in the U.S.
LUCAS PITASSI – Gaffer
Lucas Pitassi moved from a small farming town in northern California to LA 3 years ago. He has worked with Chris, Jake and Jeff on numerous music video, commercial, and short film projects. Lucas wants to use filmmaking to affect people in a positive way, with meaningful content – making beautiful films that make you FEEL.
CARL SONDROL – Composer
Carl Sondrol is an LA-based composer and music producer. He collaborates with directors such as Dan Beers, Oren Brimer, David Fishel, Gus Gavino, Angeline Gragasin, and Celia Rowlson-Hall. He also works with clients including CBS, DumbDumb (Jason Bateman and Will Arnett's company), GOOD, JWT, kate spade, MTV, Nickelodeon, Samsung, SXM, and many others.
Series featuring Carl's scoring work (Fact Checkers Unit and CollegeHumor Originals) won 2 Webby Awards out of 4 nominations. In 2010 he produced a song which premiered at Carnegie Hall just before the president of CBS, Leslie Moonves, took the stage. Carl is also the composer and sound designer for the original Axe Cop animated web series, and scored the festival-winning films Farewell Darkness, The Old Man and The Seymour, and Carpe Millenium.
As of this writing, he is recording a new studio album and scoring the horror feature "The Pact II".
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
The Story
The seed of the idea for The Devil’s Violinist can all be attributed to Stanley Kubrick. Earlier in the year, like a good film industry Angeleno, I visited LACMA for the Stanley Kubrick Exhibit. Obviously inspired, my girlfriend and I proceeded to take in the rest of the museum, and came across a painting that struck a chord.
The piece – Violinist on a Bench by Marc Chagall, caused a double take, then a 2-minute silent observation, before moving on. But then I immediately backtracked to take a photo of the placard so that I would always remember it's name.
During that period of silent observation, I couldn’t help feeling haunted by this beautiful piece. Perhaps it was the pitch black eyes on the man, or the way he was just off center, allowing a small second man to look away from us. Or perhaps it was because I had just come from seeing props from The Shining.
Regardless, I knew immediately that this painting had given me inspiration. I wanted to make something based off of this painting - based off of what this painting made me feel.
It took a couple bad ideas, most venturing to some really dark places, until I landed on the idea for The Devil’s Violinist. I wanted to convey the same sense of haunting beauty that I got from this painting, and put it on film. I set out to accomplish two things with this project, and that was to have the visuals and the music both hold their own. I want The Devil’s Violinist to be a pure sensory experience – for people to lose themselves in the music, and what’s playing out on screen.
The Devil’s Violinist (or DV for ease) is a minimalist film, a vignette of a moment in The Man’s eternity. There is no dialogue, only music, so as to not take away from the beauty of the song. The camera moves simply, smoothly, with very few shots and cuts. I want people to feel as if they are there, standing across from the Man as he plays.
To be sure, there are a few statements on society and culture in the film. To me, the best films foster discussion. I want people talking about the “meanings” behind what they saw in DV, but I do not intend to overtly tell them what to talk about.
The ability to shoot on 35mm film is extremely important to The Devil’s Violinist – not only for the visual asthetic, but also as a statement on the times. My generation is all digital, all the time... yet the “analog” way is something pure that needs to be kept alive. While the shift to digital will continue to push, I don't think film will ever fully go away, it is something timeless. I want DV to feel timeless, eternal, and because it is that, film is the best medium to achieve that goal. Sure film, with stock and processing, can be more expensive, but you can't put a value on the feeling you get from seeing it.
I am one of a generation where digital has opened doors to creativity, and I am thankful for that. Now, however, it's my turn to use film to tell this story, and hope to at least show generations after me, the value film still holds.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Permits
Costs $2,000
Permitting costs + Fire/Police
Misc.
Costs $238
Covers a fraction of miscellaneous expenses that arise during production & creates a round number :)
Film Magazine
Costs $390
Magazines to hold that precious film stock
35mm Film Scanning + Telecine
Costs $2,000
Develop & create hi-res scans of the film, in proper digital format, able to be edited
35mm Film Stock
Costs $750
The lifeblood of the shoot: sweet sweet film stock
Cube Truck
Costs $400
Truck for all the grip & lighting equipment
Grip & Electric Package
Costs $1,000
Grip & Lighting package to give Chris & Lucas the tools to create a beautiful image
Catering
Costs $300
Food for the tummies!!
Production Sound Mixer
Costs $750
Rate + Equipment rental for Production Sound mixer - IMPORTANT FOR LIVE VIOLIN RECORDING
Accessories - Filters
Costs $65
Camera filters giving us ultimate control over our image
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Arricam Studio Support
Costs $120
All the bells and whistle for camera support
Monitors - External Monitors
Costs $158
Director's monitor + Camera onboard monitor
Accessories - Batteries
Costs $78
Power for the Arricam LT
Accessories - Follow Focus
Costs $36
Gotta keep things in focus!!
Accessories - Tripods / Heads
Costs $150
O'Conner 2575 fluid head w/standard & baby Mitchell sticks
Lenses - Angenieux Optimo Zoom
Costs $358
Lens used for the bulk of the film
Accessories - Zoom Control
Costs $13
Nice controlled zooms - the bread and butter of Devil's Violinist
Film - Arri 35mm
Costs $1,195
Shooting on film for aesthetic & thematic purposes
Location Rental Fee
Costs $2,000
The location is the signature of the visual look of the film.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
I am extremely excited to be moving into production with the cast and crew I have assembled. Most, if not all, of us work together on a regular basis on narrative films, commercials, music videos, and web content. No great film was made without great collaboration, and with these amazing people with me; it’s a step in the right direction!
A few of the team:
BARRY SOCHER – The Violinist, Lead Actor
Los Angeles native BARRY SOCHER, a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra since 1981, studied violin with Alice Schoenfeld, Eudice Shapiro, and Zino Francescatti, composition with Frederick Lesemann and Darius Milhaud, and conducting with Hans Beer and Daniel Lewis. He taught at the Idyllwild School of Music and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestral Institute for many summers and has been on the faculties of Pomona College and the University of Southern California.
Socher performs frequently with the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s New Music Group and Chamber Music Society and has appeared in recital throughout Southern California. Having led the Los Angeles Master Chorale Orchestra and the Pasadena Pops Orchestra as concertmaster, he has also been concertmaster of the Fresno Philharmonic and the Ojai Festival and Oregon Bach Festival Orchestras. He is the founder and first violinist of the Armadillo String Quartet and has been a soloist with the Los Angeles Chamber and Pasadena Pops orchestras and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. His compositions have been performed by the Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Chamber Music Society, and at the Ojai Music Festival, in addition to other ensembles in the United States and Europe. He has been assistant conductor of the Idyllwild Festival Orchestra and the national touring company of Jesus Christ Superstar, and has conducted orchestras throughout California.
JEFF LAMB – Writer/Director/Producer
An LA native, Jeff Lamb graduated from the UC Santa Barbara Film and Media Studies program in 2008. Jeff has written and directed numerous short films, most recently The Feud and Heatwave. He has produced a number of sketch comedy videos for Paulilu and Above Average, which have garnered more than 7 million views on YouTube. Clients include Audi, the Emmy’s, and Bacardi.
JAKE CASSIDY – Producer
Producer and UPM of numerous commercial, film, and new media projects, Jake has worked with clients such as Bacardi, Audi, the Emmy’s, and US Cellular, to name a few.
CHRIS WESTLUND – Cinematographer
Chris Westlund is a freelance cinematographer hailing from Lexington, KY. Ever since moving to Los Angeles 3 years ago he has shot numerous music videos, commercials, and short films – some of which have traveled the festival circuit and won awards. Clients include Bacardi USA, Audi, and the Emmy’s. Among other things, Chris is currently shooting a feature documentary about the prison systems in the U.S.
LUCAS PITASSI – Gaffer
Lucas Pitassi moved from a small farming town in northern California to LA 3 years ago. He has worked with Chris, Jake and Jeff on numerous music video, commercial, and short film projects. Lucas wants to use filmmaking to affect people in a positive way, with meaningful content – making beautiful films that make you FEEL.
CARL SONDROL – Composer
Carl Sondrol is an LA-based composer and music producer. He collaborates with directors such as Dan Beers, Oren Brimer, David Fishel, Gus Gavino, Angeline Gragasin, and Celia Rowlson-Hall. He also works with clients including CBS, DumbDumb (Jason Bateman and Will Arnett's company), GOOD, JWT, kate spade, MTV, Nickelodeon, Samsung, SXM, and many others.
Series featuring Carl's scoring work (Fact Checkers Unit and CollegeHumor Originals) won 2 Webby Awards out of 4 nominations. In 2010 he produced a song which premiered at Carnegie Hall just before the president of CBS, Leslie Moonves, took the stage. Carl is also the composer and sound designer for the original Axe Cop animated web series, and scored the festival-winning films Farewell Darkness, The Old Man and The Seymour, and Carpe Millenium.
As of this writing, he is recording a new studio album and scoring the horror feature "The Pact II".