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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
