“How do I make a connection? Well, results do speak louder than ferns.”
- Phillipp Scott (Dance Gene)
The Crew - after our last shot of the day.
I love film. Since I was a kid I have always loved it. I can still remember walking along the rectangle filled walls at the first video store in Arlington, TX. Since my parents owned the place it gave me free reign to stare at each cover and memorize the details of every package of every film. This led me to become a pre-internet, living IMDB. Even if I haven’t seen the movie I can tell you who stars in it and even select crew members. My eternal love of film might also entwined with my love of M&M’s and popcorn mixture. The only place you could do that without people (especially your mom) looking at you like you have a screw loose is in a darkened theater.
Now don’t get me wrong. I know this blog is about photography and so I will say that still images capture me because it is a split second moment where composition, lighting, and content all meet to solidify into one single frame. No words… just visual emotion.
But I feel like film is a medium where I get to take all the different disciplines that I have learned and combine them into one moving piece of art. Not only the obvious invocations of learning photography but the years I spent in the band Rhythm writing music and lyrics, conveying thoughts and ideas through song. The time put into graphic design, often hammering away at creating one image that has to sum up a band, event or entire company often with little or no direction from the client. Taking all I have learned, gleamed, and developed over my limited time on this planet; mixing it with other artists shared and differing experiences; and producing a piece for others to experience. To me that is humbling.
Giving a bit of direction. "Become one with the fern."
So after all that emotive wordplay I just spouted… here is a goofy mockumentary a group of like-minded cinephiles put together with limited time and no budget during the 48 Hour Film Project. I wrote, co-directed, and put together the graphics. I think we all are still in the process of recovery from this sleep deprived undertaking… but we loved every minute of it. Look for more in the future but for now… enjoy Dance Gene!!
For behind the scenes photos taken by my lovely wife check out the photo page at: http://www.facebook.com/DanceGene
Tags: apples to oranges, dance gene, short film
Ok…….I must insert an “in my defense” statement. If there is popcorn and M&M’s to be mixed there is one parent that will aid with the mixing of them and the ingestion of the final product. That would NOT be your Dad! ***And now the – “in your defense” statement***I can understand your reluctance to let me know that you actually had M&M’s since I would have played the “share with Mom” card and would have appropriated more than my share. Dance Gene is WONDERFUL! Keep up the good work!