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Now, in Vancouver

Bicycles and boats, sunset at Jericho beach

I’m heads-down, working away on the final touches to my film and sheltering in Vancouver while we all wait to see what happens next. A gracious friend has provided a place to stay while I search out housing for my two-week-turned-indefinite hiatus here. I’m safe and healthy, grateful to be in a country with an excellent public health system. I miss my artist & close friends in Brazil, Albuquerque and Paris. Like almost everyone I talk to, it feels like the human species is waiting, holding our breath, in limbo. It’s the strangest kind of liminal space.

I’m working on the final tweaks to the music, sound design and colour for Cántame. Most of the film festivals have I’d planned to show the film at have or are in the process of being cancelled. I’m not sure what’s next for the film, but I know I want to finish it well and for as many people as possible to get the chance to see it.

For now, I’m spending my time inside like everyone else, peeking out for groceries and exercise, taking in too many zoom calls, learning, waiting and watching. 

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Now, in Brazil

As the world dives into the descending chaos from COVID-19, I’m still in Brazil. I’m working on the final tweaks to the soundtrack and working with some great colleagues on the sound and colour. It’s probably in vain; most of the film festivals have or are in the process of being cancelled as we head to this new world. I’m not sure what I’ll do with the film, but I know I want to finish it well.

In the meantime I’m spending time in the mountains, enjoying the beach and eating fresh mangoes while all of this is still possible, preparing my mind and body for a possible few months of isolation and hibernation. Hopefully it will be a creative time. Until then, you can find me outside.

For context: I’ve been keeping a Now page up to date for the last few years. One of the things I miss is being able to look back and see a sequential record of what has been written. Experimenting with posting a semi-regular status update here on the blog.

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It just might be…

finished?

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To all my lovelies out there…

Alone in Rome for a few days and thinking of y’all. I miss you. Grateful for so many good people in my life.

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Photography Updates

Desert Nomads

My time in New Mexico is over. Echoes of art, love, laughter and songs follow me like shadowed footsteps into an awaiting dream.

It’s only been a few days and already I miss these souls.

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Assembly complete!

A quick note to say not only has work re-started on my latest film, but I’ve also (finally) finished the first full assembly! This is a major milestone. It’s the first time all the material I’d like to see in the film is collected in order on a single timeline. Now I can see the shape of it.

A process that ended up being tremendously helpful was to allow my intuition to make poetic associations between visuals, largely based on mood and emotion. Then I might write some music to match the mood, and edit a scene in that flow. This led to some surprising discoveries of connections between material and, I hope, a much more interesting film to watch.

It’s been a long, iterative process. I’ve been through three or four major reorganization of the material. As it stands the film is two hours and 40 minutes long, with 90+ scenes. Time to start cutting it down to just the essence!

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A Guide To Recognizing My Whereabouts

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Plans Change

I wish it could be different, but it isn’t. Life has shifted and my trip is at an end. The work to finish the film is on pause while family takes a front seat and I elevate from one rhythm to a new and very different counterpoint.

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Cairo

I came. I saw. It was sandy. Sadly, no pyramids; just a gorgeous morning glow through tempered glass. 

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422/129

Outline view in my writing software

I search for the line of the film from amidst a mountain of impressions, annotations and intuitive connections. To get there, each of the best moments receives a digital “3×5 card” with a title, impressions, tags for scene type, songs and characters, and a summary transcript or translation. With just the best material, I have 422 index cards—too much to parse. So I slice further to just the scenes that send shivers down my spine.

I must be easily impressionable because after the latest cull I still have 129 “so great it has to be in the movie!” scenes…