CONNECT
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2021 Grants Challenge

CreateLA.org (Frmly: The Decameron Project)

Imagine having an intimate YouTube like space within a walking distance in Hollywood. Create LA project brings life to written works, such as plays, poetries, prose by recording them and publish them onto streaming media. Adler will connect writers, actors and film makers to create to collaborate. We will provide the space, studio and guidance. This is an expansion of the Decameron Project Kaz Matamura created in 2020, so artists could connect and create during the pandemic, while protecting our communities.

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In which areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?

Central LA

East LA

San Gabriel Valley

San Fernando Valley

South LA

Westside

South Bay

Antelope Valley

What is the problem that you are seeking to address?

The Pandemic has isolated people and many have become anti-social. Antisocial behavior in society has led to negative and violent outbursts. We would like to encourage people to join in the various acting and creative activities we have developed during the pandemic in order to dispel the habits of anti-social behavior. While many actors were experiencing lonely quarantine, the Stella Adler Theater, in spite of being forced to close, still continued training online. We'd like to gradually reopen our space with a Covid safe studio using the grant for additional equipment and editors to handle the influx of the public into our public outreach exercises. Although we believe it will be another year until we would be able to fully function as a theatre, we would like to use this as an opportunity to reach out to local residents who have NO access to studios - giving them means to create, record, edit and stream their work.

Describe the project, program, or initiative that this grant will support to address the problem identified.

1. Conversion of rehearsal studios into a film studio (Sound proof - lighting grids). 2. Purchasing lighting, camera, microphones and additional equipment 3. Editing software and computers 4. Covid safety supplies (wipes, shields, air flow equipment) 5. Paying a small stipend to several out-of-work people involved with the technical side of the film industry

In what stage of innovation is this project, program, or initiative?

Expand existing project, program, or initiative

Approximately how many people will be impacted by this project, program, or initiative?

Direct Impact: 300

Indirect Impact: 100,000

Describe how Los Angeles County will be different if your work is successful.

We are always striving to create an inclusive theatre communities - however we cannot help but feel the theatre community has been not attracting younger generations, and we are feeling generation gaps. This projects will allow writers, directors and even actors to work remotely. If creators are not capable of being in the studio, they can work and collaborate remotely - in real time. With our studio in Hollywood used more actively to connect playwrights and train young actors with film makers from local film schools - we are able to produce high quality, short pieces independently, while introducing theatre arts to the next generation. Also, playwrights and theatre artists would be able to record and archive their work, which usually only live in the moment of live theatre. We believe this projects will transcend and fill the gap of Theatre-Movie, Broadway generation - YouTube generations and playwriting - screen writing.

What evidence do you have that this project, program, or initiative is or will be successful, and how will you define and measure success?

Due to the isolated nature of the pandemic, many in the acting community as well the people in our extended network found themselves out of work. But determined not to become rusty, members of the Stella Adler Theater developed an online community called The Decameron Project. Within the small group, we have encouraged many to become as creative as possible within the scope of what can be done collaborating online. But we feel we can reach more members of the community, especially the elderly and young people who are lonely and isolated, and draw them out of their isolation with fun acting activities and the chance to develop creative skills that they do not have an opportunity to develop. Our success will be measured thru the kind of reception we will see from these works being shown to the rest of the community as well as seeing those isolated become drawn out of their shells.

Describe the role of collaborating organizations on this project.

No collaborating organizations. However we will be reaching out to local films schools, such as LA Films School, Columbia, ArtCenter, AFI via social media.

Which of the CONNECT metrics will you impact?​

Social and emotional support

Public arts and cultural events

Disability access and inclusion

Indicate any additional LA2050 goals your project will impact.

LA is the best place to LEARN

LA is the best place to CREATE

LA is the best place to PLAY