User:Susanhillaryshapiro/sandbox

Susan Hillary Shapiro is a New York based artist and activist whose career spans filmmaking, the visual arts and advocacy work. Her artistic moniker is Susan Hillary (susan hillary.com)

EARLY LIFE & EDUCATION Susan Hillary Shapiro was born in Rockland County, New York, where she lived until attending the University of Pennsylvania for her Bachelor’s degree and Bachelor’s of Fine Arts at New York University Tisch Film School.

While study law at Cardozo School of Law she continued to pursue film and the arts. She has been a member of the New York State Bar in 1984, and has been a Producers Guild of America Member since 1995.

CAREER''' ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY''' Although Susan passed the New York State Bar in 1984 she only began practicing law in 2001, when she moved back to New York from California after 20 years working in the film industry.

She currently represents various community groups working to protect environmental resources.

As a legal advocate for Hudson River Sloop Clearwater (Cleawater.org), Nuclear Information Resource Service (NIRS.org); Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition (IPSEC.org) she works for the safe closure of Indian Point, and to stop New York's $7.6 billion dollar subsidy to prop up polluting/aging nuclear reactors.

She also represents ROSA (Rockland Organized for a Safe Aquifer) and together they successfully stopped illegal development of approximately 200 acres of undisturbed land overlying an EPA protected sole source aquifer which provides approximately 1/3 of Rockland County's drinking water supply and drinking water for Northern, New Jersey; and CUPON (Citizens United to Protect Our Neighbors) challenging illegal land use decision by the Town of Ramapo.

In 2002, as co-counsel she represented Pete Seeger, etal. vs. NYS Department of Environmental Conservations challenging unregulated thermal pollution of the Hudson in violation of the Clean Water Act, sucking billions of gallons of cool river water and expelling superheated water back into the river. She commenced action against the NRC for failing to enforce 1 hour fire safety requirements at Indian Point by permitting only 24 minutes of fire protection. Currently she is challenging New York State Public Service Commission mandatory $7.6 billion nuclear subsidy.

As a Founding Member of Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, she has presented testimony at New York State Senate Hearing regarding State Energy Policy and the Presidential Blue Ribbon Commission on Nuclear Waste. She lobbied the NRC commissioners and the EPA regarding comprehensive radiation monitoring. She applied for and received grants from the Rockefeller Foundation to start a citizen science monitoring program.

She belongs to the following organizations as a board member:

LEAF of Hudson Valley 501c3 formed in 2018 Hudson River Sloop Clearwater (2004-2013) Radiation and Public Health Project (2013 - Present) Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition (2001 - Present) Public Health and Sustainable Energy (2007 - Present) Tibetan Home of Hope (2006 - Present) Comunidad Indigena Hitorangi of Rapanui (2010 - 2015) Rivertown Film (2016-present)

FILM CAREER'''

While at NYU, Susan was awarded Best Cinematographer for a documentary. She was cinematographer for Warhol TV and shot the only film footage of Studio 54 during its heyday. Additionally she was a video DJ at the Ritz Nightclub in Manhattan. In 2018, she released never-before-seen film footage that she shot inside the legendary Studio 54. This footage was included in a new documentary which premiered at the 2018 Sundance and Tribeca Film Festivals. The film, “Studio 54”, will be theatrically released in the Fall of 2018.

From 1984 to 2001 she lived in Santa Monica, California, where she produced, wrote and directed a number of feature films, commercials and music videos. The first film she produced “Ginger Ale Afternoon” premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival and won the award for best screenplay by Gina Wendkos and whose soundtrack by Willie Dixon was nominated for a Grammy.

In 1994, she directed a feature film mockumentary “Cannes Man” which was filmed at the Cannes Film Festival. The film starred Seymour Cassel and Francesco Quinn, featuring Johnny Depp, John Malkovich, Dennis Hopper and many others.

She continued to develop scripts, finance and produce many independent art feature films from concept through to final delivery and distribution, which featured Patrick Dempsey, Barbara Hersey, Naveen Andrews, Michael York, Abe Vigoda, Peter Boyle, Kirstie Alley, Saffron Burrows, Kathy Najimy, Amy Brenneman and many known personalities. She was President of Production for Cineville. Additionally, she worked in international film distribution for Columbia Pictures, Lance Entertainment and Omega Entertainment.

In 2005, Susan co-directed and filmed a feature documentary “Being Rapu Nui” about the indigenous art community on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), partially funded by National Geographic.

Susan taught Line Producing as part of the UCLA Extension Program, and has line produced and production managed numerous films including “Night on Earth” with Gena Rowlands and Winona Ryder; “Baja” starring Molly Ringwald and Lance Hendrickson; “Sweet Evil,” starring Bridgette Wilson among others.

Director: CANNES MAN (feature comedy) 1995 Seymour Cassel, Johnny Depp, John Malkovich, Treat Williams, etc.; BEING RAPANUI  2007 (co-Director) National Geographic; METER MADNESS (feature comedy) 1994 unreleased.

Cinematographer: ALTIMETER FILMS, Studio 54 2018 Archival Cinematographer Original film footage; ANDY WARHOL TELEVISION special effects cinematography; LOISADA NYU Duarte Cinematographer Award; Various Music Videos, Commercials and Industrials/

Producer/Executive Producer: GINGER ALE AFTERNOON Sundance Film Festival competition, Grammy Nominated Sound track by Willie Dixon; DROWNING ON DRY LAND Barbara Hershey and Naveen Andrews; THE TREAT Julie Delpy, Patrick Dempsey, Michael York, Seymour Cassel; HEAVEN or VEGAS Yasmine Bleeth and Richard Grieco; SPLITSVILLE Christopher Lambert; CEMENT Chris Penn, Sherylin Fenn, Jeffery Wright; FACADE Eric Roberts; GLAM Frank Whaley, Ali McGraw, Tony Danza.

Line Producer/Production Manager: NIGHT ON EARTH Winona Ryder and Gena Rowlands, Jim Jarmusch; NEVADA Amy Brenneman, Kirstie Alley, Kathy Najimy; SWEET EVIL Bridgette Wilson; BAJA Molly Ringwald, Lance Hendriksen; POINT OF BETRAYAL Dina Merrill and Rod Taylor; ONE CHILD – ONE VOICE   Ted Turner; STREETS Christina Applegate; CULTURAL SURVIVAL PSA – filmed in Costa Rica; MICHELOB COMMERCIAL. – filmed in Mexico.

VISUAL ART CAREER A self-taught visual artist, Susan began her art career by painting found objects she found on the streets of New York City.

Her work negotiates the terrain between activism and artistry, repurposing found materials to create images that expose the challenges the environment faces, while affirming its significance and beauty. Her work cites as influences the traditions of both graffiti art and its approach to nature as canvas, and cubist/modernist traditions which play into her handling of colors and shapes. The work she creates is often inspired or based off of her advocacy work, and her personal philosophy that people are plants with feet.

Her visual work is created under the moniker “Susan Hillary” and are included in prominent collections such as the Gertrude Stein Collection in New York. Her work has been shown in New York, California, Montana, and Copenhagen. She has participated in annual exhibitions at Pomona Cultural Arts Center, Art Walk -- Nyack, and Garnerville Arts & Industrial Center, and she is integrated into the art scene of upstate New York.

She paints from an art studio based in Goshen, New York where she operates a permaculture farm producing organic herbs, fruits and vegetables.

ART EXHIBITIONS and COLLECTIONS Gertrude Stein Collection – New York, NY; Pomona Cultural Arts Center, Pomona, New York; Garnerville Arts & Industrial Center Annual Shows, Garnerville, NY; Alliance of Haverstraw, Sports Show Haverstraw, New York; Director Guild of America, Los Angeles, California – Group Show; Devorzan Gallery, Beverly Hills, California – Group Show; Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica, California – Solo Exhibition; The Pink, Santa Monica, California - Group Show; Rapid Algebra & Zephyr, New York – Solo Exhibition; Around the Clock Gallery, New York – Solo Exhibition; Piezo Electric Gallery, New York – Group Show.

PRINT WORK Kensu Designs, Hand Printed Silk Scarves – sold at Henri Bendel, Fred Segals 1984-85; Third World, Album Cover “You’ve Got the Power” International Version; Anna Royal, Poetry Book Cover; Alliance for the Wild Rockies Missoula, Montana – Stop Clearcutting Postcard Campaign; Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition - Close Indian Point Postcard Campaign.

PERSONAL LIFE She has two children. Her daughter, Ana Hito, is a food editor at goop, and her son, Rio Hito, is currently a student at NYU..

FUNDRAISING & GRANTS •	Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition: Produced Peter Seeger & Ani DiFranco concert at Riverspace 2010 for IPSEC relicensing contentions and expert witness fees. 2009 •	Tibetan Home of Hope: Structured not-for-profit tea company, Tea Tibet, for the benefit for education and health of Tibetan orphans, with founders of Tazo Tea. 2014 •	Hudson River Sloop Clearwater and Radiation and Public Health Project: Rockefeller Foundation seed grants for citizen science radiological monitoring programs. 2013-2016 •	Comunidad Indigena Hitorangi: Frontline Legal Fund Grant for Rapa Nui emergency legal fund for brutalized and displaced indigenous people in Rapa Nui. 2012 •	NYSERDA Biofuel Gas Station Conversion in Spring Valley, NY. 2007 •	Hudson River Sloop Clearwater Environmental Advocacy Fundraiser: Manhattanville College/Connie Hogarth Center honoring County Executive Andrew Spano and Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee. 2012 •	Radiation and Public Health Project: Produced Alec Baldwin hosted panel discussion Indian Point at the Crossroads: Driving without a License and introduction of citizen science radiation monitoring program. 2014 •	National Geographic All Road Film Project: Documentary film grant. 2004

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