Devon Hawkes Ludlow

Biography

A look at the Human Beast Box‘s film series “The Love That Would Not Die” offers a glimpse into the aesthetic and personality of our first Artist-in-Residence of 2021: Devon Hawkes Ludlow. During the trailer, quotes appear such as “A step back for all cinema” attributed to “Gerard-important critic” and “You couldn’t bribe us to watch this again” from Harvard admissions. Despite these self-deprecating fictional reviews, the film recently won some real accolades garnering “Best Rogue Picture” and “Best Horror Comedy” at the Seattle Film Festival. It also won “Best Horror Musical,” “Best Comedy Horror Soundtrack/Score in a Feature Film,” and “Best Comedy Horror Screenplay” just days ago at the Fright Night International Horror Film Festival. What’s important in this work is authenticity. The film series is zombies, puppets, and music and at the heart of it is our artist-in-residence Mr. Ludlow – writing script and music as well as building puppets and sets from mostly recycled materials.

Mr. Ludlow’s work comes from “an outsider artist’s kind of perspective,” he says. “Using untried techniques and unusual materials or recycled materials wherever possible, working through networks that are far from the mainstream (at least to begin with) to incubate the elements.” He will be far from the mainstream of his base in Santa Fe, New Mexico to incubate a new work at Surel’s Place. The project “Liminal Space” is a new collaborative film and live performance piece. A combination of vocal operatic work, live actors and bunraku puppets, the piece focuses on the liminal moments between life and death. During the residency, he will focus on the choreography of the piece, musical composition, and fundamental elements of the puppet building.

Mr. Ludlow is a puppeteer, director, writer and composer. Originally a dancer, he began studying puppetry with Emmy-award winner Tim Giugni, later studying with various puppetry ensembles in Bulgaria and later in Brazil. He worked as part of the downtown NYC theatre scene, performing with 00’s indie darling Jollyship the Whizbang and was co-organizer and founder of the NYC International Clown Theatre Festival, along the way working with artists such as Julie Taymor (Lion King, Across The Universe) and Michael McCormick (Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Return of the Jedi.) He has worked as a guest artist, puppeteer and performer with artistic sensation Meow Wolf, creating original installations and performances. In addition, he has taught puppetry and film workshops with the New Mexico School for the Arts, Santa Fe University of Art and Design, the Albuquerque Museum as part of their Jim Henson exhibit, and Meow Wolf.

VALENTINE’S DRIVE-IN MOVIE
THE LOVE THAT WOULD NOT DIE
Friday, February 12th  |  7:00 – 9:00pm
AND Saturday, February 13th  |  7:00 – 9:00pm

The Love That Would Not Die is a new punk puppet musical series written and directed by our current artist-in-residence, Devon Hawkes Ludlow. The film is comprised of three recently completed 1/2-hour episodes. The film has been gaining a lot of attention – winning awards at the Seattle Film Festival, the Fright Night International Horror Film Festival, and acceptance into the Montreal Independent Film Festival. Mr. Ludlow will be interviewed on Idaho Matters on Thursday, February 11th.

The Love That Would Not Die follows a delusional, alcoholic zombie apocalypse survivor (Stan) and his sock puppet dog (Dog) as they try to maintain their sanity after big pharma/tech mogul (Steve) introduces a new pill — the iNodie — designed to keep consumers alive forever. Side effect is that it turns people into mindless cannibals. Stan lost his true love (Lydia) to the plague and now watches from his hideout as she eats brains day and night.

Everything changes when the mysterious Kid shows up in a multiverse traveling airstream trailer, a kid who has a musical genetic disorder that turns any zombie that bites him into a rock star. Stan takes Kid to try and create a cure, but en route they encounter a new rock star zombie – Lydia. Stan realizes too late that he can’t overcome his love.

Bring your blankets and keep the cold-blooded creatures outside your car at this socially-distanced Valentine’s event. We are setting up a 9 x 16 foot inflatable screen and broadcasting the sound directly to your radio.

Make it the perfect Date-Night and add a Movie Snack Platter for Two!
Roots Zero Waste Market$25  |  pre-order food

20% of the proceeds from your order will go directly to Surel’s Place

To order, please fill out the form and we will contact you to finalize your choices and take payment. Snack boxes will be delivered car-side, the night of the film. The “Menu d”Amour Zombie” includes a ghoulish variety of artisanal cheeses & meats, housemade crackers, crostini, small bites, and sweets.

Who will survive the revolution? Does this machete go with these pumps?
Drive in and find out in The Love That Would Not Die.

WORKSHOP
CREATE A SHADOW PUPPET SCENE
Orientation: Thursday, January 14th  |  7:00pm

This workshop and presentation is completed entirely online over the course of 5 weeks from January 14th – February 12th. The first group orientation is on Thursday, January 14th at 7:00pm. The weekly schedule following that will be set up to fit your schedule. Since the workshop involves mailing you a supply kit, we recommend you register now.

With individual and group online guidance from puppeteer Mr. Ludlow, you will build and develop shadow puppet characters for a scene within a larger story (to be decided on by the participants.) You will be assigned a scene within the story with lots of room for imaginative play. You will learn how to make basic jointed shadow puppets, work with light and projection for the puppets and film, and share these shadow puppets using the camera from your smartphone or laptop. Mr. Ludlow will help you not only with the puppetry aspects, but also filming, live streaming, sound design, transitions, and whatever individual support you need.

You may register without the materials kit for $20 by request at info@surelsplace.org.

Partial scholarships are available by request at info@surelsplace.org.

Shadow Puppet Kit:

• 1″ brads (30)
• 1/8″ birch dowels (12)
• sheets of 8.5″ x 11″ black paper (20)
• delivered in a USPS flat rate mailer to your home

In addition to the kit, you will need supply tape, scissors, a light source such as a small lamp or flashlight, and be able to attend the workshop online.

A Final Event will include a showcase of your shadow puppet vignette work.