bethofalltrades | (no subject)

So. Went to DC and worked the Dolls show at the 9:30 Club. Bought a Bling-Bama shirt on the street (Barak, all in bling, it's amazing and says HOPE on it.)

It was a really beautiful night. I met a musician named Ari Gold who rocked the uke, keyboard, drums AND danced his ass off and was actually a really nice guy backstage too. And then I walked past Grace Potter a bunch of times while she was practicing backstage and every time thought, "Damn, that chick in the boots with the electric guitar is HOT." But we had to leave before her set was done to get the 2AM Chinatown bus back, which ended up not leaving until nearly three but which got us to NYC before 6. Daaaaaaaaaamn.

Highlights of the trip:
- War Pigs (AMAZING)
- An empty Chinatown bus on the way down... because we missed the one we had tickets for.
- Buying the BLING BAMA shirts with Katrina.
- The sense in the air of togetherness.
- Obama on my Metro ticket.
- Ending up at a restaurant in DC, randomly sitting next to the cousin of a girl I know through Amanda.
- Eating lo mein with my hands on the bus ride home.
- This photo:

Oh... and the fact that "President Barack Obama" isn't just a nice idea, but a reality.

So. Got back Wednesday EARLY morning, slept a few hours, worked for the rest of the night. Thursday we shot some material for an electronic press kit (EPK) for Amanda and then Friday we had the What's the Use of Wonderin' shoot.

Video shoots are hard. Crew members and space rentals are expensive, so you try to cram as much as you can into one day.

I've now done.... ten? Ten music videos. Wow. That's what happens when you work for an artist who decides to make a video for EVERY SONG ON THE RECORD. Anyway, every single time, I'm in awe of the quantity and quality of work that gets done in the course of a day.

Yesterday was a strange one... some of our usual crew wasn't there (since we were shooting in NYC) and there were a few new people filling in for them. It also felt exceptionally long, along I suppose it was about the same as all the others.

I did what I do, which is to say I took stills and pinned dresses and went on soda runs and made inappropriate comments to Pope and tried to stay out of the way. We also ran a Party on the Internet (partyontheinternet.com) which was fun but there was really too much chaos. An experiment, we'll know for next time. I really want to do another Party on the Internet like the first one, which was on release night, at the Cloud Club. We drank a bottle of wine and Amanda talked for two hours.

I like video shoots because I feel very useful and I get to use my body in my work. So much of what I do takes place behind a computer screen, I start to feel disconnected. Must get back to doing yoga regularly.

Art. Let's talk about art in this rambly entry.

That is from a short (ten minute) shoot I did with Amanda before the EPK shoot. A friend looked at a larger set (about 20 images) and declared that a few of them were the best photos I'd ever taken. At some point, I'll release them and you'll see.

That's from the What's the Use shoot. I love it and I'm not precisely sure why.

Hillary, the director of photography. One of the things I love about Michael Pope is that he puts women in power. He's smart enough to pick the right ones, too--- Hillary is awesome, as is Bri Olsen, Pope's producer, and Casey Long, art director and reluctant music video star.

This is Casey:

Pope manning the monitor:

This entry has really meandered. So much going on, both within and without. Yesterday was the first day since New Year's that I didn't feel sick. Amazing feeling.

Paparazzi (photo by Bri Olsen):

I everything about that picture. The handsome fellow next to me is Desi and you can see AFP's profile in the shadow on the reflector. Also, BELLY.

Love,
Beth

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That last picture is fabulous, for sure. And that first shot of Amanda from your shoot is gorgeous.

And I so wish that I'd sucked it up and gone down to DC, it sounds like it was completely and utterly amazing, in every sense of the word. Lesson learned - just do it.

Will you please adopt me and take me with you on "Bring Your Daughter To Work Day"?

I love your photography Beth, because you have this way of capturing art and realism at the same time. Its like you capture the beauty in small moments.

Glad the show went well. I'm in California and was so jealous that I couldn't be there for all the fun. I'm just glad it was a safe fun night for all the people who were in the DC area.

I loved the chaotic party on the internet, but it did seem like we were getting in the way. It was very cool to watch some of the filming, though, and I can't wait to see the video!

Mega awesome photos, but what else is new? ;)

Do you normally eat lo mein with a fork or chopsticks? (or are your hands your preferred utensil? ;) )

You should host your own Party on the Internet some time... maybe. You did a good job, it was funny, entertaining. Chaotic yes, but when do we ever get to see that? See what you & the crew do, the behind the scenes of videos, fancy lofts etc? Never! I don't know... I feel like since Amanda has been doing regular "Ask Amanda" sections in her blog, a PotI back to the original may not be as charming, I like the random back drops, Neil's kitchen, a video shoot, backstage, etc. all sorts of different scenarios and happenings.

I love the silhouette of Amanda in the last photo, and can't wait to see the rest of yours. The lighting on the first Amanda photo you released is gorgeous.

I looked up Grace Potter out of curiosity, and found this video first: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYrdfFpxTXQ

She's not playing the electric guitar in it, but yeah. I am a fan.

I love all the shots, but I'm replying to say that Casey is cute.

You came to D.C. and I didn't know?.... Curses!!

You guys are doing another video for "What's The Use Of Wond'rin'?"