In 1954, an artist named Rex May painted a seagull on a street sign and created a San Francisco icon. Its legacy becomes endangered, however, when a mysterious forgery threatens to take its place. Weaving together archival footage, Rex May's illustrious screen prints, and modern design critique, 49 Mile Scenic Drive takes the viewer on a whirlwind journey through the streets of San Francisco and begs the question: does one street sign really matter? With as many twists and turns as Lombard Street, this short documentary delivers history with humor. It exhibits cinema's power to create change, no matter how small. And it might just tug a heartstring or two.
Director Bios:
Bradley Smith is an artist and filmmaker living in San Francisco. He co-directed and produced the documentary short film 49 Mile Scenic Drive. The film premiered at the 2018 San Francisco International Film Festival and won a Golden Gate Award for Best Bay Area Short Film. It went on to play at multiple festivals including AFI Fest, Warsaw Film Festival, and Tacoma Film Festival. He was a Fellow at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in 2017-2018 and co-created and performed "Movement-Based Thing," an exploratory exercise protocol designed to address the fitness of both the individual and the community. His most recent solo show was a large scale participatory video and light installation commissioned by Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture to close out their month-long series "Fortnights: Magic in 2017." He is currently working on an experimental documentary about Jason Jones, a man who learned to code inside San Quentin Prison while serving a 14-year sentence. Previous film collaborations have screened at Locarno, AFI Fest, BAM Cinemafest, Maryland Film Festival, BAFICI, lndielisboa, Torino Film Festival, San Francisco lndiefest and more.
Tyler McPherron is a Bay Area-based cinematographer who sometimes finds himself in the director's chair. His work has been featured by Short of the Week, The Disposable Film Festival, Newness, National Geographic, The Atlantic and Dazed. His list of cinematography credits includes ESPN Films' 30 for 30 : Hit it Hard, which premiered at SXSW Film Festival. Three of his videos have been selected for a Vimeo Staff Pick, and Can You Read My Lips? was picked as their "Best of the Month." He has been fortunate to work with some of his favorite musicians including Future Islands, FKA Twigs, Moses Sumney, Sylvan Esso and Toro y Moi. His list of client work includes Google, Method, PBS, Kraft, Intel, Levis, Nest, Pandora, and Yours Truly.
Credits:
Director: Bradley Smith, Tyler McPherron
Writer, Narrator, and Illustrator: Alexander Barrett