The Articulate Hour

A playwright whose marriage and career are in a free fall has an explosive run-in with his former neighbor, a right-wing ex-con.

In the 20th century, no artistic medium in North America with so much potential for creative expression has had a more turbulent history plagued with less respect than comic books. Through animated montages, readings and interviews, this film guides us through the history of the medium from the late 1930s and 1940s with the first explosion of popularity with the superheroes created by great talents like Jack Kirby and hitting its first artistic zenith with Will Eisner's "Spirit". It then shifts to the post war comics world with the rising popularity of crime and horror comics, especially those published by EC Comics under the editorshiop of William B. Gaines until it came crashing down the rise of censorship with the imposition of the Comics Code. In its wake of the devastation of the medium's creative freedom, we also explore EC's defiant survival with the creation of the singular "Mad Magazine" by Harvey Kurtzman.

Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which will celebrate its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. The film is an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type.

Exploring the pre-fame years of the celebrated American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, and how New York City, its people, and tectonically shifting arts culture of the late 1970s and '80s shaped his vision.

Still living at home with his avant-garde actress mother, constantly rejected by art schools, and without a lover, aspiring painter Andrew decides to enter a contest in hopes of winning a six month stay in Kenya. Though things aren't great for Andrew, neither are they wonderful for his lesbian friend Lucy who constantly bickers with her lover Ingrid. Lucy complicates Andrew's life when she introduces him to the suspicious-looking, enigmatic Jerry.

Alex, a struggling painter, is going through a particularly bad patch. Dumped by his girlfriend and unable to get work, Alex finds his life taking a rare upswing when he moves into a new apartment and falls for his neighbor, Lori. But when things start to go wrong between Alex and Lori, their close proximity to each other proves to have an enormous downside, leading to further amusing antics.

A story about talented homeless and formerly homeless fine arts painters in the worst section of Los Angeles known as Skid Row. People will create art no matter how humble the circumstances.

The great media prankster, Joey Skaggs, wants to fool the world media AGAIN, and, with the most complex hoax of his career in the pipeline, he now must use every trick in his prankster's arsenal to make it work. Art of the Prank is an emotional journey following the evolution of artist Joey Skaggs-a fierce proponent of independent thinking and the man who has turned the media hoax into an art form. With unprecedented access to the man and his archives, the 95-minute documentary interweaves a current unfolding hoax with a look behind-the-scenes at some classic performance pieces (all reported as fact by a wide range of prestigious journalists) plus commentary from co-conspirators and others. -IMDB

In this dystopian-musical-comedy, corporations and self-appointed guardians of "decency" and "morality" have society in a fascist choke-hold. It's up to a rag-tag group of actors, artists, and musicians to save the world the only way they know how - through the power of - wait for it - Performance Art! Led by the legendary Existo (Bruce Arntson (musical composer, "Ernest" film franchise), his faithful sidekick Maxine (Jackie Welch, (Ernest Goes to Jail), provocateur Marcel (Jim Varney, (Ernest, Toy Story), and Vigo (Cooper Thornton (Parks & Recreation) this troupe of subversive insurgents have the Religio-Capitalist Complex in their cross-hairs. But the powers-that-be know Existo's weak spot - his ravenous libido - and seek to exploit it to derail the Revolution with a secret weapon - a curly-haired corporate-pop singer named Penelope (Jenny Littleton).

Sex and Cinema is a steamy trip through the looking glass of the camera lens, depicting how sexually charged films reflect our own sexual liberation. It will unzip America's obsession with sex, both from a cinematic and social perspective, exposing the hypocrisy inherent in our culture's war against eroticism (be it film, art, literature or song lyrics). The special will look at many films that push the boundary, from mainstream studio films to product that in its time has been considered pornographic.

Sam Roddick explores the enduring appeal of Botticelli's masterpiece The Birth of Venus, one of the most celebrated paintings in western art. A joyous celebration of female sexuality, its journey to worldwide fame was far from straightforward and it lay in obscurity for centuries. Artist and entrepreneur Sam explains why Botticelli's nude was so revolutionary, and explores its impact on contemporary culture with artists such as Terry Gilliam, who memorably reinvented Venus for his Monty Python's Flying Circus animations.

A photographer and a makeup artist document their burgeoning relationship and their partnership on a fine art project through the lenses of their own cameras.

In an industry that is becoming increasingly competitive, what drives indie filmmakers to keep creating their art, even when there is no promise of money or fame? CREATE OR DIE explores the insatiable passion to create despite the overwhelming odds through the lens of South Carolina writer and filmmaker David Axe, as he and his band of cast and crew head out into the backwoods of Georgia to shoot his low budget passion project ACORN. But when tragedy strikes on set, doubt and tension threaten to bring an end to their production and their dreams.

A loner artist, exiled from the art community for creating a sculpture deemed too offensive, embarks on a bizarre odyssey of art, flesh, decomposition, and spiritual ascension. Vexanthrone details the mental and physical difficulties of the creative process in an experimental and surreal fashion that mixes arthouse sensibilities with gross-out body horror.

Japanese animation - or 'anime' for those in the know - boasts one of the fastest growing fan bases in the entertainment industry. Harnessing the explosive momentum of the Internet, anime heralds a revolution in 21st century culture. *What is anime - high art or mere entertainment? *How did anime get its start? *How did WWII and the atom bomb affect the anime industry? *Just who are the American fans and why are they so fascinated? *What is the future of anime in America? Through intimate conversations with top Japanese artists, scholars and American industry professionals, highlighted with clips from classic and current anime productions, we lead you through the anime's beginning and reveal the answers to these and many other questions. The Invasion is here.

A collection of psychedelic and visually complex animation, art, and culture.

Dr James Fox explores how, in the hands of artists, the colours gold, blue and white have stirred our emotions, changed the way we behave and even altered the course of history.

Series which follows Martha Kearney's bee-keeping year and explores the science, art and culture of the honeybee, the most ingenious insect known to humankind.

The story of art from the dawn of human history to the present day—for the first time on a global scale. Inspired by Civilisation, Kenneth Clark’s acclaimed landmark 1969 series about Western art, this series broadens the canvas to reveal the role art and the creative imagination have played across multiple cultures and civilizations.

This Emmy award-winning arts and culture series examines the lives, works and creative processes of arts and culture innovators making an impact in Southern California and beyond.

Broadcaster and journalist Samira Ahmed goes on a remarkable journey to places rarely seen, as she travels through Iran, telling the story of a complex and fascinating people, culture and history.

An eye-opening thrill ride that captures what it was like on both sides of the camera when the most recognizable images in history were taken featuring irreverent interviews with some of the most famous music photographers, musicians, gallerists, music journalists and social commentators.

A fast-paced, musical docu-series that examines the punk scene in the Twin Cities from 1980 to 1985. The Minnesota scene was a close-knit community of artists and fans that encouraged culture and spawned huge talents like Hüsker Dü, The Replacements, Soul Asylum, Rifle Sport and more. Minnesota Hardcore is made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

Articulate connects audiences to the human stories behind art, offering a trustworthy, visually stimulating, never ordinary take on classical, contemporary, and popular art forms. From acclaimed musicians and best-selling authors to designers changing the way we live, each episode explores what great creative thinkers and doers can tell us about who we are, who we’ve been, and who we might become.

Renowned artist David Choe turns his eccentric, compassionate and disruptive worldview into a lens for an audience to experience a radical empathy for others. Through art and play, he takes guests on a journey of shared emotional experience.

Art historian James Fox tells the story of our ever-changing relationship with nature through the lens of some of the world’s most extraordinary artwork.

Artist Helen Dealtry gives a glimpse into the creative process of painting.

Africa on its own terms and in full voice - across Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa. Uncovering the energy and ambition of creatives reinventing African music, fashion and film.

National identity, social class, inequality. David Olusoga shines a light on our fractured modern society through the lens of the past, exposing the fault lines dividing the UK.

This acclaimed Emmy Award-winning anthology series features documentaries and a limited number of fiction films united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement and unflinching visions of their independent producers and featuring unforgettable stories about a unique individual, community or moment in history.