Here is a clip from the Changing Elevations, Inc., circus documentary, “Tearing Down the Tent,” featuring the band, Hellblinki Sextet. The movie features Jamie Reel who runs away to join Cole Bros. Circus for a week, where he worked as a clown, stood inside the Moto-Globe of Death and worked with the clowns. This clip is from a performance at the circus that Reel worked at for a week.
By Michael Knox,
mknox@modernfilmzine.com
(Michael is also the director of the Changing Elevations, Inc. circus documentary “Tearing Down the Tent”)
When my contact from the Cole Bros. Circus sent me a link to MSNBC’s site for a poll regarding elephant use I knew I had to vote.
The poll asks whether circuses should be forced to stop using elephants in their acts, something I have personal experience with, having traveled with the circus as a child and filmed the circus documentary as an adult.
…continue reading Should circuses be forced to stop using elephants in their acts?
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a series of articles by Ryan Haggerty, Director of Photogrpahy for the Changing Elevations, Inc circus documentary “Tearing Down the Tent”
By Ryan Haggerty,
rhaggerty@modernfilmzine.com
I’m not sure what was the most magical part about that fateful week in April we scheduled to shoot the documentary with the Cole Bros. traveling tent circus.
It could have been the six and a half hour car ride. Maybe it was the complications to get final clearance on production insurance. Perhaps it was our HDV cam showing a mysterious white spot on our first set of dailies. I think it was probably just the serendipity of how quickly our fates changed and things worked out better than what we could have ever hoped for.
…continue reading “Tearing Down the Tent” camera man tells story
Martin Ramsey, the editor and co-producer for the Changing Elevations, Inc. circus documentary, “Tearing Down the Tent” directed this music video which uses the Bombadil song, “On the River.”
London Broil, a Renaissance Festival juggling team, was filmed by the Changing Elevations, Inc. crew who produced the circus documentary, “Tearing Down the Tent.” This video is a short clip from the filming.
This is an early cut of a trailer for our circus documentary, “Tearing Down the Tent,” back before we started editing the entire film.
It’s an early draft, but still captures the feel of the movie we wanted to make, and I’m happy to say that even if this is an old trailer it still captures the feel of the film. …continue reading “Tearing Down the Tent” trailer
By Michael Knox, director of “Tearing Down the Tent,” mknox@modernfilmzine.com
I’m not sure, but it really does seem like people are sharing a renewed interest in the circus arts. Or at least that’s what it seems lately when I go looking for stories for ModernFilmZine and keep finding more press releases related to circuses.
I already talked about PBS’ “Circus” series, slated for fall of 2010, and now going to one of my news sites I’ve found out that Cirque Eloize opened for the NHL All Star Game at the Bell Center.
The NHL commissioned the Special Events Division of Cirque Eloize to design an act as part of the
opening ceremony for the 57th All Star Game held January 25 at the Bell Center in Montreal. …continue reading Renewed interest in circus arts on the rise?
In this clip, Michael Knox, the director of the circus documentary, “Tearing Down the Tent” talks about his experience as a child traveling with the Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Circus.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Michael Knox is the director of the circus documentary, “Tearing Down the Tent.” The film features his friend Jamie Reel running away to join the Cole Bros. Circus as Knox reflects on the circus, with which he traveled as a child.
By Michael Knox, mknox@modernfilmzine.com
Sometimes as a filmmaker you just stumble across something that makes you cackle, and the news that PBS is planning a “Circus” show did just that. Especially seeing how they don’t plan on airing said show until the fall of 2010.
I think what made me laugh so hard was the sheer fact that our film will be done way before the “Circus” show airs, according to the press release that announced the multi-part series. …continue reading “Tearing Down the Tent” director reflects on PBS Announcing “Circus” series
There’s a tight knot that creeps up on my stomach each time the credits start to roll for my circus documentary, “Tearing Down the Tent.” And Saturday night was no different.
Oh sure, the screening group was made up of about 20 to 30 of my friends, who brought people they knew as well, so it was a “kid gloves” crowd. Especially since they knew this was my first outing at directing a feature film.
But you sit there and you watch the crowd and hope people laugh at the right spots and seem caught up in the story. The hilarious thing is, since I’ve seen this movie MULTIPLE times with two of my friends, we were actually in the back row quietly heckling the film. Not in a bad way. Just noticing things that made us start to laugh or think of other things.
