LEGENDS (2011)

On July 15th @ The Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre In Ottawa, Canada, Hyf Gypsy Sun, Khadija Ahmed, PrufRock Shadowruner, Jammal Rogers, Word Smith, Ragaeeb Synonymous, Sarah Musa and Brad Morden, competed in the 2011 Urban Legends Finals. Urban Legends poetry slam is a 2 round event where poets from all over the city face off to win the $100 cash prize and the chance to be on the Urban Legends team that competes @ the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word each year!  With world and national champions dominating the poetry community numerous times over, Ottawa continues to produce some of the countries most progressive and recognized poets. For the promotional video we wanted to create a piece that would showcase the passion and energy of URBAN LEGENDS. Founded August 15, 2005, by Marcus Jameel and Ian Keteku, Urban Legends is a poetry competition series held annually in Ottawa, Canada.

LAYOUT

Each poet performs in round one, and receives a score out of thirty from 5 judges. Based on the scores in round one, only 6 of the 14 poets will advance to round two. Cumulative scores between the first two rounds determine who wins that months prize.

There is an intermission between each round.

RULES

Each poet has three minutes and ten seconds to perform their poem before deductions take effect, at a rate of 1/2 a point per ten seconds over time. Time will begin when you first engage the audience, and remember that there are no props, costumes, music etc allowed; it's just you, your poetry and the microphone

THE PRODUCTION

Partus Film wanted to showcase the energy and passion of the artists in a unique manner. To achieve this we decided to strip the talent of the very thing at the core of their performance...the words...reminding the viewer that there are languages beyond those spoken, languages equally as complex and evocative. Slowing the footage down to 60 frames a second we could observe the intricacy of each poets unique body language and the emotions behind their words. Imbued in their craft is the desire to honestly connect with the emotions that underlie the spoken word, something we so often forget in our day to day lives. We are ac-cultured to walk straight lines, speak straight lines and think in straight lines. These poets remind us to break away from our vectors and be free......as LEGENDS.

MUSIC

WINTER EMPIRE by DANO

DIRECTOR
PRODUCER
EDITOR
SOUND MIX

Craig Allen Conoley

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Mixel Laquoa

SOUND

Sean O'Gorman

SPECIAL THANKS

GCTC
All the Judges
The Sacrifice
Urban Legends Founders - Marcus Jameel & Ian Keteku
All of the Performers & Lovers