Title:
Medium: Super-8 film
Aspect Ratio: 4:3
Resolution: 2880 x 2160
File Type: H.264 Codec / MP4.
Comments: The first time I met Shane was back in 2021. I saw an order on my email on a large format print that was sold after sitting their for a couple years. I reached out to the collector thanking him via email, and it turns out he lived close by! So, I invited him over the same day and we sat in the garden and became good friends. Little did I know the man I was meeting who sad he was a big fan of my work, was one of the most prolific film producers in Hollywood! Shane was part of many award winning films and he is one of the most humble people I ever met. I found out years later what he had achieved when he invited me to his premiere at LACMA movie theater to showcase my favorite film he made with his beloved director, Fire of Love. Shane and I shared in the Flames and Fire motif, and also the love foregone between life and death. This film struck my heart so deeply and made it even more flavorful as he and his girlfriend fell in love during this movie being made. A love story about a love story, you cant plan or get more poetic than that! The story writes itself. Every so often through out the years Shane and I get to hang out and exchange ideas. I am always excited to hear what film he has coming out or working on. He is my favorite movie maker and shaker in the business. A man with a pure heart, a gentle soul, and calm voice and presence. I jokingly refer to him as an angel, one of the saints. But I am kinda serious about it too! I know I am doing well in my life when Shane comes around because he is a reflection of that positive and loving energy, and the universe blesses us with people who vibrate on that same frequency. A year or so before I started Moments of the Unknown, Shane and I had met at a vegan cafe in Venice beach near where I lived. I shared with him about this idea of shooting Super-8 and make 10 second portraits. An idea I have been culminating on since 2018, and way before once I had completed The Birthday Project, AKA, Every Day is a Gift. I loved taking up 365 projects because its fucking insane, fun, challenging, and I always learn new skills and something about myself along the way. Endurance and Discipline. Anyway, we talked about ideas and he and our friend Jeremy encouraged me to take a sabbatical at one of their quiet retreats to focus on fostering the idea. And as beautiful as that sounds, my ADHD ass cant sit still or have a calm mind without processing a thought or idea for a few minutes, let alone a few seconds that go by. A blessing and a curse, but I never run out of ideas or things to say the least. I would love to just sit in the woods and just do nothing. I just don't know how to relax or sit in silence. And maybe thats my issue, but I accept my fate as a creator! Maybe some day Shane. Although I give myself excuses why I shouldn't go. False ideals of responsibilities and the What if's of work are always holding me back from that disconnection. I am grateful for their generosity and kindness. Fast forward a year, I am at Shanes Turquoise bohemian palace in Topanga, and decide to go on a nature hike. Little did we both know we were about to trek across the Topanga wild and find our way a few miles from one point to another. We somehow navigated through the brush and canyon right into to his backyard caves! After facing some fears of snakes and getting lost we followed the sun into the direction we thought his house may be and made our way home. It was a trailblazed adventure we will never forget and fondly think about from time to time, man we did that shit impromptu. We sat in the caves and his tigress cat joined us curiously as we cooled the mind into meditation during the orange hours of sunset. Soon after a few Ohms and breaths we started talk about life, art, philosophy, and in silence together to appreciate the beingness of being friends in that sacred presence. Teaching me to quiet the mind like a Bodhisattva. The light fades and we climb down the backyard cave. As we were saying goodbye something struck me deeply in my soul. THIS IS IT! This is the shot I want to make for you Shane when I start my new Super-8 project. I shared with him the vision of him opening the door and waving me in hello, even though in that moment he was waving me goodbye. This was a big inspiration. As this is where I came up with the name of the project, Moments of the Unknown. Shane inspired me to start working on this film and circulated this idea with me for quite some time. He helped me get the first Super-8 camera on my first trial run before everything started falling apart. My job, my camera, my relationships, my home; As much as I wanted to create, it was not time to make art until all of these life responsibilities were handled and the weight of the plate. You can't add things onto your plate before you get overwhelmed. After going to therapy I learned how to start removing things off the plate until it was empty. Then you can start fresh with a clear conscience! You don't want to make art and make it feel like a job or even worse, a chore. Months after I failed the first attempt I tried again. I proposed Shane come on as a producer for this experimental film, even though he was busy making real blockbuster documentaries with his wonderful new girlfriend. Hey it's the thought that counts! I love Shane, and perhaps one day we will make something together. Another year passed by and here we are again at his front door step shooting the exact image I had in my head when I told him earlier. The seed was planted and the fruit of the art was ready to be shared. When you imagine an idea or visual, has it already happened, or does the thinking of creating it make it come to fruition? In this moment the past is connected to the present, because time is an illusion and it is all happening all at once. Did we know we were going to create this or was it destined to be made? I'm not sure but its fun to think about, and its fun to make art with your friends!
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