NEON REBEL -
ROCK’N’ROLL PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE NEW TRAINSPOTTING…
Interview with Legendary Rock’n’Roll Photographer, TONY MOTT…
BY: Melaine Knight
Kurt Cobain, Nirvana… by Tony Mott
John Lydon, P.I.L… by Tony Mott
KISS… by Tony Mott
Tony Mott is arguably Australia’s finest Rock’n’Roll photographer, certainly the most legendary, he has photographed all the big international acts in rock music from The Rolling Stones to Prince, Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper, Queen, Guns n Roses + Madonna.
He also has an impressive catalogue of Indie bands both locally + overseas he has photographed capturing historic moments.
Originally from the U.K. Tony has been in Australia since the late 70’s. He is famous for his live shots + candid portraits, his ability to get musicians + rock stars to pose as pals or at least be comfortable enough that they let him into their intimate sphere.
Tony started photographing bands in the 80’s when Sydney had a vibrant + happening live music scene, that he cites as “the best in the world at that time…”
He got his chops up literally being out there + being part of the music scene he loved so much.
I met up with Tony + his gorgeous 4month old twin babies + over breakfast… we talked about his influences, stories, book release + upcoming exhibition in NYC…
“There’s no single influence…everything influences you…if I had to name people, Penny Smith would be my original influence, she was an NME, London photographer from the late 70’s, famous for her B+W grain photos of the punk period. Her most famous piece would be “London Calling”, The Clash’s album cover. I just went to see Mick Rock’s exhibition recently… it was inspirational…
Back in the late 80’s, early 90’s I spent a lot of time in New York, I think New York as a city is inspirational, its an adrenalin pumping city, that just makes you want to take photos…”
“I learnt photography as a direct result of traveling, I went to about 50 countries in 4 years in the late 70’s + I wanted to capture where I was traveling. I had an art student friend back in England + he did B+W portraits + I got him to teach me basic black + white photography…”
Chryssie Amphlett, The Divinyls… by Tony Mott
It was never a calculation with Tony to become a famous rock photographer. It was literally through a love of music, going to see a lot of live shows regularly in Sydney, namely The Divinyls + in particular photographing lead singer, Chryssie Amphlett, that he got his break. Through trial + error, by the time someone asked to see his photos, he was pretty good.
Young people are always asking him how to get a press pass to shoot Lady GaGa or whoever, they never seem to want to shoot local bands + talent + work their way up. Paying dues has always been something that the music + entertainment industry respects + mostly you need to understand the beast before you can successfully play with it.
We go on to talk about how Tony’s career grew with the beginnings of the festival culture which first emerged at the end of the 80’s /early 90’s. Having learnt his trade in the sweaty pubs of Sydney with the bad lights, to get access to such a wide array of bands at once was wonderful. These days of course, it is the way + it has, in many respects been a contributing factor that killed the local live music scene, certainly here in Sydney, along with electronic dance music culture.
Tony talks about how it is a photographer’s dream to tour on a festival with bands, with the familiarity + time spent, you can develop that all important rapport that is so needed for those killer shots. It’s so difficult to find that connection instantly, no matter who the artist is, when you just meet in a hotel room + have 5 minutes. Tony does do this all the time though, it goes with the territory, but says if he has an hour with an artist he’d prefer to spend 35 minutes chatting with them + 25 minutes at the end photographing…
“ I always say there’s 3 things to get that rapport going…
one is, talking about music, breaks a barrier so they’re interested, I give them a copy of my book, so they can see Ive photographed lots of famous musicians, they like that, two is humour + three, is alcohol … when they’re really difficult, a combination of all three…”
Iggy Pop… by Tony Mott
Mick Jagger, The Rolling Stones… by Tony Mott
Mick Jagger once said to me “always treat rock stars like ordinary people + ordinary people like rockstars + you’ll be fine…”
That’s not to be disrespectful but so one can achieve that one on one connection.
Knowing Tony’s photography background I had to ask the all important question, Film or Digital?
“I was dragged into digital kicking + screaming and I still love film but once Nikon brought out the Nikon D3, I got converted to digital, its an amazing camera, its so susceptible to light… I do always feel I’m cheating coz its so bloody easy with a digital camera + that’s the greatest thing about the digital camera, the ease… you still have to have the eye + understand lighting but all the shots come out!
In the days of film, when you shot a live concert, if you got 10-20% back that were useable, you were happy, if you got 6 killer shots, that’s a great night, where as now, its almost ridiculous how much you get back…
On the other hand, you can process digitally to make it look like you shot on film, its ironic, we go through this whole process to end up looking like it did when we started but that’s fine. The huge difference + advantage of using digital, is the expense. It doesnt cost anymore to take unlimited photos apart from time.
When I’m doing portraits, I still try + shoot a roll of black + white, the one thing I love is a grainy black + white portrait, its better than a digital…
From a purely work point of view companies wont wear the expense of shooting on film… in my early days record companies used to print up black + white 8x10s for meet + greets, now they send it out digital on the net… digital has changed things…”
We get to talking about the spontaneity that is a factor in shoots. As a photographer, one is always noting locations for prospective shoots + seeing things in frames, many photographers do a lot of preproduction, Tony isn’t one for scouting locations too much + uses that spontaneity in his work, he says he is a great believer that he can shoot anyone anywhere, that everywhere is a potential location because ultimately,
“the subject you’re photographing is way more important than the location”
Bjork… by Tony Mott
Tony is married to Libby Sharpe, a film production manager (Animal Kingdom, Australia) + these days he is shooting stills on films which is a completely different photography gig to doing rock shows. The process involves an enormous amount of patience waiting for the moment to jump in + interrupt their filming process + learning to read the call sheet is important to navigate possible times for shots. He says it can also be a photographer’s dream as the D.O.P (Director of Photography) on set has already lit the scene, so one only has to take the shots + not think about all those other elements.
Tony has just recently done stills on “A Few Best Men”, directed by Stephan Elliot (Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert) with Olivia Newton John.
He said the huge fundamental difference technically between music photography + that on a film set is
“when shooting for a music cover, like Rolling Stone, one of the most important things in rock’n’roll photography is eye contact, to get it straight down, eye down the barrel, film is the opposite because theoretically the camera’s not there, you are just documenting…”
Tony Mott is in New York in October launching his photography book
“Rock’n’Roll Photography Is The New Trainspotting – A Retrospective Of Work From The Last 30 Years” + an exhibition of accompanying works…
Opening night is Tuesday 18th October + goes for 2 weeks at
Red Bull Space, 40 Thompson St (at Watts St) Soho, subway A,C,E,1 to Canal St
past issues…
The Cult Of Venus…
By: Melaine Knight.
Sam Townsend a.k.a Venus Mantrap
The Cult Of Venus… Editorial, Melbourne 2008
The Neon Rebel loves a multi-talented artist that finds ways to express innate creativity over many disciplines.
Sam Townsend is one such artist.
Photographer, performer + writer are but a few of the award winning talents Sam has.
Sam’s alias Venus Mantrap is an edgy rocknroll motherfucker. Think Ziggy Stardust meets Justin Bond, a smart, witty entertainer who can hold down the M.C. role + get a venue rocking out.
I was interested in asking Sam about his creative processes + what drives him to express through a particular medium…
“I remember being a student in my late teens at college and taking photography and film making classes. I’ve always loved the ‘captured’ image and during this time I realized that some mediums express what you’re trying to say better than others.
That was a really important lesson for me…
understanding the power that certain mediums hold over a viewer or audience.
For me it’s about being sensitive to the creative process and treating your ideas and concepts like a collage or jigsaw puzzle, they need to be moved around until they find their place, whether it’s in a photographic image, piece of writing, a performance or film.”
I find this to be the essential quality of the artist, the ability to be a channel for creative energy to flow through the vehicle + effortlessly move between mediums.
Given Sam’s broad spectrum I ask him what artists he cites as his main influences…
“I like to cast my net far and wide and take inspiration from all art forms…
Photographically my hero’s would be Wolfgang Tillmans and Nan Goldin. I loved Sam Taylor Woods Crying Men series too. Outside of photography, I draw huge amounts of inspiration from performers like Meow Meow, Joan Rivers and Justin Bond. I need comedy and balls in my life! I have a huge crush on the iconoclastic hot mess that is Christeene Vale. Her live shows need to be seen.
Also, it’d be rude not to mention the greatest artistic Ménage à trios to ever bless us with their greatness. I’m talking about Patti Smith, Robert Mapplethorpe and Sam Wagstaff. Obviously Robert and Sam are no longer with us but their contributions to the world of photography and art, not to mention their boldness and bravery in pushing the lives and lifestyles of gay men into the picture (so to speak) must be acknowledged. As for Patti, she is still as potent as ever. She single handedly encourages me to carry on.
I share Sam’s deep reverence for Patti Smith.
In 2008, creative pursuits were fused when Sam exhibited a photography series in a group show + Venus Mantrap opened the public art exhibition,
Domain – Canberra, a City for the Future.
Donned in a suit with a wedding vale, Venus recontextualized Patti Smith’s 1978 political anthem, Rock N Roll Nigger.
“The fight for equality was ripe and the sentiment seemed perfect
I don’t fuck much with the past, but I fuck plenty with the future.”
The Cult Of Venus… Editorial, Melbourne 2008
In the same year, Sam was in a group exhibition, Parade: Manufacturing Selves in Photography, curated by Dr. Martin Jolly.
Fannii Minogue Starring In… was a collection of images of one of Sam’s aliases “Fannii Minogue” a character who’d suicided backstage during one of her performances the previous year. The images capture a fragile lonesome heroine off stage in hotel rooms, out of the glare of nightclub strobes.
Fannii Minogue Starring In… Photograph by Sam Townsend 2008
Exhibition: Parade: Manufacturing Selves in Photography, A.N.U School of Art Gallery. A.C.T 2008
I was fortunate enough to be in Melbourne when Sam had a photography exhibition happening, + got to see it up in the space. I asked him about the inspiration behind “Boys In Spaces”…
“Boys in Spaces was a series I made for an exhibition that existed on the fringe of the Midsumma Festival, Melbourne’s annual celebration of queer culture. I thought it was important to explore the darker or more sleazy side of gay male sexuality. The viewer becomes an active element in the work as they are invited to participate by using their imagination, which I think is quite fun.”
“Boys In Spaces” Photographic Series, Samuel Townsend 2010
Besides this strong narrative, Sam has a strong horizontal geometric theme that leads the eye towards the light source, how much is that an emotional feeling you are shooting or a deliberate technique in theme you are exploring?
“Yeah, it’s a total emotional reaction that I have to existing spaces. I was explaining to my class the other day that I never construct a scene or manipulate an image with lighting techniques. I get off on the visceral reaction I have to an interior space or a landscape. It’s a beautiful thing when the elements align to show you a scene or an unfolding dialogue. “
Sam’s love of unfolding dialogues continued into 2010, when he took off to Austin, Texas for a semester of cultural exchange study. He documented his travels with hilarious installments of his personal journals entitled Postcards From Texas. He is working towards a solo exhibition this year that focuses on his time living in America with a collection of new photographic images that serve as a visual link to Postcards…
“Everyone in my classes seem smart, so I’m fitting in nicely. NOT! I do my best to look as if I comprehend what’s happening, when really all that’s whizzing
around my head are questions like… ‘I wonder if Winona Ryder has some sort of passive income to live off? She hasn’t really worked much since Reality Bites.’ Hopefully I’ll be able to charm them with my Aussie accent and big teeth…” (excerpt from Postcards From Texas Vol 2)
The Cult Of Venus… Editorial, Melbourne 2008
It also coincided with the birth of his online fortnightly zine, Mothership, which celebrates the philanthropic works of iconic female figures in pop music, such as Madonna, Patti Smith, Cyndi Lauper + Tori Amos.
“The concept was born from the nauseating saturation of tabloid trash and celebrity gossip that seems to feed the masses.”
Sam is also in the working stages of writing his first book …
“When I came back to Australia after some exciting adventures in America I came down with the post holiday blues. I took off on a road trip to the south coast to spend some time with my aunty and uncle who are both artists. We were having lunch down on the beach and as I looked out across the lagoon this story started downloading itself into me. I remember feverishly blurting out to my aunty and uncle, ‘Wow, this is the most amazing setting for a romance! Imagine two men escaping their city lives over the summer and setting up camp on either side of the river… and meeting in the water!’
The story has a working title, Drawn by Water, and I’m plodding away at it. But don’t hold your breath!”
The desire for travel + enriching experiences as inspiration is so much a part of the very fabric of a creative life. The broadening of one’s view of the world + the lens through which we can document our passions + understandings drives us to constantly evolve. Sam told me about his dream to travel to regional Indigenous Australia…
“During my Masters at the university of Melbourne, I took an elective subject that dealt with Australian Indigenous Education. I’ve always had an interest in Indigenous history and with this comes a feeling of frustration, mostly in regards to the lack of awareness or understanding that white Australians hold towards our Indigenous communities.
Obviously, I would be there in an educational capacity as a teacher, yet my real motivation for wanting to move to the Northern Territory is born from a desire to educate myself in their histories and cultures. I have family and friends whose knowledge and perspective is very warped on these issues, all thanks to mistruths and shallow illustrations created by the media. I’d like the ability to share an alternative perspective through lived experiences…”
A refreshing outlook, where balance exists for this artist, whether Sam is watching cabaret in New York, doing his own glamour rock’n’roll shows or shooting intimate personal narratives + vulnerability or learning to empathise with the lives of those closest to the vast land he sprung out of, its clear a dedication to Art + her creative living process is why Venus is the brightest star in the sky.
Stay tuned.
http://www.theloop.com.au/samuelandrewtownsend
By: Melaine Knight, Neon Rebel – Red Door Magazine, 2011.
The Poetry Issue… Alternate Realities
I want to dedicate this Neon Rebellion to the people of Japan, + send them our Love + Prayers xxx
Donations + messages can be left @Yoko Ono’s site: http://imaginepeace.com/home
Imagine there’s no Heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one
John Lennon
“Others call you love, I call you the king of love; O you who are
higher than the imagination of this and that, go not without me…”
Rumi
Sacred Art + Divinations…
Interview with Zoriaan
Great artists have always drawn from their mystical experiences.
It is their communication with the Divine + the soul’s inner deeper knowledge that has given them strength, ability, vision + a unique voice to deliver the message from a world beyond mundane day to day living, something that can inspire the masses + fuel hearts.
They have sought to portray their communion through their art.
Zoriaan is a metaphysical artist from Australia who is also a practicing sound + light energy healer. He produces static artwork in the mediums of photography, calligraphy, sketches + sound recordings.
He has an arts trained background, holding a Batchelor of Media Arts + has spent a great deal of time in Northern California over the last years doing performances + workshops at festivals + events that inspire, activate + produce mass healing in people.
In metaphysical circles Zoriaan is called a channeler. To most non-metaphysical people or non- lightworkers the whole idea of channeling seems allusive + difficult to believe in… People struggle with their beliefs on the spirit world, of Life + Death in general, let alone deal with the reality that people interact with the spirit world at will + make art + music from that place, with the intention to heal + uplift others.
I asked Zoriaan to explain the physical fundamentals of what happens when he focuses on this process…
“Ultimately I can feel a vibration within my body, its like a very fast engine or something, it runs up and down my body and through my skull…
I express that vibration through writing a type of script of symbols and codes with calligraphy pens.
(With sound work) Vocally, I allow the vibration to move through my mouth and combined with breath, air and vibration, a type of language is produced, that in its core I feel comes from purely vibration and frequency. Sometimes this language would feel to be coming from some ancient stories from another timeless dimension or space, other times it feels like it is purely initiating or healing with its sound. I can also write it in English (the information that is script).”
[sound samples see…]
I asked Zoriaan when did he start producing art from a conscious metaphysical inspiration?
“Vocally it started coming through around 2004 during an Ayahuasca ceremony. And then I began writing the script with calligraphy inks on paper directly after another ceremony in 2007… “
Ceremony is an integral part of the lives of people who honor the Way of the Spirit,
all the indigenous tribes of this planet have all used art to portray their spiritual beliefs + cosmology + how they fit within the great wheel of life.
The Ayahuascero shamans originating from Amazonian Columbia + Peru always used the Ayahuasca plant (or vine) in ceremony for divinatory + healing purposes to commune with the spirit world + understand the nature of reality.
[Their art is documented so profoundly by the recently late José Argüelles (24.1.1939- 23.3. 2011), shows the levels of layers of how they see reality + life.]
Zoriaan’s relationship to the plant + it’s ceremony ignited a deep memory within him that helped initiate to birth the language + sound that comes through him now…
[see keywords Ayahuasca ceremonies, shamanism…]
I asked Zoriaan if there was a difference in his process of making art from when he is not “channeling” pieces?
“I guess to me its always been coming through myself, ever since I was around 22 after I had a random accidental kundalini experience.
[Kundalini (kuṇḍalinī, Sanskrit: कुण्डलिनी) literally means coiled. Kundalini is described as a sleeping, dormant potential force in the human organism. It is described as being coiled up at the base of the spine…Through meditation, and various esoteric practices, such as yoga, the kundalini is awakened, and can rise up inside or alongside the spine. The progress of kundalini through the different chakras leads to different levels of awakening and mystical experience, until the kundalini finally reaches the top of the head, producing an extremely profound mystical experience.]
Nowadays I can sit and focus to intentionally do a specific piece on call, where in earlier years it would just come through at certain random moments, and in a way it was out of my control. I have learnt to be able to raise the frequency in my body through a focused mediation and open the channel.
This was encouraged by friends and once I realized I could do that then I also started to work in live performances across the world.”
The performances Zoriaan does involve him using the language + sound toning to create a space + field. He has collaborated with other artists + musicians performing + channeling pieces to thousands of people at a time.
Can you relay some of the experiences you witnessed people having in these events & your own?
“It’s hard to say what I have seen, as I have never really been able to see the audience and am usually out of my body while I am performing. But I have had people tell me that they have had Kundalini experiences during it, also people cry, many people seems to think it comes from an alien place, or it sounds to various different people like languages from many different cultures combined into one. People seem to say they know the language, its as though it sparks a memory inside them of a part of themselves they have forgotten.
Mainly I see it as inspiration for others to open themselves up to allowing their own consciousness to expand. This is my hope that with this work I can provide some type of keys that can help people in this powerful time on earth right now to remember their full potential as humans.”
“Anka” (collaboration with Anka)… digital with ink calligraphy
With all the massive earth changes happening now, do you see artists at the forefront of unifying humanity?
“I see artists & musicians as having the same, if not more influential power as anyone in government. A musician sending out revolutionary messages to thousands of people in an audience or on TV, online etc can help influence massive change. Artists working in all forms of media can dream and shape concepts and deliver them to the world through the internet now on a mass scale.
I feel that at this time right now on earth, Humanity is going through a major awakening and shift in consciousness. Each and every person has a gift to share to help redesign and birth a new paradigm that is happening now. I feel that the earth changes are happening to restore balance on earth, not to destroy us. As each earth change or natural disaster happens, we must align our hearts to the people and the land of where it is happening, this psychic focus combined with compassion, I feel does something to an invisible grid-form across the planet which will hold a frequency and that at the right time it will open up a multidimensional reality for all humans on earth. And balance will be restored on both personal and environmental levels.”
Zoriaan facillitates international healing workshops called Keys Of Light + can be contacted through his blog Wings Of Elysium… regarding future workshops, performances, art + private healing sessions.
Neon Rebel – correspondent
by melaine knight
“I make stuf!”
Lifestylist ~ Freedom Fighter ~ Truthseeker ~ LOUDmoUth ~ Idealistic Dreamer ~ Troublemaker ~ Bullshit Assassin ~ NRG Runner ~ Repeat Offender… Soothsayer… meOwist…
Australian stylist /costume designer + performance artist, Melaine Knight has made pieces for music videos, runways, editorial shoots + live shows, film + tv.
She has made custom rock’nroll couture pieces + accessories under the label Prince Valium + designs visual art performances from concept through to music + choreography for festivals, runways + art spaces.
She performs under the felinus moniker pUsS in her electro punx outfits pUsS + Slot Machine.
She is currently in Sydney working on International music tours + styling + designing costumes for music artists. She has worked with Lady GaGa, Muse, Jay Z, Rhianna, Usher + Britney Spears.
Her aim is “ to create experiences of aesthetic that activate people & inspire… bridging creative imagination + conscious living…”
mail me: neonrebel@reddoornyc.com
twit me: http://twitter.com/#!/TheNeonRebel
___________________________________________
Girl’s got POWER!!!!!
Interview with Gemma Lee…
http://www.taxifilm.tv http://www.gemmalee.com.au
Multi-talented Australian director, writer + multi skilled artist illustrator/designer, Gemma Lee is out there doing some amazing work. It has been said of this uber talented gal that her directing style is street-chic + provocative. She combines beautiful art direction with an extraordinary graphic eye + creative innovation.
She is currently making her own films heading up a production company, writing + directing + working with top-drawer clients directing music videos + television commercials.
I met Gemma recently in Melbourne at an opening for new swimwear label,
“Muther Of All Things.” Gemma had just made a fashion film for the brand,
which is really the hottest thing in Fashion P.R. right now + cutting edge in cross promoting art, fashion, music + style.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNBumXiSaGk
I asked Gemma about her artistic work + being a girl in the Industry…
What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
I’ve always loved film as a medium to communicate. I actually started out as a visual artist and I studied drawing and painting at university. I found painting restrictive and even before I knew that I wanted to become a filmmaker I was dabbling in digital and video art. Not long after I finished art school I got really into European and Dogma movies and this fueled my desire to become a storyteller.
I still see myself as an artist, however my medium is now the moving
image. My aim is to capture reality, both honest and beautiful, with film.
Apart from Gemma’s abilities as a director + writer she is also an amazing graphic artist + illustrator, she also holds a Masters in Narrative storytelling which gives her amazing insight into working with actors.
Is it to have so many feathers in your cap in this country to stay in constant work..?
http://www.gemmalee.com.au/public_html/illustration.html
I tend to go a little crazy if I’m not constantly making something. If I don’t
feel exhausted and creatively drained at the end of the week then I don’t feel
content. For me it’s not about what the industry wants, I just really love finding
different ways to express myself. I really enjoy collaborative nature of
filmaking, working with other artists whether they are composers, production
designers or other people in my industry.
In the past my art and illustration have been quite separate to my filmmaking,
this is something I intend to change this year. I’m working on creating media that
is cross platform and using some of my fine art training to inspire some more
conceptual film work.
Fashion films are doing that exactly now. In this era of social networking + multimedia, cross pollinating is a given. Think the new Thierry Mugler menswear collection with Lady GaGa at the creative music helm or Dior’s collaboration with French DJ producer’s Justice…how did you hook up with Muther Of All Things?
http://www.gemmalee.com.au/public_html/tvc.html
I met Joceline and Marisa when I was on a short vacation to Byron and I was
staying with artist David Bromley. (David also created a unique set of painted surfboards for the collection, used at the opening + through the fashion film.) Bromley told me about the girls and their new brand and I though what they were doing sounded pretty cool. I asked if I could meet them and the following evening we all got together for drinks and spent the entire night discussing art, film and fashion. That night we came up with idea of collaborating on a film that would capture the spirit of the brand and also sell the unique lifestyle of Byron.
I wanted to create three distinct characters, each girl needed to have their own
individual style and personality. The three models were street cast and are Byron
Bay locals. We crafted the concept for the film over many phone conversations in
the lead up to the shoot. It was an extremely enjoyable collaboration.
How is it as a woman working in production the predominantly male film industry?
There are not enough female directors; I’m not quite sure why this is.
I don’t like to distinguish myself as a female director. I don’t see what I do as any
different from any male director out there. However, before I got into the
industry I did feel that it might be a hindrance. I had an image of a director in
my mind as a script-weilding bearded man! I think directors like Kathryn Bigelow
have helped change the perception that it’s a male industry and I hope more women
are inspired to give it a go.
Gemma has just finished a short film called The Bride, which will be entering into
local and international film festivals and is involved with a feature film
project that will hopefully go into production soon. Until then you can find her making TV commercials and music videos and looking for some interesting collaborations. Travel is on the cards this year to work and, as always, be creatively challenged. Personally Im hoping I might get to work with this extremely talented lady on something soon!!!!
NEON REBEL
By Melaine Knight, 2011.
PAST ARTICLES:
Ly de Angeles… Wings
A black comedy about The Angel Of Death…
Music by Mojo Juju & The Snake Oil Merchants
Neon Rebel – Melaine Knight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZKhW2EEkmI
Writer, director, mystic tarot reader, witch… almighty force of female, that is
Ly de Angeles…
On paper Ly’s bio is at first impressive + arresting + then you delve further + you realize this is one of those people that have come to this planet to help with its enlightenment…
Im not saying this in a hippy dribble kind of way either, there is nothing dribble about Ly… or her work!
In the last 10 years she has written 7 screenplays + published over 11 books, been awarded + accoladed + shared her prophetic vision through her creative offerings + individual readings.
In person Ly is a tiny lady with a huge energy field + a lot to say.
When she reads your tarot she’s always accurate + she doesn’t mess around.
Wings is the latest offering from Ly de Angeles + Full Story Productions.
It has been said that “ it is both awful + beautiful at the same time…
parts are very funny, others break your fucking heart..”
Love it.
It follows the story of the Angel Of Death…
I have a personal empathy to this film, the Angel Of Death is rocking my huge black archangel wings I made many years ago, they were always destined for him!
The film is currently in its last stages of production…
I asked the Lady Ly about her new creative baby…
Given you are an esoteric writer, master reader of the tarot + deep magic woman, how much of your characters in Wings reflect the understandings you have of the human condition?
“Heaps. I don’t want to give the plot away but what I do know is that in our small part of the universe we have a major problem with accepting the inevitability of death and therefore disdain that which is natural…
Advertising and even many health practitioners don’t help, making being dead out to be almost criminal just like aging. This attitude makes us sick while living…
It evokes fear, it’s like Santa. Is that obscure? Think about it. I shudder. We don’t eat unless we kill something. None of this is in denial of grief. We all despair.”
It’s obvious where Ly’s point of view sits… accepting the cycles of life like the cycles represented in the tarot. Many people might consider this viewpoint dark or negative + yet, is it not the denial Ly speaks of that is in fact dark + negative? In accepting all life one can accept the light + dark equally without the conflict of duality, which lies at the heart of the man’s struggle with his own humanity + the collective condition.
What were you’re main inspirations for “Wings”?
“It came out of the blue, complete, between the bathroom and the bedroom one night about two months ago. Everything fell into place so completely that it is all so totally supernatural…
Lots of people around here died lately. Most young. The angel started out just plain hillarious and a little bit arrogant. Shit, did, he teach me something! He’s brilliant. You’ll love him.”
Its true. A lot of young people have passed lately in Ly’s hometown of Mullumbimby, New South Wales, a country town in Byron Bay Shire, where the film was shot. The community is reknowned for being tight knit + alternative in it’s thinking, it attracts a certain type of person, looking for some spiritual discovery + closer bond with nature.
It is not uncommon to find a couple of hundred people dancing in the bush all night long to loud techno music on a solstice, celebrating life + freedom of expression or these days with authority restrictions, at least several drumming circles… so when one of its young kin passes the whole town shows up in memorial grieving the loss of its own.
We’re living in some pretty intense times, 2012 bolting around the corner, with prophesies of great planetary change afoot, how do you see the themes in your films reaching + affecting the mainstream public?
“It’s art. It’s all about the art. It’s like the 6 o’clock news meets Rembrandt…”
At least, that’s the vision. We’ll all know when the editing’s done and the soundtrack is attached. Oh, talking of soundtrack some of the music is by Mojo Juju and what were the Snake Oil Merchants. She’s so clever. The experience of film is about sensation. Feeling. We give you feeling!”
When is the film due out + what hopes do you have for its release?
“Completion date is early February for the film festival circuit. There’s a whole video been shot of the Making of Wings by Eliot Hall, that’ll be available on the website early next year.”
Keep checking into both websites for film release dates + where this beauty is gonna fly…
“Wings” feature film
GO GCUMHDAÍ IS DTREORAÍ NA DÉITHE THÚ
“May the gods guard and guide you”
By Melaine Knight
Australia
Red Door NY, 7th issue.
Broken Glass…
New film by young Award winning Aussie director Adam Wareham
trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rB4UmvQvdc
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1732586/
Adam Wareham just turned 30 + already has been working in the film industry for over 12 years, honing his directing skills by wearing a variety of hats in the production world including writing, editing, camera & production.
His passion lies behind the camera as a film director + is for great film making.
His first film, which he wrote & directed, was officially selected into the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival (2006), titled Charlie & Ginger. Adam was then commissioned by Jam Music to direct a multi-camera shoot, capturing the buzz and hype of Good Vibrations Music Festival (2007). Following on from there he wrote & directed his second self funded short film, called Broken Glass (2010).
Adam’s work reflects his talent of creating stories that take the viewer on an emotional and real journey, harnessing strong talent direction and the ability to capture beautiful images, even in the everyday life.
Broken Glass looks at the journey of a young teenage mother + her struggle with motherhood + life as an ordinary teenager + her choices that affect the future,
Adam shows an amazing sensitivity in capturing Lou’s story, for such a young male director, as the perspective of the story is intensely female, I asked Adam about his inspiration for the film + how he researched the psychology behind it…
“When I set out I didn’t really say to myself “This is my subject and I HAVE to talk about it”, it grew from snippets I had bouncing around, I had always talked about these ideas with my mates and partner…
At the time of writing I had a close friend give birth to a baby girl (who ended up in the movie!) and I saw how hard it was for her to cope with her new found role as a mother and she was as well equipped as anyone. It made me think, if its hard for her, then what is it like for someone who has nothing and or no one, especially a young girl who has her whole life ahead of her.
I found this one website where young mothers from all over the world wrote about their experiences and struggles. Some stories were truly shocking and gut wrenching to say the least …
I read this one story that stuck in my mind of a fifteen year old girl in the USA and her struggles of young motherhood and dealing with the drop kick father who rather than supporting her, he mocked her. He came and went for months and she let him do so until one day he never returned. Her closing line was about how happy she was to finally have a new guy who cared for her and her son. She went on to say…
“ He likes to get drunk and kiss other girls…. But beggars cant be choosers huh and I love him…” That stayed with me for a long time.
The sad thing was most stories that I read the father was never around and never really would be either – that’s why I decided not to feature the dad in this story.
As I grew up in a predominantly male household, I suddenly found myself surrounded by women, many from my partner’s side of things…
I drew inspiration from the women I have around me… I was fascinated by their strengths, their weaknesses, their habits & their stories…
My partner’s sister was 15 at the time I was making the film, so I watched her with a keen eye, asked her questions, watched the way she communicated with her mum and her sister (my partner). I took photos of her bedroom for reference, the posters, the mess & anything else that jumped out to me. I asked her about her experiences with friends also.
As with all my scripts, the characters really write it themselves. I sit down with my pen in hand and hope that they will take me on their journey, rather than me forcing them down a certain path, I let them lead me.”
Adam was just 22 when he made his first short feature Charlie + Ginger, that was selected for the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival (2006), not bad for the first thing you ever write, clearly this boy’s got things goin on…I asked him about how his process of making Broken Glass differed from Charlie + Ginger…
“It was very different… While I’m very proud of what I did with “Charlie & Ginger” I think the lack of development shows in parts… I didn’t do any kind of script development and the story didn’t change at all from the first draft. I just wrote it and shot it. “Broken Glass” preparation was much more thorough, from the script process to the final sound mix. If there is one thing I learnt from my first film, the camera doesn’t miss a thing and certainly doesn’t lie. So I spent a lot more time with reference to art direction, wardrobe & the overall vibe of the picture…
It’s been a long time between drinks, 6 years in fact, and there was a lot of growing to be done, personally and professionally at that time. Don’t get me wrong I didn’t want to wait this long between films but when you’re doing it independently with no budget besides your own wallet (which has some BIG holes in it) its very difficult to get anything made.”
All artists feel the challenge of starting out + trying to get things off the ground without patronage, Australia is a small country in population + its Arts have always struggled to exist without the supportive numbers, I asked Adam his thoughts on being an artist, plus young filmmaker living in Australia, how he saw himself in the current landscape?
“Unfortunately filmmaking in Australia is very dire, we have everything we need here, great locations, talented crews, up and coming writers, directors & actors but for some reason there is very little happening in the way of film.
Australia should be producing great work much more often than it is which to me is very sad since there have been some brilliant Australian films in the past.
The Australian film industry needs a big kick up the backside because I believe we have a sleeping giant that needs to be woken.
I’d love to be the one who does it, but to me it feels like if you want to do anything in this industry at a creative level you best start looking overseas. In saying that, give me one shot at making an Aussie feature and I’d take it with both hands.”
Broken Glass is just about to be sent out to the international festival circuit, I personally couldn’t stop thinking about it for days, it was a really powerful + entertaining piece, Adam has an uncanny ability to capture movement + emotion in his camera angles, picking up the biorhythms of his characters + drawing you in… when it ended, I wanted to see more!
If his past accolades continue to pave his golden path, we can pretty much bet that we will see both of this young maverick’s hands making an amazing badass Aussie feature very soon!
