Episode 15

Here it is:

Filmed as part of www.theweirdgirlsproject.com

Conceptually Episode 15 was a reaction to both internal and external influences - a statement on the growing trend of plastic surgery for vanity in young women in Iceland and the damage which has occurred from it. The piece focuses on a group of female creatures who have been self mutilating and their capture of a young victim enticed to join them.

In order to focus on directing, this is the first piece Kitty did not take part in. The story orientated shot list, 3 cameras plus shooting in multiple locations throughout the day demanded more from her behind the camera than previously.

The performance was much harder and more brutal for the participating women and for Kitty herself as a director. The cast and crew consisted of 60 people and the location was an old fishmeal factory, extremely cold, foul smelling and damp. The women's boundaries and self acceptance were pushed until they were raw so that the element of the piece could be accurately captured.

Producer, Concept and Direction: Kitty Von-Sometime
Director of Photography: Hrafn Garðarsson
Official Photographer: Óskar Hallgrímsson
Camera: Gunnar B. Gudbjornsson and Óli Finnsson
Lighting: Jón Alfreð Hassing Olgeirsson
Editor: Gunnar B. Gudbjornsson
Grading: Michael Todd
Production Manager: Selma Karlsdóttir
Behind the Scenes Photographer: Erla Gisladóttir
Costumes: Tom Yong
Head Runner: Fríða Einarsdóttir
Runners: Klara Kjartansdóttir, Sigrún Erna Sigurðardóttir, Lyuba Kharitonov, Auður Ingólfsdóttir
Makeup Director: Svanhvít Valgeirsdóttir
Lead Make up: Neníta Aguilar, Arna Ragnarsdóttir, Flóra Buenano, Theordóra Torfadóttir
Make up Assistants: Tanja Rut Rúnarsdóttir, Marta Júlía Valsdóttir, Salný Björg Emilsdóttir, Kristjana Sæunn Ólafsdóttir, Þóra Kjartansdóttir, Helga Haraldsdóttir, Auður Edda Gunnarsdóttir, Unnur Friðriksdóttir, Olga Helgadóttir, Berglind Torfadóttir, Inibjörg Ósk Ólafsdóttir, Berglind Birgisdóttir, Björg Alfa Björnsdóttir, Erla Thelma Theodórsdóttir, Elsie, Linda Sjöfn, Þóra, Hafdís
Official Music: So Dark In Here by Ghostgital
11th February 2012

And here's yesterday's paper. Click to view readable size.

Oh my days. I am so full of excitement I might just explode. Tomorrow is Episode 15 premiere screening at Bio Paradis and then IT IS ONLY TEN DAYS UNTIL I GO TO CHINA. THIS REQUIRES ALOT OF CAPS LOCK AND SOMEONE TO STOP ME DRINKING COFFEE.

I am very proud and complicated about Episode 15. In some ways I think I am always challenging myself - which is how things should be, but when it comes to days like tomorrow and I have finished shouting "EVERYONE COME AND SEE WHAT I MADE!" through the streets of Reykjavík I have this weird shrinking feeling of 'oh holy shit, people are going to see this'. It usually only lasts briefly but comes somewhere from the fact that I am trying to work in fields I have no training in - namely filmmaking and art. I like to remind myself that this isn't what its about but I do wobble now and then.

For a few years now I have been eager to learn more and have looked into film/art schools but a great deal of what I would be learning I have already been doing - more so in the film side. I know very well what I want on the end visual, its just that sometimes I don't know the correct/technical way to get there. It would be most ideal if I could choose very specific aspects to study. Other than that I have been contemplating finding a director I respect who would be willing to let me shadow them. Lets see.

So, screening is tomorrow, 17.00 and the piece will be available in the next days online and I will update on here when it is. Morgunblaðið called me today to do an interview about the screening and I ended up having quite the rant about my concept being a reflection on the acceptance of plastic surgery in young women in this country, lets see how that goes down.




Now onto China. I think that Krummi (my DP who is coming with) and I will spend half the time with our faces in cameras like japanese tourists. Between us we have 6 cameras - not including the Red Epic that we'll be shooting the episodes on. First of all we will be in Shanghai recovering from jetlag, taking advantage of massage parlours and good cocktails and then we will shoot 3 episodes in startlingly close timescales.

One is being shot on a rooftop in Shanghai at night, one is on a restricted access part of The Great Wall and one is filmed in the legendary abandoned fake disneyland. We have a Red Epic and ultra prime lenses and it is VERY EXCITING.

After the episodes are done we will head off to Guilin for a week to photograph more or less everything and then pop to the bamboo forest in Moganshan before having a few days back in Shanghai.

All in all, this will be a trip of a lifetime and I cannot wait!

Homework

Pomelo and Women in China magazine

Return to Winter

I can't sleep. Well, I can, but I can't stay asleep. I fall asleep approximately 5 minutes after I close my eyes, without fail, every night. Yet, my brain apparently decides there's things to do circa 5am. It does not matter if I have been to the gym, abstained from coffee, cheese, wine, whatever. Doesn't matter if I meditate before sleep. Doesn't matter if I went to bed at 21.00 or 04.00 I still wake up around 5 or 6 in the morning and its driving me nuts.

I am fairly certain its because of the China project. Everyone over there *points east* is working on the project at that time and when I wake up, almost without fail, there are multiple emails from the team.

I am not anxious per se, but I am excited and I am hesitant and concerned that I do this project well enough. I am attempting to work with and through this but I cannot afford to be this tired.

Well. Sideways from all the China excitement I have been working on the edit of Episode 15 with Gussi who incidentally just won Music Video of 2011 award for his Sólstafir video. The progress of Episode 15 is also CAPS LOCK EXCITING. I am so proud and schoolgirl over this one all at once.

The blurb and a few photos are up on the website now.
Here is my favourite shot.




Random things:

ICELANDIC CINEMA ONLINE is awesome. I suggest you go there henceforth and watch some bloody good films for a teeny tiny price. And/or check out the freebies too.


My gardening has begun again, and in between China and whatnot I will attempt to both grow vegetables and blog about it. Ha! lets see....


Here's a load more of photos from Devon.