Wolfgang Busch: a New York community organizer, filmmaker, and rock music promotor

Wolfgang's philosophy is that in order to document and serve a community effectively, it is important to first become an active member of that community. This gives him the opportunity to observe community members, learn and understand their objectives, goals, mission, talents, politics, sensitivities and needs. Then he can bring out the best about a community based on their needs. To watch some of Wolfgang's work, please visit his channel on YouTube.

Wolfgang's unique community contributions history in TV production started in 1984, when he volunteered at Skyline Features, which produced the public access TV show International Music Video in New York City. In 1985 he volunteered for the musicians union local 802 in NYC to further his career in the entertainment business.

The director of the 'How Do I Look' documentary, Wolfgang Busch, answers questions from the photographer Mashala (pictured at right). Read the interview on Red Velvet Roses Magazine.

The interview was conducted by the photographer Mashala, who took one of the most prolific images to have come out of the documentary, How Do I Look, that of the image of Anthony Revlon (pictured below).

Wolfgang Busch co-hosted the Grand Opening of Saints & Sinners, a new weekly Rock 'N Roll party at Webster Hall. The event promised to coincide with the long-awaited resurgence of Rock & Roll in New York night clubs and discos.

Pictured here are co-hosts DJ Genghis and Wolfgang Busch at Webster Hall's, Saints & Sinners.

The filmmaker Wolfgang Busch completed a recent video collaboration with theatre director and playwright Aixa Kendrick (pictured here with Wolfgang) and playwright Leonardo Benzant in their play, Black Circus.

Black Circus was produced as part of programming by BAX/Brooklyn Arts Exchange, a multi-arts non-profit organization based in Park Slope, Brooklyn. BAX aims to provide a "nurturing, year-round performance, rehearsal and educational venue in Brooklyn that encourages artistic risk-taking and stimulates dialogue among diverse constituencies."

Wolfgang has been a multi-media and experimental video artist for the past 20 years. Most of his work has been in collaboration with his artistic "partner-in-crime," Darryl Hell from Sektor 6 Kommunikations.

Wolfgang's work can be seen in the experimental film Electronica, video club mixes for Tronic, underground video remixes set to music by Traci Lords, the award-winning documentary How Do I Look, and Hellab. Wolfgang is a social and artistic activist for the LGBT community, and is the founder of Art From The Heart, whose mission is to empower the underserved artistic communities by bringing the spotlight to the community through alternative and mainstream media.

Wolfgang created New York New Rock, a non-profit organization to produce arts-in-education programs for New York New Rock TV, a public access TV show in Manhattan, reaching 250,000 households weekly from 1990 - 2000.

New York New Rock's mission was to showcase the talents of upcoming Rock and R&B bands on independent and major record labels, as well as musicians connected to grass-roots organizations such as Women in Music, The Staten Island Rock Coalition and the Black Rock Coalition.

Wolfgang gained valuable hands-on experience in the entertainment business and during this 10-year period, he videotaped over 600 bands live and produced over 400 half hour TV shows. Some of the TV highlights include documenting local heroes.

Pictured are from left to right: Ralph and Barb Carboy, Vic Hennegan, and Wolfgang Busch in a photo related to Busch's TV program, 'New York New Rock.

Wolfgang Busch with Pete Way, bass player of the British hard rock band UFO, interviewed at the New York City nightclub, the Limelight.

Jonn Penney, the lead singer of the British alternative rock band Ned's Atomic Dustbin, with Wolfgang Busch at Sony Records in New York.

Jack Pavlik and Wolfgang Busch with Nina Hagen at an interview at Limelight in New York City.

Wolfgang worked as a booking agent at Woody's, a club owned by Rolling Stones band member Ron Wood in the East Village, NYC.

Lead singer Les McKeown of the Scotish band Bay City Rollers with Wolfgang Busch in the early 1990s.

Wolfgang became a celebrity in his hometown, Heppenheim, Germany.

In the early 1990's, Wolfgang began volunteering his video services for the gay community. He became an active member and a strong influence for New York City's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender artistic and social community-based organizations and individuals. He served as a vice president and videographer at the oldest gay sports organization in NYC, Tuesday Night Bowling, and served at the 1990 New York City Gay Games "Team NY" uniform committee, videotaping sporting events in Vancouver, Canada for the Gay Cable Network. He was the managing director and videographer for OutMusic, special events board member and videographer for All Out Arts and MetroBears, and social committee member, host, and videographer-photographer for Senior Action in a Gay Environment (SAGE).

Wolfgang has also served as volunteer coordinator and videographer for the Gay & Lesbian American Music Awards (GLAMA), and is to this date a technical director and videographer for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in NYC.

His long-term video involvement with the Imperial Court of New York took him also to Fire Island, NY, videotaping the fishing tournament fundraiser, the invasion, the house blessings and many live performances at the Cherry Grove & the Pines Community Center, where he also worked as a technical director.

Wolfgang is pictured here with Empress Billy Ann Miller, left, and Empress Randee, in New York City in the 1990s.

In the late 1990's Wolfgang took his talents as a cinematographer and editor beyond public access and community videos, and began getting video jobs at corporations in Manhattan and other freelance work in the New York Tri-State area. His artistic eye was refreshing for corporate America, and he directed and edited client reels, focus groups and corporate pitch videos for advertising and marketing companies for their new multi-million-dollar clients such as General Electric, JPMorgan, the Island of Bermuda, Jet Blue, Sandals & Beaches, and Norwegian Dawn.

Wolfgang's passion is soccer, his first love. He was a semi-professional player in Germany as a mid-fielder.

Years later, in 1994, Wolfgang was hired by the NY/NJ Soccer Association to create a documentary about Charlie Stillitano, who was then director at the New Jersey Meadowlands facility during the World Cup Soccer of that year.

During the World Cup '94, Charlie Stillitano received the "Man of the Year" award by the NY/NJ Soccer association.

Wolfgang also covered the CONCACAF "Gold Cup" in Los Angeles.

Wolfgang would later document the early development of Major League Soccer (MLS) in California, interviewing US national goalkeeper Tony Meola and later superstar Valderama from Colombia, for the Soccer Rap USA pilot TV show.

To take his vast community, corporate and video experience to an arts-in-education level, Wolfgang volunteered for the First City Company, the first company in New York to use video for arts-in-education programs for the disabled, the homeless, in storytelling festivals, puppetry and high schools. He volunteered for the Sister City Program, NYC's largest cultural city exchange program, sponsored by the United Nations and the Mayor's Office in New York City. He was hired to document the 9th annual Youth Baseball Series between New York and Tokyo, and won his very first director's award for this sports documentary.

Wolfgang's second award came through his partnership with Darryl Hell. Together they produced and directed a music video for MTV and they won an editing award for best music video for the Brooklyn-based band Som.

Wolfgang's video footage was used for the first time in a feature film by Emmy Award-winning director John Scagliotti (pictured here) in the historically acclaimed documentary After Stonewall.

Over the years Wolfgang produced, directed, cinemagraphed and edited over 40 short documentaries with artistic and social content, and learned how to translate his activism into video, to empower the LGBT community, both artistically and socially.

In 1987, Wolfgang was introduced to the Harlem Ball community for the first time at the club Traxx on 19th Street in Manhattan. At the time, he was totally fascinated by this Ball spectacular. He remembers thinking, "One day I would like to work with this community." Little did he know at the time that eight years later, in 1995, he would start working on his first major documentary, How Do I Look, which took 10 years to complete.

Wolfgang Busch receives the 2007 Pill Award for Best Documentary for at the NYC nightclub Splash; with him on stage is the host Peaches Christ.

Wolfgang is an inspiration and motivator for people from all walks of life. His commitment, dedication and endless contributions to the LGBT community over the past 20 years are acknowledged through many awards, and in Ed Karvoski's book, Award-Winning Men: Up Close and Personal With Gay Honorees.

And in October 2007, his second major documentary, A True Lesson In Humanity, which aims to bridge the gap between the general and special-needs populations, premiered in the United States.

Pictured here are Wolfgang with Tamarac Mayor Beth Talabisco, The New York Times bestselling author Aphrodite Jones, and members of the City of Tamarac commission at the screening of A True Lesson In Humanity in Tamarac, Florida.

Acclaimed independent filmmaker Wolfgang Busch has collaborated with the Florida Special Arts Center, Inc., in Tamarac, Florida, on his latest documentary, A True Lesson In Humanity. Check out information about the Florida Special Arts Center and the important community work that they are providing in the area of arts-in-education.

The new documentary A True Lesson In Humanity takes an inspirational look at the work of the Special Needs Color Guard of America. Follow this courageous group of individuals as they travel across the United States to perform their artistic programs, as proud members of the South Florida Winter Guard Association circuit, as well as the Winter Guard International family. With great determination and perseverance, their unique talents are the tools that help them to continue their mission, which is to "bridge the gap" between the general and special populations by showing the world how capable individuals with developmental disabilities are. When they perform there "is not a dry eye in the house." It truly puts life in perspective for all spectators as they focus on their abilities rather than their disabilities, realizing that these individuals are an important segment of our society deserving of respect and dignity.

The Rev. Charles Gilmore and Wolfgang Busch, directors of the independent documentary The Immigrators.

The Immigrators is an Arts in Education video documentary directed and produced by award winning director Wolfgang Busch and Pastor/Social Worker Charles Gilmore.

The Immigrators ... descended from Europe, Africa and the Caribbean take you inside the American dream.

We take on human challenges, and break through inter-generational and multi-cultural barriers and celebrate life through self expression.

Ector Simpson, director of Cultural Affairs at the LGBT Community Center and long-time supporter of Wolfgang Busch.

David Menkes, fashion designer & Wolfgang Busch, technical director, at a fashion show at the LGBT Community Center.

In 2004, Wolfgang founded Ping Pong NY, a group of enthusiasts who are aiming to compete in the upcoming Gay Games. Picture here are members Rodell, Hank and Rodolfo.

Team NY is an organization, which provides general assistance and other services to promote LGBT sports in New York City. For example, Team NY represents Ping Pong NY during the Gay Games, and Team NY represent many other sports as well.

Ping Pong NY would like to express their thanks to Team NY for their generous support, including for their contribution of a display advertisement in HX magazine to help us promote Ping Pong NY to a larger audience.

Here are the board of directors of Ping Pong NY.

For more information about Ping Pong NY, please visit the team's official page on Myspace.

To learn more about the opportunities and services available to other LGBT sports in New York, we invite you to visit the website for Team NY.

Wolfgang received the Volunteer of the Year award in 2001 for Center Bingo. Here with bingo hostess Trai La Trash at the LGBT Community Center, 2008.

Jack Herman, retired from the NYC Board of Education, collaborated with Wolfgang Busch on a curriculum about early radio in 2007.