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“The Click” is a documentary film looking at the effects of the clock and digital technology on music, life, and our sense of time itself. Exploring the provocative history of the drum and the clock, we become aware of the enormous influence these two adversarial time-keepers have had on our social, physical and cultural evolution.
After more than 30,000 years of the drum and the drummer being the time-keeper of tribal culture and early civilization, the invention of the mechanical clock 700 years ago ushered in a new kind of time that would soon rule over all aspects of our lives. The rigidity of the clock demanded a fixed sense of time completely opposed to our natural sense of rhythm. Though it becomes evident why adhering to mechanical time was absolutely essential for the development of modern civilization, we have to wonder at what cost?
From the clock, to the metronome, to automation - from the drum machine, to the digital revolution and now A.I. and robotics - we have embarked upon a seemingly irreversible path of precision and predictability that saturates our experiential life, now residing in a digital universe.
"The Click" is a reminder that the true essence of who we are is something we cannot digitally replicate.
The Click - The Drummers.
The Click - Information Overload.
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The Click - Greg Ellis.
Greg Ellis has performed in concert and recorded with musical masters from over 30 countries and all genres of music including Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Airto Moreira, KODO, Bickram Ghosh, Yungchen Llamo, Pejman Hadadi, Sonu Nigam, Juno Reactor, Sussan Deyhim, Chiwoniso Mairaire, Anthony Wilson, Billy Idol, X-Japan guitarist Sugizo and Taiwanese superstar A-lin.
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He can also be heard on over 100 film scores including 2012 Best Picture Argo, 300, The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions, Iron Man, Body of Lies, Sucker Punch, Watchmen, The Devil's Rejects, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Godzilla, The Way, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans; and Fight Club.
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He has composed the scores for numerous award-winning documentaries including Chasing Niagara and The Road to Fallujah, as well as international commercial campaigns for the Winter and Summer Olympics, P&G and Facebook.
As a passionate advocate for the healing and therapeutic aspects of sound and rhythm, Ellis conceived RhythmPharm, a platform to help initiate projects that create a more collaborative, rather than dependent, relationship with technology. Through RhythmPharm, he released his 7 CD box set of ‘Rhythm Tonics,’ which are used by conscious listeners worldwide and also offered as a limited edition perk below.
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Our initial goal of $65,000 gets the ball rolling and covers our first-stage production, location and travel costs. But in order to make "The Click" a feature-length documentary, we have a series of stretch goals. These goals ensure our top-notch crew members at each level of production are taken care of. We will be adding additional locations and cast, graphics and animation as well as covering the post-production costs of editing and original music. As we reach each of these stretch goals, our community of supporters at all levels receive exclusive links to behind the scenes footage, interview outtakes and more. All the way to uniquely experiencing "The Click" when it's completed.
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Locations: As you can see, there is a world of rhythm that awaits. Along with the incredible cast of drummers, authors and academics I've already interviewed for "The Click" here in Los Angeles (see Cast section below), there are still many locations and people I need to film around the world to tell the story of "The Click." Along with locations in North America, we will be going to places such as Sado Island, off the coast of Japan, to see how Taiko drum group KODO lives communally and sustainably; Kolkata, India where we'll visit tabla maestro Bickram Ghosh; Northern California where we’ll find Mickey Hart; and Cape Town, South Africa where we'll visit with master drummer M'abi Thobejane. We will experience the ritual drum cultures of Kurdistan, North Africa and South America. Along the way, we will be interviewing many other artists, academics and visionary thinkers as well.
Post-Production: Editing, animation and graphics are all part of post-production along with recording and mixing the original music for the film. We are also planning unique ways to experience seeing "The Click" when it's completed with screenings in different cities, including live performances and panel discussions.
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Though we encourage you to take advantage of the perks we're offering, the cost to fulfill each one does ultimately take money away from production costs. For a carbon-free donation, in which 100% of the amount you pledge goes directly to the making of "The Click," simply click on the 'Back It' button at the top of the page and enter whatever amount you'd like to contribute. Otherwise, please take advantage of the cool perks available. From shirts and hats, original music and digital downloads, to private live screenings and exclusive performances, as well as a couple of very special offers - we're sure you’ll find something to inspire you to be part of "The Click."
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The rest of the list is quite long and bold in its reach but I actually have ways to get to a lot of them once I start filming. It includes Chuck D, Dr. Dre, Herbie Hancock, Alicia Keys, Bonnie Raitt, Quincy Jones, Stephen Hawking, the Dalai Lama, Japanese Taiko drummers KODO, and my master drummer friends from India, South Africa, Iran, etc.
