Tag Archives: documentary

Self-Induced Rapture

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After traveling to Peru this fall where I didn’t have any caffeine the entire time I was in the Southern Hemisphere I felt strong and clear, enraptured.  I drank coca tea all day long rather than my usual Earl Grey or Chai’s laden with sugar that keep me in a constant state of hyper stimulation and chronic dehydration.  After feeling the desire to to create balance in my life I quit drinking caffeine in January and after a month I am happy to say that I survived the withdraw process.

I’ve since AD’d a music video, two short films and am now in prep for a TV Show and I am getting through the long days caffeine free.  It feels good.  I wake up a little earlier and energize my mind and body with yoga.  Before going to film school I used to live this way and it feels good to return to something that works for me.  Don’t get me wrong, I still like to have fun.  It’s just that I am starting to feel better than ever by being more disciplined.  I have learned how to generate that buzz from within and it doesn’t deplete my energy.  I am noticing the quality of my work is improving and that I am more calm in the chaos of working in film production.

Miraflores street art.

Miraflores street art.

Aside from being busy working as an Assistant Director, Sumitra Media is producing some corporate videos in the Spring for new clients as well as old.  I’ve got some other exciting projects up my sleeve keeping me excited and inspired.

In the past few months I have seen some stellar documentaries.  Searching for Sugar Man had a good theatrical run.  If you have not seen it I recommend it, especially if you love music documentaries.

Bombay Beach by Alma Har’el stole my heart.  She used unconventional methods to portray the day to day lives of her subjects which worked so well.  Music by Beirut & Bob Dylan!

All the buzz right now is of the Academy Awards nominations and rightfully so.  There were so may amazing films that pushed the bar.  Cloud Atlas was left out of the hype though I found it to be such a brilliantly dynamic film and a beautiful story about humanity.  It was bold and certainly entertaining.  It’s the first film in a few years to pull me into the theater twice to see it on the big screen.

Of this year’s Academy Award nominees Life of Pi was my over all favorite and the one that I will be rooting for.

“An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.”
-Gandhi

12-12-12

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A year ago I directed a short documentary on Vancouver based vocalist and beatboxer Shamik.  His live shows are not to be missed and he is a beautiful human.


Today, on the great alignment of 12′s it is his 30th birthday.  He just released his first EP that he produced.  Check it out, it is truly some great work.

shamik 121212

You can check 121212 on Soundcloud:

Or download it directly from Mediafire: http://www.mediafire.com/?nbusj7s3ihfogx8

Wishing you an abundance of love and light as we near the solstice and that your life is enveloped with magic.

Mountain High

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Sometime this past spring I started hiking around the mountains of Vancouver’s north shore barefoot and this has become one of my favorite ways to decompress in the city. Our bare feet coming into direct contact with dirt has a profoundly positive impact on our health for those of us who live sterile urban lives. The Earth gently exchanges negative ions with us and activates our energy meridians and we get to use muscles in our feet that we normally never use not to mention the stimulation of energy points. After a barefoot hike my feet vibrate for hours afterwards and I feel so invigorated.

I decided at the beginning of summer that I wanted to hike Machu Piccu barefoot. I recently actualized that desire by traveling to Peru and spending some time in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to make it as I came down with a bad head cold and flu just days before I was to fly to Peru out of Los Angeles. My flu abated hours before I was supposed to leave so a friend drove me to the airport and off to Peru I went. I arrived in Lima and had a sore throat and was developing a chest cold. After scoping out the local surf scene I fled for the mountains as it was torture not being able to get in the water and Lima was buried under a dense fog which is usual for its Winter months.

Lima, Peru.

I spent my two week stay in the Sacred Valley which is nestled in the Andes mountains cradling the remains of the ancient Incan empire. I was sick and feeling light headed from the high altitude though I was falling in love with the land and discovering rich hand produced textiles and beautiful warm people. I spent my fourth night in Peru at an organic farm where I had a hot bath filled with roses under the stars with lightning flashing in the sky from a storm on the other side of the mountains where the jungle starts. Total magic. I then made my way to Machu Picchu which was one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited and well worth the efforts to get there.

The mighty Machu Picchu.

After my insightful tour with a guide of Incan ancestry I ditched my shoes and hiked the Incan Trail up to the sun gate barefoot. It was a magical experience that I will never forget. The ancient stones of the Incan Trail were warmed by the sun and as I hiked I prayed to Machu Picchu to take the illness out of my body, I wanted to experience Peru with full vitality. It worked, I felt energized and continued my hike with a condor swirling overhead deeply feeling the bountiful energy of this sacred mountain destination. The barefoot hike opened me up to the incredible telluric energy of Machu Picchu which I’ll never forget how magical I felt. It was an incredible day.

Resting on the Inca Trail during my barefoot hike.

That night my cold returned and I felt defeated. I made my way to visit with some friends in another small Andean village and the house we stayed at was amongst a eucalyptus forest. Every spring I get a chest cold or pneumonia and will bathe in eucalyptus oil as I recover and with the forest encircling me I figured that there was enough medicine in the swaying trees to aid my recovery. Within a half of an hour of ‘tuning’ into the mighty trees and rubbing fresh leaves on my chest and feet I started wheezing then coughed up a nasty glob of green phlegm. I coughed up my cold and haven’t had a trace of it since. With every illness there is an underlying emotional undercurrent and in the case of my chest cold I let go of a lot of guilt I had been carrying around with me and had an experience of deep self forgiveness with the help of the healing energy of the eucalyptus.

Examining the warp of Alpaca wool on her backstrap loom.

With health and vitality restored in my body and a lightness in my spirit I spent the rest of my time in Peru exploring villages in which textiles are produced entirely by hand with natural materials and dyes falling in love with the mastery of skill by such strong and beautiful women. I danced the night away with beautiful Peruvians learning new Latin American dance forms such as Salsa & Merengue, and of course to reggeton. I had some amazing culinary explorations with interesting people from around the world, my favorite being at a slow food restaurant in Lima called el AlmaZen and a Tapas restaurant in Cusco called Ciccolina.

I had 33 hours in LA on my way home where I didn’t waste a moment of enjoyment to make up for staying there before embarking to Peru but being too ill to do anything. I’ve traveled from Spring, to Summer in LA (they were experiencing a heat wave to my delight) to Autumn in Vancouver in a matter of 4 days. It feels great to be home, I have much to be grateful for and a feeling of renewal and rebirth in my mind, body and spirit. I am currently finishing up some projects, working on my documentary on textiles, and preparing to go into prep as an AD on a feature film which will tie me up for the month of November.

Spirit soaring at Venice Beach.

I am grateful for the opportunity to explore the land in which the short Incan Empire flourished and a gentleness within that comes from the experience of connecting deeply to the Earth. It is a necessity that we wake up and love the Earth, there are so many gifts awaiting us in doing so. I thank the medicine of eucalyptus for so swiftly relieving me of such a nasty chest cold and to the mighty Andes mountains for sharing their magic with me. And I thank all of the people who held down the fort for me while I was away. I feel incredibly stoked on life right now.

Gleaming Spirit and Evolved Skill

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After battling with a cold for a month I broke down and sought a little sun in the industrious Los Angeles. I was feeling the need to connect with a good friend and after working so hard this past year with little reprieve, I felt a need to briefly unplug and raise my vibration which I feel had become congested. I stayed in Topanga Canyon and hiked every day as well as ventured into the city to eat, dance, do yoga and connect with the bustling metropolis. I caught a film at the Nuart theatre in Santa Monica which was fascinating. Jiro Dreams of Sushi. It is currently playing in Vancouver if you are interested.

Jiro is an 85 year old sushi master and his humble little sushi bar in Tokyo has been given 3 Micheline stars and is world renowned. This clever documentary explores his story and showcases how he has committed himself to his craft with such passion and taken the art of sushi to the next level. The Japanese concept of ‘shokunin’ is discussed, the art of being a craftsman or artisan. This concept has a lot of depth beyond just gaining technical skills but also to truly embody the spirit of the craft. Under his care are his apprentices who commit to learn the art and craft of making great sushi which is at least a 10 year commitment. I look around me here in the West at all of the ‘gurus’ who learn a basic skill and go out and charge top dollar for their services on a quest to accumulate more wealth, such a stark juxtaposition.

shokunin

The film also covers the imminent threat of species of fish going extinct such as tuna and how this effects traditional sushi conventions. If you watch this film you will learn the potential that rice can be and hopefully be inspired to fall in love with the work that you do. Jiro Dreams of Sushi was a good reminder for me to love what I do and be less distracted by the superfluous that surrounds us all.

Labour of Love

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In January I shot a documentary that I have been thinking about for a while.  It weaves Gandhian philosophy with First Nations history with contemporary urban textiles spinning and weaving all into a compelling story.

I am immersed in the post production process and I am happy to say that I am deeply inspired by this project and that it is truly a labour of love.  It’s amazing how passion for your work makes it not like work at all, transcendence of the mundane.  I can’t wait to share this project this Spring.

New Years Musings

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I was successful in slowing down over the winter holidays and I feel that I caught up on sleep and family bonding.  Immediately after my two weeks off I was spun right back into my frenetic schedule by commencing production on a short film that I was Assistant Director for.  The production was tightly scheduled with many locations so it was a demanding role and I found that I had boundless energy to dedicate to the production.  I have another shoot coming up and am in pre-production for my upcoming documentary trailer as Vancouver is enveloped in snow.

pulling focus

Setting the intention for downtime was the kindest thing I could have done for myself and my family not to mention the productions I am working on.  It was shocking that I found myself feeling anti-social at times and in need of complete relaxation and quietude.  And the personal reward was delicious and insightful dreams that allowed me to connect to my subconscious and re-evaluate my trajectory.  I enjoyed that deep and profound communication with myself which revealed new insights and inspiration.

Last winter I was in India enjoying slowness for 6 weeks.  I didn’t have that luxury this year though I am grateful for the two weeks with family and friends.  I see a bright year ahead with big changes.  Wishing you the ability to actualize your dreams and infinite bliss, there is no time like the present.

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I have watched many movies in the past month and Lars Von Trier’s “Melancholia” stood out on many levels.  After Von Trier’s antics at Cannes this year I was curious to see his new film.  I admire his originality and how he covers complex human issues. In his beautifully shot intro he gives the ending away so that there is no suspense and you are forced to delve into the captivating story.  I would go so far as to say that this film is mindgasmic.  At the very least you will enjoy Kirsten Dunst’s performance.

Seasonal Slowness

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I am currently working on a documentary on slow clothes and have been in contemplation on how hand made items can deeply enrich our lives, how it is a necessity for us to make more of our own goods with 7 billion people cohabiting on the planet with a limited amount of natural resources.  It is a fact that the majority of people in our society have no connection to the items they possess other than selecting them at a store. 

During the winter holidays, when daylight is scarce and our schedules are full, it can be hard to maintain our bliss.  I am coming out of a very busy spell with a schedule that kept me at school working on projects until 1-2 AM several days a week, and sometimes at school 7 days a week.  Now that I have a few weeks off my first instinct is to sleep.  My second instinct is to spend as little time as possible shopping for obligatory gifts and to spend quality time with friends and family, the people who fuel me.  Taking the time for the subtle joys.

bright

The first thing I did with my free time was to buy materials in which I can create with.  For the next few weeks, aside from quality time with loved ones, I am developing skills pertaining to hand crafted textiles.  I am slowing down this season and that does not mean that I will be hibernating.  Aside from catching up on sleep I am going to be less spread thin and more intentional with my time.  As the winter solstice envelopes us with darkness I find my equilibrium, I engage in activities that recharge and inspire rather than distract and deplete.  Moving forward with clarity and focus on what the holidays really represent and not so caught up in the superficial aspects of the winter holidays in North America.

drop spindle

I hope to create more of what we normally consume, always contemplating how to reduce my footprint.  I look at all of the stores selling stuff and I wonder how much of it ends up in a land fill within a few years, barely making a lasting impact on the person who acquires it. I dream of a society that spends more time with peers creating rather than shopping for useless distractions that are depleting our Earth’s resources.  I dream of people learning more traditional skills and combining them with our modern technology and wisdom to truly innovate and revolutionize how we be.

I slow down this holiday season and my mind feels anything but slow.  I feel sharp and inspired.  My heart is full and ready to give.

Truly sustainable textiles consider the land that grows the materials spun then woven into cloth.  It is a human art deeply connected to the Earth.

Filmspiration

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The Vancouver Film Festival is coming to an end. The festival was on while I was in production with an episodic series so I didn’t get the chance to see most of the films I wanted to see. I did however get a chance to check out a few documentaries.

Thinking about some of the things that go on in China sometimes makes my head spin. ‘Waking the Green Tiger’ tracks the rise of the green movement in China and gave me great hope showing the power of documentary activism. I loved this one.

Yoga and documentary, nuff said.

For Sigur Ros fans ‘Inni’ is a must see.

Imminent Change

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It seems that the keleptocrats are getting their asses kicked and rightfully so. The unethical practices conducted by Wall Street have griped me for many years. My ex-husband transitioned from a sensitive software developer to a bond trader for Citibank a decade ago and my marriage went downhill from there. He became volatile and corrupt, he lost interest in his children as he fully subscribed to the world of finance which he described as ‘sexy’. He has been in touch lately telling me that the world’s economy is on life support again with a state of anxiety in his tone.

Our youth have become distracted by media; Facebook and iPods keep them distracted and unaware of what is really happening on the planet. I am so thrilled to see a revolution, to see that people are standing up for their futures, for their freedom. Revolutions are a healthy part of any society and there has been a lack of revolution in America since Vietnam. Corporate America has done a great job at keeping the masses somewhat sedated but now the corruption on Wall Street seems to have left many in a position that they can no longer be passive. I am thrilled to see people expressing their views in a peaceful way.

Major media conglomerates have not been covering the Occupy Wallstreet protests though you may want to keep one eye on what is happening, this is the boldest and bravest event I have ever seen by the American People, David is taking on Goliath. There is plenty independent coverage.

I have been feeling intensity boiling in my veins, I have been unable to tolerate situations or people who violate my freedom or the freedom of others and have been feeling bolder than ever. The feelings within me mirror the energy collectively being acted upon. I feel a balance in power is on its way and I am excited at this prospect though I must admit to feeling somewhat terrified by the process. Ready or not I think things may eventually get ugly before they improve. Brace yourselves.

Forgotten Dreams

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I find it ironic that my last post was referencing Bjork’s ‘Crystalline’ then the next film I watched was Werner Hertzog’s ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’. In this theatrically released 3D documentary we are taken into the pristine Chauvet cave in France and explore the earliest and most well preserved cave drawings dating back 30,000 years. In this cinematic journey into the cave we see a sparkling layer of calcite crystals covering the cave’s inner surfaces and as I watched the film, enjoying the ambient soundtrack scored by Ernst Reijseger, I couldn’t help but feel the symmetry between the content of the film and the content from my last post.

I enjoy Hertzog’s storytelling and the subject is beautiful. When I was in high school I read the ‘Clan of the Cave Bear’ series by Jean Auel which I found magical and inspiring. The drawings in Chauvet are from the same period that the book is set in which helped evoke my imagination. There was a shot that was especially impressive that I couldn’t figure out how it was taken; it followed a river then went under a naturally formed arch then immediately turned around and went back. It couldn’t have been taken by helicopter because the helicopter wouldn’t have made it through the arch. They reveal how they cleverly did the shot at the end. There is an epilogue to the film which I found pertinent to the times we live in focusing on the environmental effects from the Nuclear Power plants that are situated in the vicinity of the Caves.

The images in this film are striking and as they were filmed in 3D it really brought the images to life. You could experience details of amazingly skilled drawings that would have been lost on a flat screen. There was a drawing of a bison with 8 legs and it looked like it was running. Hertzog claims that it was a proto-cinema which indeed it did feel like; the inspiration and expression found in this cave blew me away. I feel like this was the birth place of art and film history.

If you watch this film and let yourself go it is somewhat magical and giving that the topic of her track ‘Crystalline’ I think Bjork would get a lot out of watching it too. Another irony is that I have had several dreams through out the years in which I was connected to a community that lived in caves. We all had an area in the cave in which we displayed our art or shared our skill, my area of the cave was beside Bjork’s. That was one of my forgotten dreams. I find this amusing as my last blog post ‘Crystalline Clarity’ was spontaneous and I posted it without giving it too much thought. And then I watched ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’ and felt an awakening into my subconscious on many levels.