Liberty Pictures presents Freedom Dance - An Animated/Live-Action Documentary by Steven Fischer and Craig Herron Based on the Extraordinary Sketchbook of Edward Hilbert

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Freedom Dance News Highlights

December 2005

Dec. 1, iCOM Magazine publishes New Camacho Video is Hard to Escape detailing the premiere of the music video Houdini, directed by Steven Fischer with visual effects by Craig Herron.

Dec. 2, Maryland Public Television invites Steven Fischer and Craig Herron to appear on ArtWorks, January 11, to promote Freedom Dance and the Freedom Dance exhibit at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore. Special thanks to Robin Rose-Samuels, JCC Marketing Coordinator.

Dec. 8, Craig Herron and Gregg Landry coordinate the 3rd annual Filmmakers' Symposium in conjunction with Women in Film & Video. The event is held at BlueRock Productions LLC in Baltimore and features a panel that includes Freedom Dance team members Steven Fischer, Kevin Hill, and Phil Rosensteel.

Dec. 10, Steven Fischer and John Bintz travel to New York City for a meeting with a representative from a UK-based film distribution company interested in Freedom Dance.

Dec. 16, Advocates for Survivors of Torture and Trauma becomes a gracious supporter of Freedom Dance. web: http://www.astt.org

Dec. 17, With thanks to host and hostess Steve and Edy Bondroff, and in preparation for the Freedom Dance art exhibit at the JCC in January, a framing party is held at which over 55 pieces of original Freedom Dance art work is framed in about 4 hours.

Dec. 20, The American Hungarian Federation becomes a generous supporter of Freedom Dance. web sites: http://www.americanhungarianfederation.org and http://www.hungary1956.com

Dec. 24, The January 2006 issue of Baltimore Magazine is released and includes an article titled: Freedom Dance: A Sneak Peek at a Serious Cartoon, a supportive promotion piece about the upcoming Freedom Dance exhibit. Special thanks to Robin Rose-Samuels, JCC Marketing Coordinator.

November 2005

Nov. 1, Pressbox (UK) publishes Houdini is a Magical Adventure in Filmmaking detailing the new Jim Camacho music video Houdini directed by Steven Fischer with visual effects animated by Craig Herron.

Nov. 11, Steven Fischer and Craig Herron are interviewed on video for their up-coming appearance on The Gigi Inc Show (Comcast Cable).

Nov. 12 (morning), Craig Herron's multi-award winning animated short, A Fall From the Clouds, screens at the Annapolis Film Festival.

Nov. 12 (noon), Freedom Dance webmaster John Bintz has a book signing at Greetings and Readings in Hunt Valley, Maryland to promote his cartoon book, A Moment of Clarity Mini Collection 1.

Nov. 12 (night), Freedom Dance videographer Gregg Landry of BlueRock Productions LLC premieres his emotionally powerful short, Hope for Haiti, at Martin's West in Baltimore, Maryland.

Nov. 13, John Bintz's animated shorts, Virus and Slippie Slide, are screened at the Annapolis Film Festival.

Nov. 18, Steven Fischer and Craig Herron deliver the keynote speech at the 2nd Annual Baltimore Immigration Summit at the American Visionary Arts Museum. (Edward Hilbert's pre-recorded speech was delivered on DVD.)

Nov. 18, Steven Fischer is interviewed by Baltimore Magazine for an article to appear in the January 2006 issue promoting the Freedom Dance gallery exhibition at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore (January 9 - February 10, 2006 with a special reception Sunday, January 22.)

Nov. 18, Freedom Dance is selected for fiscal sponsorship by the International Documentary Association, Los Angeles, California.

Nov. 24, Pressbox (UK) releases International Documentary Association Picks Freedom Dance for Fiscal Sponsorship announcing the IDA's latest selection.

Nov. 21, Freedom Dance sound designer Kevin Hill of Studio Unknown completes the monumental task of cataloging the September 2nd and 3rd sound recordings aboard the SS John W. Brown for use in the movie's Ocean Voyage sequence.

Nov. 28, The Documentary Film Network announces Freedom Dance as its latest on-line listing. (http://www.documentary-film.net)

October 2005

Oct. 3, London, UK. Press Box releases "Freedom Dance Makers to Give Keynote at Immigration Summit" announcing the invitation from the Mayor's Office of Baltimore for Steven Fischer, Craig Herron, and Edward Hilbert to speak at the 2nd Annual Baltimore Immigration Summit this November 18th.

Oct. 9, Los Angeles, CA. Iam Entertainment invites Steven Fischer and Craig Herron to appear on "The Gigi Inc Show" (Time Warner Cable/Comcast Television) in early January 2006 to promote "Freedom Dance".

Oct. 22, Baltimore, MD. Freedom Dance team members Steven Fischer, Gregg Landry of BlueRock Productions LLC, and Kevin Hill of Studio Unknown attend the premiere screening of "Random 1", a new (and positive) reality show that will air on the A&E network beginning Tuesday, Nov. 1. The show was created by and stars long-time friend John Chester, who in 2000 photographed Fischer's Emmy-nominated "Silence of Falling Leaves".

Oct. 24, Washington, DC. By personal invitation from the Embassy of Hungary, Steven Fischer and Edward Hilbert attend a reception at the Embassy to commemorate and remember heroes and survivors of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.

Oct. 29 - Nov. 3, Miami, FL. On November 1, Steven Fischer appears at Miami Globo Theater to speak at the premiere of "Houdini", a music video he directed for accomplished indie rock troubadour Jim Camacho (featuring composites and visual effects created by Craig Herron). While in Miami, Steven and Jim collaborate on their second video venture.

September 2005

Sept. 1, an article entitled "Career Offers Animated Look at Enchanting Artist", a review of Edward Hilbert's career, Enchanted Forest design work, and Freedom Dance is published in the Howard County Times.

Sept. 2-3, the crew boards the SS John W. Brown in Baltimore to record the sounds of the legendary World War Two-era Liberty Ship for Freedom Dance's ocean voyage scene. (A privilege and rare treat!) Phil Rosensteel from Blue Rock Productions shoots documentary-style video and on-location interviews for the Freedom Dance DVD featured extras. Eric Metcalf assists sound designer Kevin Hill.

Sept. 14, Beery Adams, Immigration Support & Outreach Coordinator for Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, invites Steven Fischer, Craig Herron, and Edward Hilbert to give the keynote speech at the 2nd Annual Baltimore Immigration Summit, November 18, at the American Visionary Arts Museum.

Sept. 22, Craig Herron addresses Women in Film & Video members at a membership meeting held at Gardel's Supper Club in Baltimore to promote Freedom Dance.

Sept 23, it was announced that Freedom Dance webmaster and animator John Bintz's animated shorts Virus and Slippie Slide were selected for exhibition at the Annapolis Film Festival (November 11-14). Also announced was news that Craig Herron's multi-award winning animated short, A Fall From the Clouds, will be screened at the Annapolis Film Festival.

Sept 23-24, John Bintz participates at Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland, debuting his new cartoon book, A Moment of Clarity mini collection 1.

Sept 28, an exciting rumor emerges in Miami that Houdini, the much-anticipated music video directed by Steven Fischer for South Florida's heavy-hitting powerpop/rock troubadour, Jim Camacho (The Goods, Jim Camacho Dot Com), will soon debut at Miami Globo Theater! More news to follow...

August 2005

Edward and Judy Hilbert are to receive a proclamation from Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, which will be ceremoniously presented to them at the premiere screening in October 2006.

August 1, iCOM Magazine published a feature entitled "Baltimore Filmmakers Given Orders to Ship Out" telling of the recent privilege awarded to the Freedom Dance crew by Project Liberty Ship to record the authentic steam-driven mechanics of the Liberty Ship SS John W. Brown.

August 2, Steven Fischer appeared as guest on That's a Wrap Radio, Carlos Cruz's podcast about the arts, to talk about his career in cartoons and promote Freedom Dance.

August 10-13, Steven Fischer was in Los Angeles attending by invitation the Roy W. Dean Film Grant awarding ceremony.

August 18, Craig Herron and Steven Fischer appeared in Arlington, Virginia on a panel of producers speaking about independent animation production at the Women in Film-sponsored forum, Animator's Round Table.

Plus ...

New endorsements received from the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore; the Mayor's Office of Baltimore; and From the Heart Foundation.

Edward Hilbert was interviewed in the Howard County Times about his involvement with The Enchanted Forest and Freedom Dance.

Continued and substantial progress made on Freedom Dance's Apple Truck sequence and the Freedom Dance exhibition to be held at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore January 9 through February 14, 2006.

As mentioned above, in September the Freedom Dance sound design crew, headed by sound man Kevin Hill at Studio Unknown, will spend two days aboard the SS John W. Brown recording the distinct sounds of one of only two surviving and active World War Two-era Liberty Ships. This rare opportunity has energized the Freedom Dance team. The authentic recordings will enhance the believability and raise the emotional charge of the Ocean Voyage sequence in which the Hilberts endure a punishing winter ride to America aboard the troop transport, USS General Leroy Eltinge.


July 2005

July 11, Craig Herron and Edward Hilbert appeared on the cable talk show The Coffee House to promote the movie. http://www.coffeehousetv.org

July 24, Steven Fischer appeared on the podcast, That's a Wrap Radio. http://www.nikicruz.com/media/archive/2005/08_AUG/20050801_2201.htm

With thanks to Beery Adams, it looks like The Mayor's Office of Baltimore City will offer Freedom Dance an endorsement. http://www.baltimorecity.gov

And with appreciation to Claudine Davison, we're also receiving an endorsement from the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore. http://www.jcc.org

Carole Dean from the Roy W. Dean Film Grant invited Craig and Steven to the legendary Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, California to attend the August 11th Roy W. Dean Film Grant Award ceremony. (Carole has also agreed to endorse Freedom Dance.) http://www.fromtheheartproductions.com

Diane Davison, Attorney at Law, joined the Freedom Dance team as the movie's legal representative! http://www.lawgal.net

Michael Schneider, Chairman of the Board, Project Liberty Ship, has granted the Freedom Dance sound crew (headed by Sound Designer Kevin Hill at Studio Unknown) the rare opportunity of recording the authentic sounds of the S.S. John W. Brown, one of only two surviving Liberty Ships from World War Two. Recording is to take place over two days in early September and will sync with the movie's ocean voyage scenes in which a World War Two-era transport ship is prominantly featured. http://www.liberty-ship.com

Nan Sherman, who is spearheading a movement to preserve the magical Enchanted Forest Theme Park in Ellicott City, Maryland, has allied with the Freedom Dance team to offer a mutual support of causes. The connection? Edward Hilbert designed and built some of the fantastic animatronic attractions at the park including "Ali Baba and the Forty Theives" and "The Chicken Little Trio". Nan puts a lot of heart and soul into causes she believes in, and we are grateful for her interest in and support of Freedom Dance. http://www.nanalee.com