Synopsis of my summer adventures

My mission: a six credit independent learning contract: To learn instructional technologies of Visual Literacy; To learn how creative collaboration can be healing; To learn how to combine visual and expressive arts, and artistic expression. I chose to collaborate with local artists in film, music, photography, whatever I could get myself into. I processed and expressed my experiences with visual arts, an art journal and writings via my internet blog.

In early to mid June, I made contact through Craig’s list with several local artists and musicians. I took a train trip to my old stomping grounds in Eugene, and began the process of looking at life and my expression of life with the eye of an artist again. I contacted people I already knew, had never met at all, or known once a long, long time ago. While some contacts were lost leads and dead ends, the ones that panned out adhered together my seemingly separate experiences in a complimentary ways, that created a synergy to my entire summer experience.


The Cast of Characters:
Mike The Guitar player
Mark The Photographer
Luna The sustainable agriculture student
Don/Leslie The Transgendered Film Student
Kevin The Priest, Web designer and Friend
Robin The Art Tech. from SPSCC, and Glass Artist
Devon My Kid, and a published Web Artist
Dave Cramton, Teacher for 30fps (30 frames per second)
Crew Film class guys: Jordan, Maxwell, Patrick, Rolly, Chris, Travis,
Sean, Jeremiah, Matias, Lee


The Collaboration Projects:
1 day of gardening
2 10-hour days of Modeling Shoots
3 photography, location scouting Adventures
5 Student films (multiple days for each)
6 3-hour music Nights, and 8 songs


Adventures, Field trips and Locations:
Train Ride to Eugene
Salsa Dancing
Fort Lewis Car show
OFF (Olympic film Society)
Homes around Olympia
Forests around TESC
Capitol Lake
Tumwater Falls
Olympia Artesian Wells


Reading, Writing, Preperations & Research:
1 blog account to track the projects and progress
1 new job teaching Tai Chi basics at the CRC
3 books and chapter responses
2 films and film responses
3 new Friends and contacts


The Student Films I was in this summer (links provided in link list):
The Hunted
Book Of Secrets
Smith Co.
Forever and a Day
The Kite Project


What have I learned with all this experiential activity? How is collaboration healing?

Living an artistic and creative life is very experiential. Having a tightly controlled plan and following the status quo can be a death knell to effective creative process and expression. There must be a certain freedom of mind and action to allow room for creativity to unfold at its own pace, in a space that allows one to easily dance between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, creativity, emotion and logic. And Yet a certain structure must remain without taking charge; a frame work for the activities and inspiring side-trips, as well as dedicated time for doing the work itself. The tricky bit is keeping the balance in ones self and life style. There must be room for spontaneous changes in course, or elaborate missions of exploration to discover new roads, tools, partners and ideas.

Collaboration with others complicates this process only slightly while adding an element of accountability and providing a sounding board for filtering ideas and responses to stimuli. I found this helpful to the expression of creativity by removing the project from the limited perspective of my own mind, where I might have ground it to dust by the turning of my own mental wheels, and bringing it out into the open of a fresh perspective. Collaboration with other artists helped to increase my productivity by accelerating the process, refreshing ideas before I had over analyzed them in the fields of my own mind, and giving an avenue of shared expression that helped keep the ball rolling when a person acting alone might have faltered, lost interest, or hit a creative block, and shelved a project indefinitely.

I learned to utilize a variety of media, such as Craigslist, and sound recording equipment, stepping outside of my personal comfort zone with technology. I took the initiative to meet people, and to share my opinions and insights on how to tackle or improve a variety of creative projects. I learned that my opinions can be helpful and valuable to others process as well as my own, and that no man is an island - perhaps in the creative life more then anywhere else. We are all connected, and each of us has an important role to play, a perspective that may be uniquely useful to the larger picture. This helped to heal some old self esteem issues for me, and helped me get a much needed job on campus teaching Tai Chi basics through the CRC.

With Mark, I learned to follow my instincts and ask for feedback as to how the shoot was going, and to offer my insight when he did the same. Our finished photos, and extra long shoots are the proof that this was successful. Our photos are beautiful. Working with Mike, I learned to accept the gift of other peoples patience and willingness to work with me even if I am a beginner or feel they are carrying me in a project. If I do my best and keep showing up on the page, keep making the effort and show at least some improvement, the project can still unfold. I have learned that collaboration invites growth on many fronts both internally in ones inner perspective and in the creative results of achieving the goal. The rewards for breaking ones past habitual way of interacting are many.

The film class taught me to push through and get things done even if the product seems less then perfect. Set a schedule, do the shots and then work with what you get, rather then waiting forever, or failing to complete the work because perfection has yet to be achieved or attained. Working with a variety of directors and styles was interesting as well, and helped me to grow in confidence about presenting myself as an actress. This is something I have the talent, knowledge and ability to continue pursuing as a hobby and education. And that was a delicious experiential activity I hope to continue exploring. It raised long lost projects to the surface of my individual creative goals, and gave me the confidence to pursue them as part of my future studies.

Response to Reading

Chi and Creativity, Vital Energy and your Inner Artist
by Elise Dirlam Ching and Kaleo Ching


Chapter IV: Exploring Chi and Creativity

“The capacity to create is part of being human -whether that means making art, writing, teaching, cooking for friends, gardening, giving a massage, nurturing relationships or following a spiritual path. Nourishing and maximizing your vital energy, or Chi, is an essential part of fulfilling your human potential.” - from book jacket

The authors of this book spend a lot of time introducing meditation and self exploration techniques like guided imagery, keeping various types of journals, and practicing exercises for sensing Chi. Chapter 4 pulls these techniques together as it explores the correlation between Chi and the creative process, for the purpose of making the secular activity of creative process sacred.

The chapter sections are dived as follows:

Sacred Time and Space
Chi and Creativity Altar
Your Personal Place in Nature and Circle of Chi
Sources of Chi
Chi Awareness to Stimulate Creativity
Creativity and Ancestral Wisdom

Each section explores its stated concept through example, then pulls the guided imagery and journaling into exercises to be done separately. I found the imagery helpful to record into a digital recorder and play back later. The journaling explored written and art journaling techniques, which I've been combining in my summer art journal, and the later activities suggest creating costuming or talismans to wear as part of further chi rituals, particularly the ancestral wisdom or altars to help guide and focus the creative process.

I enjoyed the activities, particularly how the authors crossed the boundaries of many cultures with their work, bringing ideas of
Tai Chi, Hawaiian surfing culture, artistic endeavor and Native American values into one set of activities. This appealed to my own multi-cultural sensibilities, and brought together a variety of trainings I have experienced in my life, including Tai Chi, Shamanism, work with the Artist's Way, and growing up in southern Californian surf culture. Little did I know when I picked up the book that it provide such a bridge that paralleled my own experiences and serve as more of a reminder then instruction into ideas I had previously explored.

life of a filmstar

Busy times. A week ago Wednesday, I missed most of the Zombie movie shoot. I walked in as Jordan was finishing the takeover of the local news station to become Zombie brain watch. I got a photo. Maxwell asked if I could help on Friday and sent me a script.

Then I was the Star. I ran through the forest chased by the monster, screaming, taking refuge in an old deserted shack. Slowly going mad. That was last Friday. During the week I followed the crew to several locations and did what I could to help out. Sometimes character work, sometimes just staying out of the way while trying to absorb more experience and familiarity with the lighting and sound technologies etc.

Saturday after work, I tried to round up extras for zombies part2, but by the time I had it handled the shoot was done. We put my friends off till the next week.

Monday I was an off duty cop flirting with my coworkers in the background of an old bar, while two, crusty, older cops tried to solve an impossible case at a nearby table. That was a full day of lighting and working on finding replacements and stand-ins for missing or absent actors. We had the use of Eagles club till 4 pm. Yet a different director and directing style.

Tuesday all day on campus. Resnet was down all week at the dorms, so internet access was severely constrained to the library building only, and usually to library hours as well. I put several more layers onto the paper mache helmet I was making for next weeks project. That took nearly 10 days in all to complete, and once it dried, about 3 more days to cut, shape, paint, and apply rub and buff so it looks like metal. Thank heavens I didn't have to do that! The paper and flour water was more then tedious enough. I also finally caught up with Andrew to finish my hire paperwork for the Tai Chi Class.

Wednesday, I taught my campus Tai chi class. It went much better then the previous one where they put us in a basketball court. This time they let me use a dance studio, and we worked on the first 9 moves of 24 form Tai Chi Chaun. It was nice. I had about 8 people show up.

Thursday we crammed into someones tiny apartment to shoot a scene about a young girl trying to put her life together after rehab, and not doing to good a job. I was the voice of her MOM, who called her cell phone at an inopportune moment. Multiple takes running up and down the stairs so I could hear my cue, but not be heard in the echo of the stairwell. I have no idea how many minutes that used on my cell phone bill. ouch.

Late Thursday, we were in another Bar. A different bar. The royal. Where The young girl falls off the wagon in a dream sequence. Once again I mostly helped by staying out of the way. Although I did run interference with people trying to enter the set and found the extra set of bar lights for the guys, and helped keep the talent happy.

Friday Morning found us on the West side, at a small used clothing store. This was the job the young girl gets fired from for using at work. We all did some browsing, and, made good contacts with the store owners for future projects, and possible costuming resources. By now my character work was done, so I was just support.

Saturday I worked and then got to play production manager. I rounded up cast and craft services for the big shoot on Sunday.

Sunday. A long day indeed. "Book of Secrets" movie trailer. 5 locations. Only one of Don's classmates showed up, but the entire cast descended upon his dorm room. I cooked all day for cast and crew. Breakfasts, coffee, vegetable pasta salad, I ran props, helped with make up and got the talent to the locations. I helped look after the kid someone brought and gave her jobs to keep her busy, and ran the clap board. In the afternoon I provided costumes, props, suggestions and transportation to alternate locations. Then once the 8 or 9 other cast members had done their parts and been released, it was my turn. Sunday night. lights, make up, black screen in the living room. I was a stone goddess, who comes to life, sees the wrong being done, and goes to war! Thus, at last, the helmet.

Don't worry! Once the post production is finished the films will be posted to You tube, and I will post links! Its a good thing Mike couldn't meet for music recently! who has the time? I start working nights now.

Film response: Metropolis by Fritz Lang

What an incredible film!

I was mesmerized by this pieced together footage from Germany in the 1920's. The symbolism of nearly every shot, the amazing pieces of imagery, and industry, the foreshadowing to Hitler, An amazing work of art recovered and mostly restored.

I am in a rapture beyond words. This was a very old film, a true silent movie, dramatically black and white, complete with restored orchestral accompaniment. We perused it to find some good shots of industry, and the symbolism of the industrial revolution. It was a strange combination of George Orwell's 1984 meets Frankenstein in the magical land of OZ.

How to summarize it with out giving it away... I am at a loss. Robots, mad science, partial nudity, workers rebelling, the prodigal prince redeeming his inheritance... were there flying monkeys? I cant be sure! If you have not seen this film, you simply must. Surely the great masters Orson Wells, and Alfred Hitchcock drew from the richness of this film. A true film, not just a movie.

WOW. What a week!

When it rains it pours.

This week I got some of the power point started, and checked in the with the film class 30 Frames Per Second. (30fps, taught by Dave Cramton.) Jordan, my very kind costar from the coffee girl film, sent an email to all the guys for me and Maxwell has cast me in his short horror movie. So I will be filming all day on Friday again! maybe even Saturday.

I am thrilled. Who knew I had to wait 20 years and move to Washington for my acting career to take off?! Now I am gonna be in a horror flick: The Hunted. Everyone knows what that means... I am about to become a Superstar!! Sigourny Weaver, Courtney Cox, Meryl Streep, etc. I absolutely told Maxwell I must have Perrier and my own trailer... kidding. (but paying for summer school would be a bonus).

Meanwhile, I have spent numerous hours the past few days doing production work to create a paper mache' helmet (hours layering and overnight drying) and helping scout locations for the film trailer that Don is working on: Book of Secrets. Tuesday we spent a couple hours in the woods filming one of the scenes and I got to run the sound. Not a Foley artist yet, but on the right track! I hope to post pictures of that soon. I have been cast in that film as a Celtic war goddess. The helmet will be for me. Very exciting. That should begin shooting in the next week or two.

Coffee Girl Directs!

What a fun day! It had been a long time since I'd been on a film set. I had a great time. I was the coffee girl, who objects to a famous directors treatment of her CEO, during a company promo, and ends up stealing his job. It was a short film, with just a few shots, but we managed to get everything in about 6 hours. That included equipment set up, dialog, and scene shots. Here are a few photos. A film about a film production. Gotta love it.

The guy on the floor with the lap top was the tele-prompter. The massage therapist in me was at odds with his positioning, but the actor in me ate it all up, the cold coffee, the bright lights, the stale cigarettes, and AV guys. I miss that old familiar geeky humor, I am such a geek at heart. I hope to help out the film class all next week as well, doing whatever is needed; acting, set building, etc. The story I heard is that when all the short films are done, they will be tied together, and shown in the back ground of a live performance broadcast over public television at the end of the quarter. Woo hoo! I will post the dates when I know more.

Hirsh, this might be what you get from me for a film.... lots of photos of film sets, and a air date.

prouduction planning, and Progress!

I visited the TV studio today and was present for the planning meeting for tomorrow's shoot. I was recruited to play "coffee girl". That shoot starts at 8 am so I do need my beauty rest. I am very excited.

I spent several hours in the computer lab trying to arrange my photos for one page montage of my different looks for Dave, the instructor at the CAM to keep on file. I hope to get more parts in his students productions that way. The time was long and I forgot how to operate Iphoto. ugh. I had to re-choose the photos twice, and the computer crashed. Yes! -from the 700 photos. ugh. I ended up saving the ones I want to use, but Photoland is to expensive in the summer so I have to come up with an alternate plan.

I then spent a great evening with Mike, and we made some fabulous progress on our songs. We now have more then we can cover in a single evening, but we nailed the Key change in the Aretha song, and I even got the fast second verse in Seen it coming, the Nickel back number we recorded last week. Mike was impressed with my progress on the Eva Cassidy tune and thinks we should record again soon to show Hirsh my improvement. Yay!

All in all a very productive day with almost 9 work hours. That sure makes up for the past week! Ok 8 am on site will come early, so I will post the results over the weekend. Thanks to all my supportive readers!