The Carrier

Some of the best movies go unseen and unheard of in mainstream culture.  

We’ve all watched the Oscars and been completely lost as the presenter reads the list of nominees that we have never even seen previews for, but those films always seem to win some of the most esteemed awards.

So when Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová took the stage to perform the Oscar nominated song “Falling Slowly” from the movie “Once” at the 2008 Oscars, most viewers had no idea who this talented pair was.  

But they soon stole the hearts of the nation, including those of the academy, as they walked away with the Oscar for the best music (song) category, beating out songs from films such as “August Rush” and the extremely popular “Enchanted.”   

“Once” may have been released last summer, but it is stronger now than it was at the time of its release thanks to DVD and CD sales. Credit should go to the songwriting talent of the film’s leading characters, Hansard and Irglová, who wrote all but one song on the soundtrack. 

The soundtrack has been on the Billboard Top Independent Album chart for 44 weeks and was still holding strong at number two on the list for the week of April 12.

Clocking in at only about 85 minutes long with the majority of it as music, “Once” will only leave you wanting more of Hansard’s emotional vocals and guitar and Irglová’s soothing piano.  The songs instantly stay with you, haunting you until the next time you can watch it or listen to the soundtrack.

Produced by John Carney, the film was made in a matter of weeks and had a budget of only about $150,000, but these small numbers do not reveal themselves in the final production, which grossed about $16 million internationally while in limited release.

Winner of the Audience Award at the Dublin International and Sundance film festivals, “Once” is unlike any other “musical” released in recent years.  The story does not follow some unrealistic plot that randomly breaks out into song.  Instead, it tracks a week in the lives of two musicians, only referred to as “guy” and “girl” in the credits, on the streets of Dublin, dreaming of simply playing the music they love.  

Filming for the movie was extremely simple.  The picture quality comes across almost as a simple homemade video, but it only adds to the intimacy of the film.

  The crew utilized long lenses, which allowed the music scenes on the streets to be filmed from a far distance.  That way, neither the actors nor the passersbyers would even realize that a movie was being filmed, allowing for improvised dialogue and a high level of comfort for the inexperienced musicians-turned-actors. 

Carney always had Hansard in mind to write the music, but did not originally have him in mind to play the lead role. 

“Though I was initially thinking of using a good actor who could half sing, I quickly realized I should do it the other way around and get a good singer who could half act,” he said in a Chicago interview. 

Hansard then told Carney of a friend of his that would be perfect for the role of “girl,” and Irglová was soon cast for the role once Carney saw the chemistry between the two on screen and within the music.

Besides the Oscar-winning “Falling Slowly,” another standout song is the powerful “When Your Mind’s Made Up,” which appears at the climax of the film.

During her acceptance speech at the Oscars, Irglová spoke of the overall message of the film through the song “Falling Slowly.”

“This song was written from a perspective of hope, and hope at the end of the day connects us all, no matter how different we are,” she said.

Hope certainly does connect the characters as they accomplish their dreams of recording, and even though the ending may leave viewers a bit unsatisfied, “Once” is about the soundtrack of a journey and not the ending of a road. 

Every moment seniors Shannon Douglas and Stephanie Kipfer have experienced has been inspiration for this very moment.  After years of hard work and creativity, these two seniors are combining efforts for their first official gallery showings with the exhibition of their senior art theses, displayed in the Moon Gallery April 11-18. Douglas and Kipfer each contributed seven original pieces and transformed the gallery walls into an impressive display of art for the opening on Friday.“I wasn’t sure how everything would turn out, but once it went in the gallery with the lighting, it really came together,” Kipfer said.  The themes of the exhibit focus on the life and inspiration of the artists, illustrated in each work of art.For Douglas, the theme “Remember This” is a reflection on every experience she has encountered.  “There are moments in which one is aware of its significance as it transpires,” Douglas said. “I catalogued a particular image to remember that moment and showed the significance of it with the medium.”  Through the use of mixed mediums, Douglas was able to add entirely new dimensions and emotions to the paintings.  “It’s about playing with the boundaries of drawing and painting, creating a hybrid,” Douglas said.  “Conceived in Autumn” exemplifies this new approach to art.“[It] combines both drawing and painting to enable both internal and external realities to co-exist in the picture plane,” Douglas said in her artist’s statement. “They Were Here First” also plays with the complexity of reality, depicting a couple embracing yet invisible in each other’s arms.At the student symposium, Douglas presented “Standing in the Ashes and the End of the World” to show how the use of specific colors is essential to inducing the same feelings and emotions Douglas experienced at the time.  By showing the image without the dominant green overtones, the sensations depicted by the painting are drastically changed, leaving behind a heinous color that evokes anxiety and even nausea.  The addition of the green shades is essential to the purpose and message.The approach and techniques Douglas utilized lend themselves to a radiance that is apparent to all viewers.  “The way she presents her work allows for art to be more than just art and beauty,” said senior Lyndsey Johnson.  “The art has a purpose.” The exhibit would easily survive on its own if each piece were displayed individually, but what truly sets this gallery apart is the addition of Kipfer’s art and the interaction between the two styles.“When I make a painting, I have an image in my mind, like a tiny dream,” Kipfer said.  “It is a cross section of the artists’ mind – a manifestation.”This theme, “Tiny Dreams,” occurs in each painting, but stems from one in particular.  “Homage to ‘Grey,’” a tribute to a song by Ani Difranco, combines the technique of paneling, dividing the entire work into smaller sections, and the addition of text to create a tangible image of the song.A lyric from the song, “I smoke and I drink and every time I blink, I have a tiny dream,” is written on the painting and stands as the basis for Kipfer’s inspiration.“Procrastinating” is another unforgettable work from Kipfer that creates a depth unmatched by the other paintings, achieved through the use of spray paint.  “I wanted to create an image of what procrastination looks like in my head,” Kipfer said.  Within the painting, time is literally being eaten away as the distance looms on in the background.  Ironically, Kipfer said it “took forever to finish it.”With Kipfer’s eagerness to discuss each painting and its story, it is apparent that a true passion exists.“I wouldn’t be in school for anything else,” Kipfer said.The works of Douglas and Kipfer combine all elements of distinctive art, but the element of human experience is what truly brings them to life.

Robert Arnett is a photographer by trade but in essence, he is much more. After capturing the rich culture, religion and history abundant in India within his photographs, Arnett spent some time at Berry this week to share his experiences and wisdom.  

Raised in Columbus, Ga., Arnett said he knew that it was his calling to bring the beauty of India to America.  Since 1988, he has traveled to India five times and witnessed the daily cultural mecca that is India, which Arnett describes as a continent within a country.  

He has documented it all in a book of photography, “India Unveiled.”

Arnett said he knew that in order to capture authentic scenes of daily life in India, he would have to place himself in a vulnerable position.  

“Getting out on a limb is not sufficient.  You have to saw off the limb and let some higher power in the world take control,” he said.

While in India, Arnett traveled in crowded buses and stayed in homes of families with various backgrounds in order to experience the true Indian lifestyle, one that is vastly different from what Americans know. 

This mindset led to incredible stories and travels for Arnett.  One of the main cultural differences Arnett said he witnessed was the faithfulness and loyalty present in Indian culture.

In India, giving your word is a far more sincere gesture than here in America. He told a story of a young girl he met who asked him for an American pen pal.  

When Arnett was confused as to why she would not give him her address, the next day she replied that she honestly did not want to commit to writing to another person for the rest of her life.  

He also told accounts of how hospitality and honesty are abundant in the culture of India, and all of this is evident in his photographs.

In “India Unveiled,” the photos range from moments of everyday life to religious scenes.  Arnett captured images of ancient cave paintings, beautifully carved marble statues and dense fog in the Himalayan Mountains during the monsoon season, but his focus was on the religious aspects of Indian culture. 

India is a very diverse country in regards to religion.  There are 4 indigenous religions (Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism) in addition to Christianity and Judaism.  

In any other country, one would see this diversity as a source of conflict; however, Arnett depicts India as a divine country of peace focused on religion and not in conflict.

“Religion did not come to the earth to separate the people of the world, but to unite the people.  Fire and flame in every religion represents the God that cannot be extinguished,” Arnett said. 

One day at the beach, Arnett saw a priest emerging from the water and said he knew that it was a prime opportunity.  The man was performing his daily ritual and with a gesture to bless the priest’s soul and Arnett gained permission to capture the moment in time. 

The result is the latest cover image of “India Unveiled,” the pristine image of the man rising out of the calm waters.  

After traveling to India numerous times, Arnett has finally determined his favorite sites to visit.  India draws nearly 27 million people to religious festivals. 

“The pilgrims had such devotion.  It was just inspiring to see the devotion of those who were there” Arnett said in reaction to his experiences.

More pilgrims visit these Indian religious festivals each year than those who make the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca or to the Vatican.  In fact, Arnett said one can now buy tickets online to the festival or even watch it on television.  

After experiencing the wisdom and photographs of  Arnett, it is clear that he has a passion for India that shines through in his photographs.  But Arnett’s purpose runs deeper than that.  His hope is for the entire world to live in the harmony that his photographs have captured.  

“I am very disturbed today how religions are separating people instead of uniting them,” Arnett said.  “But once we go deep within and seek our happiness in serving others, then we know, like Shiva, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammad, we then know that dancing to the heavenly music, doing God’s will, is the only dance there is.”

If there was a map to happiness, a simple formula that could guarantee pure bliss, would you travel the world in search of it?  Is such a thing even possible?  Eric Weiner believes so.
Weiner, a National Public Radio correspondent, spent a decade covering stories of catastrophe and despair in more than 30 countries.  After living a life surrounded by sorrow, he decided it was time to take control and seek out the world’s happiest places—not just read about them, but experience it all firsthand.
Weiner recorded every moment of his travels around the world in search of happiness in his most recent book, “The Geography of Bliss.”
“Typically, foreign correspondents like myself travel to the world’s least happy countries (think Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.) and seek out the least happy people there (refugees, war orphans),” Weiner wrote on his Web site.  “On one level, this is rewarding work.  It can also be a real bummer.”
So where does one start to find the world’s happiest places?  The world database of happiness, of course.
The reader finds Weiner beginning his quest in a surprisingly scientific manner.  Unknown to most individuals, happiness is systematically studied.
Research papers, scientific journals and conferences all cater to the study of happiness.
From this point, Weiner was able to pick and choose his points of interest.  Some are the happiest places on earth; others are ranked as the least.  But no matter where the countries are located on the list, Weiner traveled to each with an open mind and a willingness to submerge himself in the culture.
In “Geography,” described as “One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World,” by Weiner, he recounts his travels to 10 completely different countries, both culturally and geographically.
From the Netherlands, the birthplace of the scientific studies of happiness, to Iceland, one of the coldest and happiest locations, and from Moldova, the least happy, to Bhutan, where gross national happiness replaces gross national product, Weiner searches high and low for answers.
Readers will enjoy every excursion Weiner relates in this New York Times bestseller.  The conversational style does not distance the reader from the writing, like many books often do, but rather, it engages the reader.
It seems as if Weiner simply published his personal journal. With insightful passages into the countries’ deepest problems and hysterical moments of literally being lost in translation, he will leave you laughing out loud and relating with those he encounters during the space between each page turn.
“By turns hilarious and profound, this is the kind of book that could change your life,” author Henry Alford said in regards to the hardback.
And he is right, for this book is a map of happiness itself, filling its readers with the bliss for which Weiner searched.
Very few will ever have the opportunity to travel the entire world in search of such an elusive part of life, but Weiner has made it possible for everyone to truly experience the ultimate road trip.

Robert Arnett is a photographer by trade but in essence, he is much more. After capturing the rich culture, religion and history abundant in India within his photographs, Arnett spent some time at Berry this week to share his experiences and wisdom.
Raised in Columbus, Ga., Arnett said he knew that it was his calling to bring the beauty of India to America. Since 1988, he has traveled to India five times and witnessed the daily cultural mecca that is India, which Arnett describes as a continent within a country.
He has documented it all in a book of photography, “India Unveiled.”
Arnett said he knew that in order to capture authentic scenes of daily life in India, he would have to place himself in a vulnerable position.
“Getting out on a limb is not sufficient. You have to saw off the limb and let some higher power in the world take control,” he said.
While in India, Arnett traveled in crowded buses and stayed in homes of families with various backgrounds in order to experience the true Indian lifestyle, one that is vastly different from what Americans know.
This mindset led to incredible stories and travels for Arnett. One of the main cultural differences Arnett said he witnessed was the faithfulness and loyalty present in Indian culture.
In India, giving your word is a far more sincere gesture than here in America. He told a story of a young girl he met who asked him for an American pen pal.
When Arnett was confused as to why she would not give him her address, the next day she replied that she honestly did not want to commit to writing to another person for the rest of her life.
He also told accounts of how hospitality and honesty are abundant in the culture of India, and all of this is evident in his photographs.
In “India Unveiled,” the photos range from moments of everyday life to religious scenes. Arnett captured images of ancient cave paintings, beautifully carved marble statues and dense fog in the Himalayan Mountains during the monsoon season, but his focus was on the religious aspects of Indian culture.
India is a very diverse country in regards to religion. There are 4 indigenous religions (Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism) in addition to Christianity and Judaism.
In any other country, one would see this diversity as a source of conflict; however, Arnett depicts India as a divine country of peace focused on religion and not in conflict.
“Religion did not come to the earth to separate the people of the world, but to unite the people. Fire and flame in every religion represents the God that cannot be extinguished,” Arnett said.
One day at the beach, Arnett saw a priest emerging from the water and said he knew that it was a prime opportunity. The man was performing his daily ritual and with a gesture to bless the priest’s soul and Arnett gained permission to capture the moment in time.
The result is the latest cover image of “India Unveiled,” the pristine image of the man rising out of the calm waters.
After traveling to India numerous times, Arnett has finally determined his favorite sites to visit. India draws nearly 27 million people to religious festivals.
“The pilgrims had such devotion. It was just inspiring to see the devotion of those who were there” Arnett said in reaction to his experiences.
More pilgrims visit these Indian religious festivals each year than those who make the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca or to the Vatican. In fact, Arnett said one can now buy tickets online to the festival or even watch it on television.
After experiencing the wisdom and photographs of Arnett, it is clear that he has a passion for India that shines through in his photographs. But Arnett’s purpose runs deeper than that. His hope is for the entire world to live in the harmony that his photographs have captured.
“I am very disturbed today how religions are separating people instead of uniting them,” Arnett said. “But once we go deep within and seek our happiness in serving others, then we know, like Shiva, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammad, we then know that dancing to the heavenly music, doing God’s will, is the only dance there is.”