Windmiller Media Production Gets Press

The latest project from Nicholas Wootton (of Windmiller Media) is a documentary with the working title of Why We Ride Naked. The subject matter is the World Naked Bike Ride and the people who participate in it.

Robert has been assisting with the production, and recently, he and Nicholas were interviewed about it by Samara Kalk Derby of the Wisconsin State Journal.

Read the article here.

Tarazod Included in Madison Filmmaker Write-Up

Kelly Lajter of Project Famous, a Madison-based artist collective, just published an article on the local filmmaking scene. Robert was one of the filmmakers interviewed. Read the piece here: http://projectfamous.com/blog/2014/02/25/yes-we-make-films/

Image copyright Project Famous.

Interview on NPR Connecticut

Yesterday, both Tashai and Robert appeared on the Colin McEnroe show on NPR Connecticut. The telephone interview was, no surprise, all about Mad City Chickens and the urban poultry movement.

First Press for Strindberg Film

Two weekends ago, we were shooting scenes at the Livingston Inn for our Strindberg's Assistant project. While there, we noticed that the owners of this Madison Bed and Breakfast, David and Peggy Furlan, were being interviewed in another part of the house by well-known Wisconsin State Journal writer Doug Moe.

Peggy and David Furlan. Photo by Jeanan Yasiri.

It's an old home, and at the time, we had two separate light kits in use. So it was inevitable that at some point, we'd be tripping a circuit breaker. It happened twice, both times during the Moe interview with the Furlan's. It wasn't on purpose, of course, but it is one way of getting noticed.

Doug inquired as to what the heck we were doing out there, and as a result, we ended up receiving a few paragraphs of ink within the Furlan's piece.

Four months on, they [the Furlans] are open for business and things have calmed down at the Livingston Inn. That's if you don't count the film crew that took over the first floor last Sunday morning, and, literally, blew a fuse.

The production company that made "Mad City Chickens" is filming a period piece titled "Strindberg's Assistant" and shooting in the house. The film is set in 1910 Stockholm and modern day America. The Gothic Revival mansion built in Madison in the 1850s was deemed a perfect backdrop.

On Sunday, Dave and Peggy told the film crew where to find the fuse box, and then repaired to a sitting area off the back of the house to discuss their ongoing adventure with the historic property that's known as the Leitch House, at least when it's not known as the Harman House.

Cool beans! Read the entire article at the WSJ site.

"Chickens" Feedback from Humane Society

It's good to get unsolicited feedback about our work, especially from people we don't know personally. Sometimes it's not easy to take. Yet it does keep us on our toes...and striving to create the best movies possible with the resources we have available. Of course, it's terrific when our work has an impact. Afterall, that is the goal of Tarazod, "to entertain and evoke."

Mad City Chickens recently played at a screening sponsored by the Dane County Humane Society in Madison. The following is a note we received from the event organizer after the showing.

On behalf of DCHS many thanks! For me personally, it is a life changing movie, in addition to being very informative and entertaining. --Michelle

Thanks Michelle. We appreciate it.

MCC Mentioned in City Farmer Book

Canadian author and urban sustainability advocate Lorraine Johnson first published her book, City Farmer: Adventures in Urban Food Growing in 2010 throughout Canada. The US edition came out earlier this year. We were happy to see that our film, Mad City Chickens, was mentioned, albeit briefly, in the chapter entitled What the Cluck?: Backyard Chickens"

[CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE AND READ]

Johnson's book is currently available from all major booksellers.

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Greystone Books
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1553655192
• ISBN-13: 978-1553655190

Article/Review of Our Film in Hobby Farms' "Chickens" Magazine!

Recently, BowTie, Inc., the publishers of Hobby Farms, a popular periodical for the small-scale farmer and back-to-land enthusiast, came out with a brand new magazine. Hot of the presses, Chickens, is a response to the growing popularity of the backyard poultry movement.

We were contacted back in January by Rober Sipe, the editor of the new periodical, inquiring if he could interview us about our Mad City Chickens film and also if he coule have a review copy sent to him. We responded, but then kind of forgot about it all as time went by...until this month.

The new Chickens summer 2011 issue has hit the newsstands and our interview is featured in an article as well as a raving review of the film. Roger must have liked what he saw. Read the entire piece below.

[CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW]

MCC "Cult Favorite" in 77 Square Newpaper

In a recent article by Rob Thomas in Madison's 77 Square, he highlighted the growth of the summer outdoor film series to be found around the city. One of the venues referred to was the Willy Street Natural Foods Co-op and their sustainable food series.  Mad City Chickens kicked off that series last year.  Here's what Rob had to say...

See the entire article.

MCC Gets Mention in Milwaukee Journal

The Mad City Chickens documentary received a mention in a recent article from the Milwaukee Journal. While it is currently illegal for residents of Milwaukee to keep backyard poultry, that didn't stop folks at the Urban Ecology Center from holding a class last Monday night on how to raise city chickens. Over 100 people showed up.

MCC Gets Mention in Urban Farm Magazine

Our Mad City Chickens film was mentioned in this Spring edition of Urban Farm Magazine. The article focuses on several backyard chicken owners including the delightful Lynch family who made a home for two of the hens in our film--including Ricka (formerly known as T2--the Giant Chicken).

It was the Fall of 2007. The production phase of the film was winding down but post work was only just beginning. We'd shot all the footage we needed of our two backyard hens, T2 and Red. We first got these two girls specifically for the film--to shoot much needed chicken footage. After that, the plan was to give the hens to some friends who agreed to adopt them. For all of the six months prior, each morning we'd let the girls out into the backyard during the day and would bring them into our garage at night. This seemed to work well for both parties. We became quite attached to the hens and were considering keeping them permanently. However the weather would soon begin to turn, and we'd have to make a decision. Either build a coop for the winter or send them to their new home.

The hens were part of our "family" so we started making plans for the coop. But then work on the film just became all consuming. Editing, promotion, travel--we had less and less time to be with the girls. It was clear that we wouldn't be able to provide them with a comfortable coop and enough loving care. About this time, we heard about the Lynch family who were thinking about getting their first chickens. So the short of it is, our two hens ended up going to live with them. Read about it in Urban Farm Magazine (Spring 2010).

Chicken Talk on the radio

The New Yorker writer Susan Orlean and one of the founders of the Mad City Chickens group Dennis Harrison-Noonan (who is also in our film) both appeared on Wisconsin Public Radio yesterday to talk backyard chickens.

Mad City Chickens featured on PBS news program Chicago Tonight

Yesterday, we were featured with several other urban chicken keepers on Chicago Tonight, a news program on PBS affiliate WTTW! Host Rich Samuels interviewed a number of legal poultry owners in the Windy City and one not-so-legal (in Evanston). Rich also included the piece he did with us here in Madison as well as some key clips from the film.

Interviewed by WTTW's Rich Samuels

We had the pleasure of meeting and being interviewed today by Rich Samuels, long-time host of the PBS program Chicago Tonight on WTTW. Rich came to Madison to ask us a few questions on tape about our chicken film and the whole backyard poultry movement.

The interview was shot in the WYOU Studio in downtown Madison.

Evanston Screening Gets Some Press

Reporter Ali Elkin attended our recent screening of Mad City Chickens in Evanston, Illinois where she got to experience firsthand the enthusiasm of a crowd of people who really want their chickens. Evanston currently prohibits the keeping of backyard poultry, but the tide is turning. View the Daily Northwestern article.

Mad City Chickens on PBS!

If you happen to be in the state of Wisconsin this weekend, tune into PBS to see Mad City Chickens on TV! On Saturday Sept 5th, 2009 at 9:30pm, Wisconsin Public Television will feature an interview with the filmmakers on the Director's Cut, followed by the actual film at 10:00pm.

TV News Coverage of Sacramento Screening

While in Sacramento, both Abi Crouch (an underground chicken owner) and Tashai were interviewed on KCRA TV 3 News prior to the first public screening. Watch the short segment here.

Tashai was also written up in an article in The Sacramento Bee

Mad City Chickens screens in San Francisco

Over 75 people filled the quaint Delancy Street Theater tonight for our San Francisco premiere. Four California cities in four days. And a first the whole audience sat through the entire credits as well as the Q&A that followed.

Read a review of the evening by Thomas Kriese on his urbanchickens.net blog.

Movie helps convince new chicken owner

It's always nice when we get email feedback on the film and especially when it's like this:

"Just wanted to say how much I enjoy your film Mad City Chickens. I first saw it at the 2008 WI Film Fest; then a few months ago at the Monona Library. Until I saw your film, I never owned an animal, nor wanted to. Now I have four! We’re looking forward to our first eggs in about 4-6 weeks." -Katherine

Thanks Katherine!

Read her entire blog post.

Mad City Chickens write-up in Davis newspaper

The upcoming premiere of Mad City Chickens in Davis, California was recently written about in the Davis Enterprise. The screening is being sponsored by the Davis Natural Food Co-op and Slow Food Yolo to benefit the Davis Farm To School Connection.

Saturday August 8th, 6:30pm Reception with the filmmakers in attendance followed by the screening at 8:00 pm. Richard Brunelle Performing Arts Theater, 315 E. 14th St., Davis, CA

Chicken enthusiast Liz Perry in LA Times

Chicken enthusiast Liz Perry and the story of her rescued hen Consuela are featured throughout our Mad City Chickens film. You can read about Liz, Consuela, and the Nutzy Mutz & Crazy Catz pet supply shop in the recent LA Times write-up!