In the shadows of the dozens of luxury high-rise buildings popping up downtown are the unlikeliest of film stars, the homeless of Skid Row.
The infamous 54-block neighborhood and one of its some 5,000 inhabitants are the subject matter of a new virtual reality film made by director Tyson Sadler. His four-minute video, “The Artist of Skid Row,” is set to be released on YouTube’s virtual reality platform and several others later this month.
The film, shot over the course of two days, was produced by Ryot Corp. of Venice, a recently acquired division of the Huffington Post, whose other virtual reality documentaries tackle subjects as diverse as the war in Syria and dolphin captivity. Sadler’s short follows formerly homeless Skid Row resident Ramiro Puentes on a tour of the neighborhood as he talks about his struggles and how painting helped him persevere and change his life.
The director said many people have not stepped foot in Skid Row out of fear for their safety, so he wanted to present the area to viewers in ways they haven’t experienced before, the most important of which being through the eyes of one of its residents.
“You can watch this film several times in a row and pick up different things,” he said, “especially on Skid Row because there are sounds, people, and things happening all around you.”
Virtual reality is more than just an entertainment technology, Sadler added.
“It’s often been called an empathy machine because it really allows the audience to dive deeper,” he said. “When we talk about Skid Row it’s very easy to paint in broad brushes. It’s very easy to lose sight of the fact that these are always individuals. My goal as a director is to humanize this crisis.”
Pop-Up Feast
Trendy denizens of the booming Arts District got another hip haunt this month: a secret loft dedicated to hosting culinary pop-ups.
The new space is courtesy of Feastly, a San Francisco company that connects diners with chef-hosted meals. The service launched this month in Los Angeles. Chefs post any kind of meal on Feastly’s website to be served at a location of their choosing and diners book seats at the events. Hosts charge whatever they want – meals normally range anywhere from $10 a head up to $250 – and Feastly takes about a 20 percent cut.
Chefs have used the platform to provide meals for tens of thousands of diners all over the country, though Feastly has been focused mainly on the Bay Area until now, said co-founder Noah Karesh.
“We’re about empowering chefs, looking at them as creatives, and helping them showcase their craft,” said Karesh, 33, of Feastly’s mission and business model. “It can be a catalyst for their culinary destiny, whether they’re opening up a restaurant themselves or just doing meals on the platform.”
The 1,000-square-foot Arts District loft includes everything needed to cook and host a foodie pop-up, set against exposed brick walls on which Feastly will hang work by local artists.
Karesh said he hopes Feastly helps democratize the trade for chefs, allowing them to make a name and build a following without necessarily having to first sink serious cash into opening their own eatery.
He also felt the Arts District was a natural location for the dedicated loft.
“We found in downtown L.A. a really beautiful, creative spirit, openness, and hip vibe we really loved,” Karesh said.
Two-Wheel Transit
Metro is going retro.
The city and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority are set to launch a bike-sharing program downtown next month.
About 1,000 bicycles will be available at up to 65 strategic locations at or near Union Station, City Hall, Grand and South parks, Los Angeles Convention Center, Chinatown, the Arts and Fashion districts, Little Tokyo, and more.
Many bike-share stations will be placed close to Metro’s rail and bus stops, giving passengers easy access to bicycles should they wish to continue their journey on two wheels.
Bikes will be made available exclusively to pass holders until Aug. 1, at which point walk-up customers can also check one out. A monthly pass will run $20 and allow for unlimited trips less than 30 minutes. Each additional half-hour will cost $1.75. A $40 yearly flex pass will offer a $1.75 rate for each 30 minutes. Walk-up fees will be $3.50 for 30 minutes.
Metro is also seeking a naming-rights sponsor to advertise its products on the bicycles as part of the service, which is planned to expand to Pasadena, the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys, Huntington Park, and East Los Angeles, among other areas.
Staff reporters Marni Usheroff and Garrett Reim contributed to this column. #DTLA is compiled by Managing Editor Omar Shamout. He can be reached at [email protected].
