Scott & Michael
 

In 2003, Mr. Becker moved to a treatment program 
for clinical depression. As part of his therapy, 
he volunteered one day a week at Creativity Explored, 
an art center for adults with developmental disabilities.

It was there that he formed a transformational friendship 
with the artist, Michael Bernard Loggins. 
Their friendship is central to Mr. Becker’s ability to face
a series of challenges as he learns to tame the Black Dog.

As a creative artist with developmental and mental disabilities,
Mr. Loggins uses a unique language articulating what 
it means to be alive today:

Life is [a] real thing to accomplish, when 
you’re actually living in life…
But life is much too real to tell by it’s name.

Michael Bernard Loggins’ letter to Scott ray Becker.
A page from Michael’s journal.
Subject’s Backgrounds
 
In 2004, Manic D Press published Mr. Loggins' writings & drawings about his perceived fears
and phobias in a red book called Fears Of Your Life. Mr. Loggins' book has been widely quoted for
its honesty and playfulness. Excerpts from his book have been broadcast on NPR’s
This American Life and quoted in Harpers and The Sun magazine. Mr. Loggins' writings & drawings have been exhibited at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco and the 2004 Whitney Biennial in New York City. In 2007, dancer Kim Epifano choreographed Michael’s red book into a performance by the same name. In 2008, Michael released a 2nd book, a blue one, called Imaginationally, a dictionary of made-up words and accompanying drawings.
 
Director Scott ray Becker is an accomplished filmmaker who has produced and directed
non-fiction documentary projects since 1991 with S-Ray Video. Mr. Becker has a Masters Degree
in Urban Studies (MUS) from Portland State University and Bachelor of Science in Finance
 from Santa Clara University. Mr. Becker co-founded the environmental art & media group,
Orlo, in Portland, Oregon in 1992.
 
In 2003, he co-founded Collective Eye Films with filmmaker Taggart Siegel, a non-profit film
production & distribution company that creates and distributes socially relevant documentaries for broadcast and theatrical release. www.collectiveeye.org Mr. Becker was Co-Producer for
Collective Eye's first film, the ITVS licensed film, THE REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN.
 
In 2008, Mr Becker founded the non-profit organization, Black Dog Art Ensemble, to further the distribution and enhance the educational component of the film. www.blackdogart.org
 
In 2002, Mr. Becker premiered his documentary Gridlocker’s Paradox at the Portland Art Museum’s
N.W Film Study Center. In this film, Becker began his examination of what it means for an artist to become creatively closed downed or “gridlocked”. Questions of authenticity, creative freedom
and loss of self have been the marrow of many of Mr. Becker’s evocative films. Black Dog Running
is an extension of Mr. Becker’s past body of documentary film.
 
Other film projects by Mr. Becker: Projecting Karl: Homage to Artist Karl Schomberg, 2001
and Messie: Dark Secrets of the Willamette, 2003, have penetrated these obtuse subjects with a curious and a creative ingenuity.