Oscilloscope Expands To Publishing With Books From Director Jason Tippet And Film Journalists

EXCLUSIVE: Oscilloscope Laboratories is about to teach you that reading is fun-damental as it enters the publishing realm with three books. The indie film company founded by Beastie Boys member Adam Yauch will release their first titles which include Heading to Bill’s For Cigarettes from director Jason Tippet (Only the Young) and Musings Volumes 1 & 2 featuring film writing from some of today’s most esteemed journalists.

Tippet’s Heading to Bill’s For Cigarettes will include a collection of the filmmaker’s 35mm photographs that are an ode to the quirky characters and surreal happenings of the Atwater Village neighborhood  in East Los Angeles, the old stomping grounds of the Beasties Boys and their long-time collaborator Mark “Money Mark” Nishita, who provides the book’s introduction.

“I always get caught up with unique situations, and I’m attracted to them, I have such a strong love for underdogs,” said Tippet. “I appreciate people that struggle, they’re more interesting to me, and it’s a type of person I’m drawn to photograph. Most of the subjects here are people I see all the time around the neighborhood. They’re like local celebrities to me. I hope when readers flip through the book they have a connection to these people and the neighborhood and get a feeling of what it’s like to spend a day here.”

The two volumes of Musings will feature indie film writing from Scott Tobias (NPR, The Dissolve, The Onion), Alison Nastasi (Flavorwire, MTV, Pitchfork), Judy Berman (Time, New York Times, Washington Post), Mike D’Angelo (The A.V. Club, Nerve), Keith Phipps (Slate, The Atlantic, Vulture), Bilge Ebiri (New York Times, New York Magazine, Village Voice) among others. The writers will dive into the overlooked corners of cinema that they are eager to illuminate. The books highlight films, filmmakers, and movements that don’t always get much attention in mainstream publications.

“As anyone in the independent film business knows, we’re operating in a time of constant change and uncertainty and it felt like an opportune moment for us to shore up our financials with a tried-and-true cash windfall, so we published a few physical books,” said O-Scope president Dan Berger of their new venture into publishing.

The books will be available starting in November.