Trace the Line, part verité, part direct cinema, depicts the lives of two American artists during the tumultuous year of 2020.
Asa, an African American Poet, wrestles with the purpose of his life as a young Black man in a divided nation. Eva, a visual Artist, is confronted with her White privilege in a society she no longer understands. Both Artists struggle with the onset of the pandemic, political upheaval, and social unrest.
While the nation devolves into two camps, liberal and conservative, rich and poor, black and white, Asa andEva independently confront who they are. As the tension across the land increases, their art deepens in the midst of uncertainty.
Through art, Trace the Line draws attention to our common connections and how these connections can forge a new path for us all.
Set in Wisconsin, Trace the Line explores the complexities of American culture through the themes of race, privilege, and art. Asa Little (Matthew Charles Bogart), the thought provoking, bold, spoken-word artist is grappling with the ugly reality of what many Black Americans felt in 2020.
At the center of the film is Asa’s creative collaboration with Eva Sorenson (Brooke Leland), a talented surrealist, who is grappling with the implications of White privilege on society. The film follows their artistic endeavor as they each struggle with their internal battles which comes to a head in their creative expression.
Trace the Line is a feature length independent film being shot in Wisconsin by filmmaking duo, Alex and Noel Miranda. The film marks Alex's first feature film as a writer/director.
Alex is collaborating with CInematographer, Greg Hatton. Greg has extensive experience working in Hollywood productions like Lady Bird, Dear White People, and the upcoming reboot of Space Jam.
Originally working for a Fortune 500 company in Los Angeles, CA, Noel Miranda moved to Madison to work in the non-profit sphere for a top research institution before working in development for humanitarian efforts that sought to bring more equity for the Latino community in Dane County.
Alex and Noel co-own Bravebird, a video production agency that seeks to transform the way films depict diversity and gender on-screen. They have been featured in several publications including: Tone Madison, Wisconsin Inno, Madison Magazine, The Isthmus and the Cap Times. Noel is the 2020 winner of a $5K grant from the Doyenne 5x5x5 competition for her presentation on Bravebird and its methodology, Cinema Dignité.
- IMDB page: Trace the Line
- Production website: Bravebird
- Trace the Line page: Trace the Line
- Follow Trace the Line’s progress here: Trace the Line Facebook Page
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This film is being produced using Bravebird’s methodology, Cinema Dignite, with a mostly local crew comprised of 60% people of color and 50% women. The Cinema Dignite model focuses on impeccable creative quality and ethical story-telling, all with the goal of empowering communities.
The lead roles are portrayed by two native Wisconsinites, Matthew Charles who is a spoken word poet and Brooke Leland, a visual artist who recently graduated from UW Madison. Matthew and Brooke will be playing fictionalized versions of themselves.
The film is seriously taking into account COVID-19 restrictions and safety procedures. While filming, the cast members will never touch each other, remaining six feet apart, with most scenes being filmed outdoors. The filming will mostly happen with a 10 person crew, practicing physical distancing. All members have taken COVID tests and will be wearing protective gear as well as having daily temperature checks.
The production is receiving fiscal sponsorship through Arts Wisconsin. All donations are tax-deductible through our Fiscal Page: Arts Wisconsin Trace the Line. The support we raise goes directly to our cast and crew who have lost most of their work for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are incredibly thankful for both local and national support for this film. Here are the partners who are helping us bring this story to life.
