In 2012, White Stork Enterprises insures that baby-hungry couples will bear 'perfect' offspring for a mere $100,000. By offering successful embryo fertilization through digital chip technology, ‘Stork’ advertises that they can remove potential disease and negative personality traits from the embroyo's genetic code for $5000 per item. Too good to be true? A con game? Well, a chip-like microfluidic device does exist (developed in Tokyo) that increases the probability of successful in-vitro fertilization from 29% (eggs in a petri dish…), up to 88%. And genetic engineers are close to identifying the codes for various diseases. But after hearing the couples (and doctor's) real-life stories, it's sad to think that many delightful human peculiarities might disappear, when perfect people walk the earth.
“INFO ON chips: <https://www.elveflow.com/microfluidic-reviews/general-microfluidics/a-general-overview-of-microfluidics/#:~:text=Definition%20of%20microfluidics,fluids%20flow%20or%20are%20confined>.
A Film by Zola Azevedo, Cynthia DuVal, Stephen Rubin, Mike Saliba, & Rick Schmidt. CAST: Starring Cynthia Duval, Roberto Codato, Mike Saliba, Stephen Rubin, Amy Johnson, Will Arute, Angela Damron, Zola Azevedo, Aron Kalaii, Jennifer Miller ,Carrie Ronneau, and Lisa Friedland. Cinematography by John Lore. Camera by John Lore & Rick Schmidt. Music by Will Arute, Roy 2000, Amy Johnson. Edited by Rick Schmidt and Cynthia DuVal. Camera/Editing equipment courtesy of Rock Hollow Studios. "Billion Babies" Animation by Adam Glucksman, with music by Yhali Ilan and Amber Rose Butler. Produced by Stephen Rubin (Julesworks), and Rick Schmidt. Executive Producer Rick Schmidt.
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My thoughts on WHITE STORK IS COMING:
Like most all of my previous features, WHITE STORK IS COMING was a collaborative affair. I consider it futile to try and script real-life stories like are presented within the framework of this movie. So you've got real people telling it like it is, cut between improv fiction scenes that are also favoring non-actors delivering their real-life observations around a central theme.
Improv actor Jennifer Miller, holding perfect son Liam Miller.
For over 35 years I've been mining the real-life aspects of filmmaking, trying to offer the special information that only 'normal' people can share. 'The more real and truthful the better' has been my mantra. My first feature, A MAN, A WOMAN, AND A KILLER (co-directed with Wayne Wang) was, for the most part, misunderstood when it screened at Rotterdam in 1977. With the movie centered on the real lives of the actors, certain scenes that celebrated the works and concepts from Jean-luc Godard were incorporated in the film because the main character, Dick, 'saw life as a foreign film, in which he was the star.' So it was, like several subsequent movies I've been fortunate to make, a comment on the media of the time and how those stories affect the decisions we make in daily life. Making several "films within films," (including SHOWBOAT 1988-THE REMAKE and EMERALD CITIES, both of which screened at Rotterdam Intl.), seem to have continued to baffle critics and occasionally audiences as well.
Here's a hint: all these movies reflect off of other movies. They talk movie talk. Sometimes they try to undermine the damage done by overly violent American flicks (A MAN, A WOMAN…is about violence, not incorporating violence to sell tickets). So the audience can't depend of my movies for escapism. Through some fancy footwork of editing I try to put you in the shoes of others, trying to crack open the kind of intolerance and racism that still plagues the US. Class systems have been somewhat dismantled in America but look for the Obama backlash that's was brewing. WHITE STORK is a pretty good example of entrepreneurs taking advantage of human frailties for big paydays. Do we really need more births in the world, much less 'perfect' children? I doubt it, unless the country needs to breed more troops for future foreign wars. Look for a future connection between rampant artificial birthing, genetics, and future military actions. Not a pretty picture.
Just to remind how babies have always been delivered.
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(PS. The next posting is strictly the real-life stories from “STORK” (plus some surprises), so please enjoy watching that 50 min. doc tomorrow, comprised of all these great improv storyteller’s yarns, entitled REAL LIFE).
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