The Dead Sea

The Dead Sea

When I was little I asked too many questions.
I asked my mom to teach me how to swim.
I asked her why rocks don’t float.
I asked her where babies come from and why I had freckles and what grade you’re in when they teach you to spell curse words.

I asked her if the soul of the Dead Sea is in heaven or in hell.

She never answered in order.

‘Some things just don’t float, and some things don’t have a soul.’

So I paddled furiously through these questions,
Like a moth with wet wings,
Like a disposable razor dancing in the drain.
But I sank, like a knife in a sink, with no hopes to float.

Some nights I lay in bed and pray for the soul of the Dead Sea.
I put a word in for Kilimanjaro’s bi-polar kin,
I want salvation for that mineral laden maiden,
who lays like a body of water, but is just an island of loose mortar,
waiting for the silt deposits to coagulate together.
But it’s just like the perjury of drunk kids and Catholics,
we can’t purge loved ones from purgatory.

It must be lonely to be the sodium chloride sea of peace.
Just stagnant saline solution waiting to evaporate or for someone to take a dip.

Nothing can live in her,
tourism killed her,
like a broken life preserver.

Kamikaze fish sometimes swim from their freshwater homes to explore what lies beneath what they know. Pioneers destroyed for their pursuit of holiday, drink the lullaby, and die instantly from her siren salt. She coats them in brackish mother of pearl and casts them to the shore.


I found out how to spell curse words from abandoned billboards.
I learned how to swim from drowning.

I still wonder who the Dead Sea really is, if she ever felt love.
Was she Lot’s liquid wife waiting to meet her faithful partner in the afterlife?

Have not-so-buoyant boys taken stabs at sex,
realizing they were necrophiliacs?
Nothing can penetrate her.
Anything with life must stay above the surf.

But I will save the soul of the Dead Sea.
Even if she is Medusa with freshwater deltas that martyrs the lives of the unsalted.
Even if I can never penetrate her briny coverings,
And I have to lay there hovering above the surface.
I will float there, belly up, in pious levitation, praying that ascension is possible.

Introducing John Raines, Cinematographer

John and I are so in love with working together that we are severally bummed, like buuuummed when we don’t have projects together. He is sorta the wiz kid around town/triple threat/going to be an insanely big deal in the future. Editor, Cinematographer, Cameraman; See for yourself, here’s his cinematography reel:

And an EPK for Shakespeare & Friends:

And working with our friend Luke Scott for his side project Richard Smash:

Nikki & Rich

Vern, our little orphan intern with two first names (Matthew Ryan) and I went up to the Viper Room to capture the label showcase of newly signed to Warner artists, Nikki & Rich. I like to describe them as Amy Winehouse for Republicans, but I’m a pop whore and instantly fell in love. It was a good night and sort of crowded, but we got through it ok. That led to a ton of work for Vern including the video below, in which I wrote this amazing elaborate treatment for up until 5 in the morning one night, sent it to Vern and he said it’s perfect. I got so excited to do a big budget mini-documentary, EPK, montage and I was just waiting for the Executive Producer to green light it. She almost immediately called Vern after the email and said “Vern I don’t know how to say this, It’s completely wrong, this is the exact opposite of what we want to do.”

So I scooped up my wounded little heart and didn’t even end up working with Nikki & Rich again, but I had one fun night and got turned onto their music so all in all it was a great experience. Here's what they ended up with:

Delta Spirit

Here’s a video that really got me excited about doing film. I helped with some of the props and craft services, but mostly I just smoked cigarettes with the band and cracked a bunch of jokes. It was the production though, seeing a larger scale video that got me interested film as a career, cause with all my events, productions and everything, what I am passionate about is the coming together of many different talents to collaborate and make something bigger and more beautiful than something someone could create on their own.

I also met Matthew Logan Vasquez for the first time that weekend and well, life since has never been the same, but that’s entirely different blog. People C’mon.

THE FRENCH SECRET

Ex-soldiers on pier of arches.

Blindfolded with white flags,

Angelic garcons waiting around just to surrender.

And at the first sign of danger, they throw themselves into frigid water.

Passersby walk down this promenade that jetties into the bay,

Ignoring underarms and French breadth, these strangers pick the patriots they find lovely,

Leave a dance card with the executioner, and lead their new love to the mainland.

As she takes off that wilted halo, his face comes close to hers,

and she whispers in his ear,

‘Will you cohabitate with me?’

and oh god is it romantic.

WANT AD

i really do have love to give, i just don't know where to put it

THE DEAD WEATHER

It has truly been a ride that I've observed, rode, hopped off at the station and blew kisses to it as it pulls away. It begins with some guy named Jonathan Glazer (no big deal) directing The Dead Weather's first music video, Treat Me Like Your Mother.

They asked Vern to film some behind the scenes stuff. Obviously they immediately fell in love with him. What came out of that was a don't know what don't know why film it all situation where 2 great teasers were born. John Raines my friend, my person I will not walk on set or doing anything filmic without, edited the (almost) silent one, enjoy:

That all leads to them asking Vern, myself and a crew of 6 others to film 3 days 4 shows (3 concerts and one hellishly hot tediously crazy insane instore) which we have no released footage of at this time, as it's all enveloping into a 22 min UK special that sadly will never been seen here, but let me assure you it's bitchin' and what Alison can do with her legs/hips/body could command an army off a cliff. Here's a few terrible pictures of the balcony/marquee over the Regency Theater where the pop-up in store was, where I basically babysat equipment drank diet coke and smoked cigarettes from (i.e. heaven)

After filming at the Regency there wasn't enough time to go home and back so I scheduled for us to stay at a friends loft only blocks from the theater and the venue that night.

We basked in their air conditioning had a great lunch and some great polish beer and swam in a pool on their rooftop, it was glorious until we were running late and we tried to get back into the loft, and as fate would have it, the dead bolt broke off in the door. Equipment, clothing, keys, everything in that loft and the call time is creeping up on us...panic. I call the my friends/the tenants, I talk to the door man, I suggest he call the management company, a locksmith, anyone, he follows me back to the door with a 18 inch screwdriver and 'handles' the situation himself. Jack White you really owe Sam and James a new door.

We wrap and all is well, and then a couple of days later Vern gets a call from Jack White asking him to DP their next music video Cut Like A Buffalo in Nashville (That Jack White is Directing). Vern agrees and takes aforementioned John Raines to AC the several day/week long editing in hotel rooms shoot. here's how that ended up:

Meanwhile we're having conversations with another band for their break out music video in the UK and after writing treatment after treatment trying to fit their style and budget, it's just not a fit for either party. They go with someone else. They go to the UK to tour, to support their album and video. They get flagged by MTV UK for a failed epilepsy test that is done over there. I'm not saying we would have circumnavigated that issue, but it put our ears up to the situation. Cut Like A Buffalo was to show in the UK and sure enough, all the flashes, it didn't pass the test. Vern, the monster, the genius, instead of dulling the video, says, ok, you want simplicity, you got it, one shot, done:

And so ends this chapter. Our tech guy left his ipod, his wet boxerbriefs and his leatherman at the loft. I feel weird about having them being shipped all together. night.

SAMUEL LIPPKE

We have such talented friends. Seriously I step back every once and so often and think what an amazing community of friends we have. The premiere went smashingly. Hundreds poured out to see an amazing film on the screen for the first time. The gracious, lovely and ridiculously handsome Samuel Lippke covered the event photographically. Above is Actor in the film Nicole Pietrini, Writer/Director Matthew Aveiro, Producer Vern Moen and Script Supervisor/My overall sanity Melinda Moen. You can check out Samuel's full post with all the photos here.

4 THE LOVE OF PRETTY

The talented, beautiful, wonderful, magnetic Tiffany Patton wrote about me (undeservedly) in her blog. You can view the generous blurb about me here. Thanks Tiffany! Oh and if you ever need a make up and/or hair person, hire her, but don't steal her away from me!

COCOON

With Cold War Kids on the mind, Nathan Willett, the leader singer, reached out to myself and bunch of our friends about 5 years ago with a simple request, write something about a favorite or important song of yours. His plans were to compile them somehow someway and share with people the impact of song. It was the summer the Cold War Kids played their first show ever. A lot happened that summer. I don't know if the project ever went anywhere, but I wrote this about Bjork's song Cocoon, which I feel is a highly sensual and sexual song. Nate both loved and was a bit shocked with my response to his request. I suggest you listen to the song while reading. Sorry if it's too much.

I lost my virginity to Vespertine. This means so many things. A thousand times over and over in my mind and in my hand I held my cocoon and gave it to you my love ____________ (please write your name here so I will know that I have not merely imagined you and I will know that you exist). When I hold you and our chests are shirtless, I squeeze you so tight because I would like for you to not be inside me, but be me. I will not be separate from you any longer. Penetration is not enough, deeper, deeper. There is darkness inside all of us, and this is where the beauty lies, you just need to find it. There are so many holes that need filling, so many wounds that need healing. I was so scared, so young, and you cradled me in a half-globed embrace and unwrapped everything around me until the world laid unraveled at our feet and only you and I existed and this is where poetry comes from, and this where virginity unstems from, a song…no no, that’s not enough, deeper, darker, more, our bodies are a song, one song, finally.

And then as quickly as you entered, you float away, untouching me one moment at a time, walking backwards into the water, for it is from where you came. Turn that lake to ice, the water is so black, and you enter it and the ripples crystallize, you have left your mark inside of me, tattooed between my heart and my vulnerability. Please let me feel this again.

COLD WAR KIDS

One cold dreary Sunday in October, myself and several others from the Long Beach Film Company woke at 5:00 and began a long, but great day of shooting. The Cold War Kids wanted a teaser trailer for their upcoming release 'Behave Yourself' to be released in Jan 2010. It was such a great day and we got such great footage, we've now decided to move forward with a music video for the single as well as the trailer (below). It was my first time being a Producer, but it was a lot of fun to shoot 5 locations in 1 day.

It was shot primarily in San Pedro near their new (bitchin') rehearsal space, except for the tub scene which was filmed in Long Beach, Great thanks to Jeanette, Josh, Colin and Chris for letting us take over your house and film your beautiful clawfoot tub!

JEN IN THE PAINTING

OC Register interview with Aveiro that I set up and a few more B&W Production Stills.

INTERVIEW

PREMIERE

Back in June a had the great honor of working on a short film called "Jen In The Painting" written and directed by Matt Aveiro of the Cold War Kids. It was a great cast and a great crew, I was Production Manager, Vern Moen produced it, his wife Melinda did all the art for the film, you can view it here. Others working on the film were make up genius Tiffany Patton, actorNicole Pietrini and many more.

It now my honor to host the premiere at the Art Theater 832 feet from my home. Details, Trailer, Movie Poster and Production Stills below. Hope to see you there!

Long Beach Film Company Presents

Jen In The Painting

Thursday October 15th at 9:45pm

@ The Art Theater, Long Beach, CA

Program to also include a Sundance Film Festival 2007 official selection

The Oats’ Valor by Tim Cahill.

WORDS

The genius Melissa Sakal amany of years ago did a friend project where she had 70 friends get 70 things (all the same or different) and then she was going to put them all together in envelopes, and make a pretty neat goody bag for the 70 participants. I never did the project, and don't know if it even came to fruition, but it stimulated the thought of writing 70 poems 70 words long. I didn't get to 70 (I hope one day I will), but I'll post a few of them from time to time, generally I don't like poetry, and very specifically I don't like any poetry I've written, but I think some of them are funny. sorry for the language mom.

i am convinced you are mother nature. 1/70

the sky is a girl holding onto her virginity.
i want her to spill out her eyes in a diary confessional.
if i listened to ryan adams everytime it rained,
i would unexist.
i want to marry a mother named nature
and nurture her so that global warming won't come,
so there will be no cold, no hot, just nothing, like how i feel.
always. i have wasted my life.

Stop fucking women and love me. 17/70

I want to dehydrate myself
so badly so when if you ask if I have been dry
I can say sahara, but the subtext is soaked in vodka.
When I said I wanted to be accountability partners I meant I want to account for every sexual thing you have done or said and want the ability to fantasize about them forever, I think you meant we would pray and shit.

HUMOUR

The Sequel: Race to Which Mountain?

what is the last temptation of price?

I don't quite know what this will be. Likely an amalgam of writings, film and art I've done or been a part of, with healthy doses of puns, malapropisms and things that make me laugh. Also a hard nod towards Jesus and Rock and Roll Music (but NOT Rock and Roll Music about Jesus), two things I probably won't talk about directly that often, but nonetheless have great influence.

A bunch of years ago I wrote a self-deprecating semi-autobiographical novel about all the bad things people did to me, without really admitting I did anything rotten. You'll never see it, but someone asked me the title of it recently, and after telling them, it rattled around my brain for a bit as something I'd like to write about in addition to the aforementioned in this (long overdue) blog. Try not to laugh at the title:

THIS IS MY BOOK ABOUT FASCISM
AND CHRISTIANS THAT ARE ARROGANT
AND HURTING THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE THE MOST
(BECAUSE YOU THINK IT'S WHATS BEST FOR THEM)

I'm not as angry now, so it will probably be a bit less angry slash kinder, and I'll probably be the first to admit my mistakes. We'll see, it's always changing. here's a painting I did circa the time I wrote the novel. It's not very good, 12x12in. on loose canvas, but I just wanted to have some sort of image on my first post.

Well, first posts aren't unlike other firsts, like love making and drunk evenings, generally a mistake you wish you could forget, and can only be pushed out of your mind by better posts/experiences, so I'll be brief. This blog will be all the shit in the kitchen junk drawer you don’t know quite what to do with, but always seem to open it when you need some sort of something.


Did all of that sound arrogant? Be patient, I'm just getting my blog legs. blegs.