DANIEL J GERSTLE | HELO Media Founder, Director, Filmmaker, Writer, Musician

Photo of DJG by MarquandPhoto.com.

ABOUT THE FOUNDER

Daniel J Gerstle, HELO Media's Founder & Director, is a filmmaker, writer, humanitarian aid worker, human rights researcher, manager, consultant, photographer, and musician based in Brooklyn, New York. His work has taken him through Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Chechnya, Azerbaijan, Croatia, Bosnia, and other countries. He also performs with the post-punk music group, YXFM. Currently, Daniel is producer and development partner of Sound Central, Afghanistan's first rock music festival in thirty-five years. Contact him at HELObazaar@gmail.com. 

WRITING

Daniel has written for The Guardian, Change.org, UN Dispatch, New America Media, Eurasianet, Transitions Online, Prospect Magazine, the Journal of International Affairs, Journal of Peacebuilding and Development, others, and HELO Magazine. Highlights include:

• "Aid Workers Under Attack in Somalia," The Guardian 
• "Chechnyans Caught in the Crossfire | Russia," The Guardian
• "Crisis Zone Soundtrack," HELO Magazine
• "Conjuring Peace in the Tigris Valley | Iraq," HELO Magazine
• "Cutting through the Fog of War in Khartoum | Sudan," HELO Magazine
• "The Things We Ate When Responding to Famine | Somalia," HELO Magazine
• "Soundscapes: Interview with the Alternative Rock Band, The Boxer Rebellion," HELO Magazine
• "Music for the Road: Moscow to Grozny," HELO Magazine
• "Afghan Summit Highlights Risky Paradoxes of War," New America Media

FILMMAKING

Daniel directed and produced the short documentaries listed below and is developing two documentary features. He has also written screenplays (including Faith, feature, as "Daniel Joseph," directed by Lewis Morphew, 2007), edited video, worked camera, supported film festivals, and played an extra in feature Hollywood films including Tonight at Noon, Going the Distance, Shortbus, Dopamine, and a Bob Dylan music video.

• "Filming Violence" (Director, Producer, co-Editor, co-Camera, 2010) 
• "Sudan Mosaic Teaser" (Director, Co-Producer, 2010)
• "Gato Loco: Coconino #4" (Director, Producer, Editor, co-Camera, 2011) 
• "What is Psycho-Mambo?" (Director, Producer, Editor, co-Camera, 2011)"
• "Flamethrowing Sax: Stefan Zeniuk and the Origin of Psycho-Mambo" (Director, Producer, Editor, co-Camera, 2011)" 
• "Refugee Club" (Director, Producer, 2011)  

GLOBAL AFFAIRS 

On a fifteen year break from the creative arts, Daniel served as a humanitarian aid worker, human rights researcher, manager, consultant, and journalist in:

• Bosnia (1996, 1998-9), Croatia (1998-9), Azerbaijan/Karabakh (1999, 2004), Central Asia & Afghanistan (2004, 2009), Somalia (2005, 2007), Chechnya & Ingushetia (2006), Sudan (2008), Iraq (2008), Israel & Jordan (2009), and of course the US (2000-2003, 2008-2011).
• He worked at different times with agencies including UNICEF, UNDP, OCHA, the International Rescue Committee, Action Against Hunger, and other organizations. His specialites included food security and livelihoods protection in war-affected dry areas (aka famine prevention), child justice, and post-war reconstruction and reconciliation.
• Prior to working in war and disaster zones as a civilian, Daniel also served as a US Marine reservist trained in intelligence, communications, and infantry (1993-1997). 

PHOTOGRAPHY

Daniel's had three public exhibitions of his photography:

• "Frontline Families in the Azerbaijan-Armenian Conflict (solo, Columbia University 2005)," 
• "Frontline Families in Russia's North Caucasus (solo, University of Texas 2007)," and 
• "Sarah and Yula in the Fire (part of larger exhibition, Gowanus Ballroom 2010)."
• He has also published photos with narratives in The Guardian, Eurasianet, HELO Magazine, and other media. Highlights of his photography can be found here on Flickr. 

MUSIC

Daniel leads the psychadelic post-punk group, Mostar, and performs with the post-punk musical group, YXFM (Yula & The Extended Family).

• With a sound like a cross between Souxie & The Banshees, PJ Harvey, and The Dresden Dolls, YXFM performs to a solid cult audience in New York City, Philadelphia, Richmond, and other parts of the US. The group is formed around cabaret punk icon, Yula Be'eri.
• Best known for writing and performing classic underground hits with the influential cabaret punk group, The World/Inferno Friendship Society, Be'eri has also played with Nanuchka, Star Fucking Hipsters, and with members of The Dresden Dolls, Balkan Beatbox, The Hold Steady, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Marcy Playground, and more.
• Growing up in Fairfield, outside Cincinnati, Ohio, long prior to YXFM, Daniel started out by playing session guitar on the creative musical project of classmate Justin Cole called, The Metal Viking Ducks (1991). Daniel then founded the hard rock cover band, Inferno (1991).
• During Inferno's first performance, he smashed and burned his guitar before a surprised audience of peers. Heading off to the University of Cincinnati in the 1990s, Daniel joined the grunge party band, Green Jello (1993-4). Daniel now plays guitar, bass, piano, trumpet, mandola, and vox for YXFM (2010-present). 

Contact

Daniel is based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Contact him at

• Djgerstle@yahoo.com (social), or 
• HELObazaar@gmail.com (HELO business). 
• To share comments and general questions about HELO Magazine, or to pitch a story, contact HELOmagazine@gmail.com.  

HELOmagazine.org 

Photo by Doug Glass for YXFM.