Toy Punks | Documentary
Saturday, August 16, 8pm (Aurora Theater, 800 Aurora Street)
Sunday, August 17, 3pm (Aurora Theater, 800 Aurora Street)
Filmmaker Chris Nelson in attendance
Toypunks is a documentary film covering the converging worlds of Japanese toys, fashion and punk rock. Via location shooting around the globe, Toypunks spotlights several top Japanese fashion designers, toy makers and artists illuminating the fact that most of these influential creators find deep roots in DIY, punk and outsider attitudes. Several top US artists and toy makers are included in the discussion, revealing profound parallels between their lives and those of their Japanese contemporaries.
Toypunks is collaboration between Justin Kovalsky and Chris Nelson. The two met in Houston, Texas, where Kovalsky was working as assistant editor of Newytpe USA, and Nelson was creating and launching the Anime Network, a 24 hour digital cable network with a footprint of over 20 million households. Kovalsky and Nelson developed a bond around electric guitars and Japanese culture.
Chris Nelson was born and raised in New Orleans and is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He has worked in television and video production, edited a series for VH1, as well as segments for numerous commercial clients. He's been a frequent collaborator with Houston's ttweak--most recently as editor for Tapping Maple Ridge, a documentary about the intersection of wind energy and maple syrup production.
Co-creator/Writer Kovalsky is a Baltimore native who served as editor of Super7 magazine, contributing editor and writer for Juxtapoz art and culture magazine, and has contributed to various books on vinyl toys including Full Vinyl by Ivan Vartanian and Super7's International Toy Pirates.
Collaborator and Translator Carl Wormley graduated from Morehouse in Atlanta, GA, and spent six years living in Nagoya, Japan, which changed his life. Wormley has worked as a designer, subtitle scriptwriter and producer and was recruited by Nelson to be a part of the start-up team for Anime Network.
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Toypunks teaser:
