1:04AM: hopefully leaving here in 15

2:50AM: Brenda and I hit the road

3:40AM: Interstate 15 N

7:30AM: Vegas 

About a month ago my friend Brenda, an actress, and I, a photographer eager to embark on video projects, decided that a collaboration during my visit to LA could spark some new creative energy.

This past Sunday our 36 hour project was underway during a late night drive to Vegas. The concept, based off of our current states of love and trust, seemed to ever evolve and unfolded as the trip and the people we met dictated our captures. The receptionists at Graceland Chapel, a polyamorous IBM employee, and a young girl who had recently relocated for her man after only a month long relationship all told us their stories. We listened, Brenda interacted, I filmed.

Running on about 3 1/2 hours of sleep, our energy ran low but the ideas kept rolling. By 3AM we were back in our room, eager for rest before our 8AM checkout. 

Monday afternoon we were back in LA and the downloads began. After a much needed catnap I opened up a file to check out the footage. It couldn’t be. I switched to a different computer. No, please, please no. Cranky and sleepless, I was in tears and disbelief. The audio had been disabled. I’d never felt so stupid for making such a careless mistake and not taking the time to check. Silly, amateur me. I wanted to just put my already aching head through a wall.

Several expletives later, I had to accept that mistakes happen. Once it’s done, all you can do is figure out new resolutions. No matter how painful and how much it eats you up (trust me, I keep running the scenarios through my head and what I blew), you have to move on and make the best of it. It’s incredibly easy to get down on yourself- if I ever do something I’m not satisfied with, I’ll punish myself for weeks, months even, just thinking about what I could have done better. Masochism. 

Thankfully, I have understanding people in my life who like to take challenges and make the most out of them. Apparently, this is how this film was meant to be, and you better believe it’s still going to come out beautifully. Different, but the same. Time shall tell, editing will be underway soon. Lesson learned, I put my hand on a burning stove and will never let it happen again. So folks, don’t forget: double check everything. Hell, quadruple check and have someone else check too. Oh, and if you’re not 16 anymore, don’t stay up for 24 hours. 

24 August