Notable Features posted a video "Lorenzo (Rhythm in Motion series)" on VIMEO

'I'm As Hardcore New York As You Can Possibly Get'"Lorenzo Laroc, a 54-year-old electric violinist, believes he was destined to become a musician. "I was put on this Earth to play music for my fellow human beings," he tells filmmaker Jenny Schweitzer. "It's my calling." Laroc grew up in a family of six kids, with few toys except for a violin. He says he carried it with him everywhere, forging an identity on bow strings. He plays on subways platforms and at ritzy parties, a performer at ease regardless the audience. "You can't ever give up," he tells Schweitzer. "The thing about a dream is, once you let go of that dream, the dream is dead. It's over." -Chris Heller, THE ATLANTICThis is an episode from RHYTHM IN MOTION, a series of short films about New York's subway musicians.RhythmInMotion.nycfacebook.com/RhythmInMotionNYClorenzolaroc.com...ABOUT THE SERIESDirected, produced, shot, and edited by Jenny SchweitzerThe films were created in collaboration with the MTA's arts division, MTA Arts & Design, and in association with Killer Content (Still Alice, Alec Baldwin's Here's the Thing podcast) and Cinelan (FOCUS FORWARD Short Films, Big Ideas and WE THE ECONOMY 20 Short Films You Can't Afford To Miss)....New York City subway buskers are a well-documented bunch. It is not unusual to witness a sea of iphones capturing those random performances as we scurry to our trains. Since arriving in NYC in the late-90's, I, too, have marveled at them, mesmerized by this inimitable cast of characters. All the time, I have wondered what drove these performers underground. For me, these musicians serve as an essential thread woven into the great culture that forms our vibrant city.It was difficult to develop the first pieces. Having been approached by filmmakers on so many occasions, the musicians initially were skeptical of me. My objective in making these films was to give these gifted people the opportunity to reveal a hidden aspect of who they are and to voice their artistic message. While the musicians' talent and performances serve as the framework for each film, for me, the allure lies beneath the music. The films peek into their arresting and deeply personal stories.In 1987 the Metropolitan Transit Authority created Music Under New York to offer musicians access to coveted, high traffic spots in the subway system and to assure the commuters a high level of artistic accomplishment. An annual, highly selective public audition in Grand Central Station invites newcomers to the roster.More than 350 individual performers participate in more than 7,500 performances throughout the transit system annually. Rhythm in Motion profiles ten members from the Music Under New York roster.For me, collaborating with Music Under New York was a critical step in moving forward with the project. It was deeply important that this vital organization value what my films could reveal about their network of musicians and this slice of NYC culture. -Jenny SchweitzerCast: Jenny SchweitzerTags: Lorenzo, Lorenzo Laroc, Rhythm in Motion, Jenny Schweitzer, subway, busker and subway musician