UNBOUND: A ★INSTAMINISERIES
AN INTERPRETATION OF AND INSPIRED BY DAVID BOWIE’S NEW ALBUM
FEATURING TAVI GEVINSON, PATRICIA CLARKSON & OTHERS
PREMIERES FEBRUARY 25, 8 PM EASTERN AT:
www.instagram.com/instaminiseries
Trailer airing now on Instagram @instaminiseries
FEBRUARY 22, 2016: InstaMiniSeries, the innovative channel that creates episodic programming
exclusively for the Instagram platform, was given unique pre-release access to the music from ★
(pronounced ‘Blackstar’), the 28th studio album by cultural legend and icon David Bowie. The
result of their work with Bowie’s material is UNBOUND: A ★ InstaMiniSeries. The first of 16
episodes premiers Thursday, February 25 at 8PM Eastern, on instagram.com/instaminiseries.
New episodes will debut at 8PM Eastern each subsequent Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday.
The release of David Bowie’s ★ on January 8, via ISO/Columbia Records wrapped up
months of feverish anticipation punctuated by some of the best reviews of Bowie’s storied career
and a #1 debut in more than 20 countries—including a first ever #1 in the U.S. In the weeks
since, the unprecedented outpouring of love and appreciation for ★ and the entire Bowie
catalogue has continued to build exponentially: In addition to ★ topping charts worldwide, 12
Bowie albums filled out the upper reaches of the UK charts, tying Elvis Presley’s record for most
simultaneous entries in the UK Top 40. Bowie’s visual body of work has fared similarly,
smashing the Vevo record for most video views in one day with an astounding 51 million on
January 11 alone—the most-watched of these being the just-released “Lazarus,” which has since
surpassed 31 million views while the clip for the ★ title track is approaching 25 million. At
radio, “Lazarus” scored Bowie his first Top 40 single since 1987 and remains in the Top 25 at
Triple AAA, while tracks spanning his entire career from “Space Oddity” to ★ commandeered a
record 21 of the total 50 positions on Billboard’s Hot Rock songs chart.
With his enduring legacy as a savvy observer and pioneering user of emerging
technology and media, Bowie saw in InstaMiniSeries an exciting new platform to explore
interpretation of and storytelling within his music. Stopping short of an artistic collaboration,
Bowie instead opened the doors last fall to the InstaMiniSeries creative team, Carolynn Cecilia
and Nikki Borges, and provided them advance, unmediated access to the music and images from
★ thus allowing them to create their own visual interpretations of the songs, with no limits or
preconditions on his part.
Completed in December 2015 and spanning 16 episodes, UNBOUND: A★
InstaMiniSeries takes its audience on a journey of evocative images inspired by the moods
suggested in the album’s music, lyrics and artwork. The series is propelled by a focus on this
visual interpretation of the ★ album as opposed to a literal, linear narrative. Each episode of the
series, designed with a global audience in mind, is sure to capture the imaginations of all who
experience it and will undoubtedly lead to endless speculation and discussion of meaning,
metaphor and intention.
Nikki Borges, InstaMiniSeries Founder and Executive Producer said: “David Bowie has
always been about reinvention over repetition. Remarkably honest and passionate in his work,
his innovations have influenced our own work as we transform a social media platform into a
creative outlet. We are grateful to have the opportunity to participate with the chameleonic rock
icon and honored to be entrusted with interpreting his art.”
Carolynn Cecilia, UNBOUND Writer and Producer, adds: “David Bowie was a
trailblazer, not just in the world of music, but in the art of storytelling. Whether through lyrics,
melodies, film, theater or mythical persona he never fails to transcend WHAT WAS and set the
tone -and the bar- for what CAN BE. As story-tellers and music lovers, who better for us to be
inspired by than David Bowie?”
Lawrence Peryer, Producer of UNBOUND, concludes: “In light of recent events, this
project has taken on new significance for all of us – cast and crew. We are very happy to be
bringing a new creative work to David’s fan worldwide at a time when a focus on his music and
art is much-needed.”
The trailer for UNBOUND: A ★InstaMiniSeries is available for viewing now at
instagram.com/instaminiseries. The series premiers Thursday, February 25 at 8PM Eastern, also
on instagram.com/instaminiseries. Instagram users can view the series by following the account
@instaminiseries.
CAST AND CREW of UNBOUND: A ★InstaMiniSeries
Produced and Directed by Nikki Borges
Produced and Written by Carolynn Cecilia
Produced by Lawrence Peryer
Protagonist: Tavi Gevinson
Lounge Singer: Patricia Clarkson
Young Boy: Jonah Herman
Dancer: Daniel Rysak
Woman in Red Dress: Nikki Borges
Older Woman: Ching Valdes-Anan
Woman in Audience: Amanda de la Nuez
Woman on the Train: Jay Knowles
Man in the Alley: Quincy Dunn-Baker
Obscured Woman: Ceci Fernandez
Drummer: Eoin Duffy
Dancer #2: Jamarious Stewart
Dancer #3: Maxwell Perkins
Dancer #4: Katie Attar
Dancer #5: Kayla Farrish
Dancer #6: Felix Hess
Arm of Man: delaVega
Piano Player: Katie Morrison
Bartender: Leslie Golden
Director of Photography: Joshua Sterling Bragg
Line Producer: delaVega
Associate Producer, Casting Director: Ceci Fernandez
Associate Producer, Production Designer: Leslie Golden
Associate Producer, Unit Production Manager: Amanda de La Nuez
Final Cut: Decheser Media
Editor: Mike Ragone
Creative Consultant: Michael Decheser
All Songs Produced by David Bowie and Tony Visconti
David Bowie – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Fender Guitar on ‘Lazarus’, String Arrangement on
‘Blackstar’
Donny McCaslin – Saxophone, Flute, Woodwind
Jason Lindner – Piano, Wurlitzer Organ, Keyboards
Tim Lefebvre – Bass
Mark Guiliana – Drums, Percussion
Ben Monder – Guitar
Tony Visconti – Strings on Blackstar
James Murphy – Percussion on Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime) and Girl Loves Me
Erin Tonkon – Backing Vocals on ‘Tis A Pity She Was A Whore
All songs written by David Bowie & published by Nipple Music (BMI) administered by RZO
Music, Inc. except for ‘Sue (Or In A Season of Crime)’ Lyrics by David Bowie; Music by David
Bowie, Maria Schneider and “Paul Bateman and Bob Bharma (as ‘plastic soul’)” Nipple Music
(BMI) administered by RZO Music, Inc. MSF Music (ASCAP) administered by ArtistShare
Music Publishing LLC, Flex Publishing/Sherlock Holmes Music Ltd. This composition contains
elements from “Brand New Heavy” (Bateman/Bhamra). Used by permission. All rights
reserved.
Dance Choreographer: Hollye Bynum
Stunt Coordinator: Peter Wallack
Wire Rigger: Roberto Lopez
Stunt Woman: Kimmy Suzuki
Assistant Camera Operator: Anthony Maddaloni
Wardrobe: Seth Bodie
Hair & Makeup Artist: Missy Scarbourough
Hair & Makeup Artist for Patricia Clarkson: Angie Elizalde
VFX Production House: Hey, Mister
Drum Instructor to Eoin Duffy: Nikolaus Schubeck, Brooklyn Music Factory
Production Assistant: Courtney Barber
Assistant to Mr. Peryer: Julia Buchmiller