There’s nothing quite like a really good documentary. No actors, no make-up artists — just real people, doing real things. Maybe they resonate with me more because it’s easier to connect with someone who seems “real.” Someone willing to share their thoughts or intimate moments with another person holding a camera, who will then share it with the world. I have loved rock concert posters since I was a little kid. The bold, graphic fonts and bright stylized super-cool visuals lured me in like a moth to a flame. My deep love of both of these visual mediums helped lead me to a Web site at www.AmericanArtifactMovie.com that had a trailer for a film called “American Artifact: The Rise of American Rock Poster Art.” Watching said trailer, I knew my world would be rocked once I got to see it in full. The film made by director Merle Becker is a labor of love just like so much of the artwork seen in the film. It premiered on June 20 in San Francisco and has had showings in larger markets since — none in Ohio yet (fingers crossed). The film, which I was fortunate enough to see (it did rock my world) features all of the great artists associated with American rock poster art from the ’60s through today. Following your dreams and finding something you love to do is a message that crops up throughout the film. Sure that’s much harder to do than it sounds, but you still have to marvel and be encouraged by all of the people that the movie introduces you to who have done just that — including the filmmaker — with incredible results. The hard part at this point is seeing it, as it has yet to make it to our state. Sigh. In the meantime while we wait it out, check out the trailer and visit another cool Web site I learned about while watching the film — www.gigposters.com — where more than 20,000 artists post their rock concert poster works. It’s one of my favorite new Web finds. Rock on!
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