Venus: Doggess of Love

Venus & Magnet

 

By popular request, Venus now has her own Facebook page (click here to access it), which was set up two days ago.  So far it features a few of her videos which, most recently, include videos of her and her new companion, Magnet, the baby chick.

I HEAR YOU (video)

Please read the below explanation before viewing video:

Earlier this year I recorded 15 random people voicing what they felt the woman in the "I Hear You" painting was saying to them. I then burned these tracks to a CD.

Viewers at my FIRERHORSE interactive exhibit (Watermill, Tobago, 29 November 2014) were invited to sit before her one by one, wearing headphones, choose a random number and listen to that one track out of the 15—the experience being that the woman in the painting was talking to them.

This interactive installation was set up in an old watermill (stone tower in photo below)—an intimate space—just you and her and "her voice"/message for you. This video shows the top of the sugar mill, looking up at the moving clouds. The voice I used as the soundtrack is track #2 of 15 (Voice of Marion Robley). At the end, the painting which was the inspiration behind the recorded expressions briefly appears.

 The watermill in which the "I Hear You" 'audio painting' was located.

V.V.V. = Venus's Vimeo Videos

Venus the Starlet from Venus on Vimeo.

Click here to see Venus's other videos on her Vimeo channel.

Turtle Release Video

Baby hawksbill turtles in bucket awaiting release

I recently went to Magdalena Grand to see S.O.S. Tobago release Hawksbill turtle hatchlings to the ocean. I took my camera, did some filming and put together this short video with some of my original music. Enjoy. And check out www.sos-tobago.org to learn more about how you can help to protect these wonderful creatures.

Post by Elspeth Duncan.

Bubble

Yesterday while waiting at Kariwak for my yoga students to arrive, I filmed this bubble in the pond. A brief clip, set in very slow motion to the opening bars of "Sue's Angels"...Track #9 on my first ever album—'Moving Pictures'.

Driving Home

In case your internet connection speed is slow, let the video buffer before you watch it—so there won't be any pauses to spoil the effect.

Length: 11 seconds

You Are Calling (now on Youtube)

Sountrack (Music & Production): Irukandji
Video (Camera, Direction, Edit): Elspeth Duncan

You Are Calling—the video

You Are Calling from Elspeth Duncan on Vimeo.

Video created by Elspeth Duncan for "You Are Calling"—track #9 from the new album Beauty In Destruction by Irukandji.

You Are Calling - insight into the making of the video

Karishma, my camera.
Karishma means "Miracle" in Sanskrit. True to her name, life-changing miracles (reaching a wide range of people) have come through the work that I've done with her.

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The decision has been made to not show any snippets of the You Are Calling video or post any of Carole Anne's images until the night of the launch later this month of Irukandji's new CD: Beauty In Destruction.

Over the past week, interviews with Irukandji and Carole Anne were featured. They spoke about the music/CD and some behind-the-scenes photography respectively.

Now I will say a few words on the video, which I directed/shot/edited.

I was at Irukandji's studio one day and he offered to play me a track from his new album-in-progress. From the moment he started to play "You Are Calling", the hair on my skin rose (the sign for me that something is 'right') and images started to flash in my head ... although, it wasn't so much of a physical seeing of images as it was a sense of something in the music that wanted to be translated visually.

How I work is that I rarely start with anything concrete. I prefer to go with what I sense until it becomes concrete. It's as if there is something already there and I am facilitating and creating the space for it to unfold in the way that it is meant to - rather than me forcing it to be what I think it should be. This involves constantly surrendering to the process, letting go of what does not serve it and moving on in synchronicity with what flows. The more the 'product' materializes, the more I am able to see it and help shape it consciously into what it eventually becomes.

There are some videos/films for which the process of creation doesn't feel like just "shooting a video/film". There is something else going on - symbolic, energetic workings on various levels. It's as though creating the video is creating life. Editing the footage is editing life. This video was definitely one of those. The process of shooting and where it took us, the process of editing and what was cut out to allow what was created - all along, I felt that these things were happening for all of us on our 'real life' physical plane as well.

This call for twenty women for the first part of the shoot (which I called "the Magic Shoot") was the first element that got the video moving. There was a definite female energy - largely inspired by the abstract female voice which calls throughout the song. There was something flowing, sacred and elemental about it - collectively giving birth to something bigger than we are. When I saw it unfolding before me as I edited, I thought "Wow ... something magical really happened when we did this."

Each person who sees the video will get different messages from it. Among other things, I see female power, magic, freedom, rebirth, the shedding of the old to enable the new, flight, a coming together, synchronicity, a blooming, the microcosm moving the macrocosm ... and vice versa.

STAY TUNED for details on the launch of Irukandji's CD: Beauty In Destruction. Also featuring:
* Soul-stirring electronica grooves by DJ Kasaya
* Screening of You Are Calling Video by Elspeth Duncan
* Music-driven slide-show of behind-the-scenes images by Carole Anne Ferris

Reading ANDREA from Daisy Chain (video)

Carolyn Harnanan reads ANDREA from the stream-of-consciousness novel DAISY CHAIN by Elspeth Duncan

Visit the Daisy Chain blog:
http://readdaisychain.blogspot.com

To purchase and download the Daisy Chain e-book, click here
The e-book is the original stream of consciousness text.
Coming soon: the edited print version. To be kept up to date on when it will be available, please subscribe to Now Is Wow Too by adding your email address to the subscription form in the right hand side bar.

Thank You.

Second clip from Daisy Chain launch

In this, the second of video clip from the launch of Daisy Chain, I say a few words before we go into the readings.

I have set up a Youtube account for Daisy Chain:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Daisychainnovel

Check it out and please subscribe if you would like to get updates on future video uploads.

Future uploads will include:
(i) the rest of the clips from the reading at NALIS on 7 May 2010
(ii) Any short films/video sequences I create based on extracts
(iii) All video content related to Daisy Chain

Women, we need you for an ambient film shoot

Karishma, my camera which shoots miracles.

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20 women are invited to participate in a short ambient film shoot:
YOU ARE CALLING

SHOOT DATE : Sunday 25 April 2010, 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. in St. Augustine (location details from Patrice - see below for her contact info).

You are a dancer and/or feel comfortable moving freely. Over 18 yrs. of age. No acting experience or special body type required - only movement.

Wardrobe: Fitted black top or vest. Black pants.
Please bring a working torchlight.

Refreshments will be provided.

Music Production: Irukandji
Listen to examples of his music here

Director/Camera: Elspeth Duncan
See some of her videos here

The first collaboration between Elspeth Duncan and Irukandji was "Raindrops on Skin".
See it and hear it here.

Be a part of the second collaboration: "You Are Calling". Contact Patrice Charles at 729-3255
or highermystery@yahoo.com by Wednesday 21st April for more information and to confirm.

Thank you.

Winning streak

A few days ago I won the By-My-Art t-shirt competition. And today, the Prep's Garden video (featured above) which I shot late last year won the TV/video category of the IICA/CARDI Excellence in Agricultural Journalism Award 2009.

As I sat in the prize giving ceremony today, waiting to hear the results, I thought of how great it would be to win ... not just for winning's sake, but because I know the children, their parents, their teachers and the entire school were so excited and pleased when I did the video ... and would be thrilled if it won.

Looking forward to going to the school (my old primary school - The University School) and surprising them on Monday morning at assembly, by announcing the victory.

Splitting the prize money will be the cherry on top.

Women Build "The Promise Home"

Short doc project (2008/9) 5 schoolgirls and openly HIV+ mother of two, Lorna under guidance of Happy Hippy Productions.
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Women, be a part of T&T's first Habitat for Humanity: Women Build, April - May 2010. You could be one of many female volunteers coming together to raise funds, provide food and drink for each other and construct a new home for Lorna (HIV+ woman featured in the above short documentary) and her family - husband and two children. The name of this new house we will be building together is "The Promise Home".

Contact Carlene Pooran at Habitat (782-4663) asap for more information and to register as a volunteer.

Most of you will remember the other short doc I worked on - INVISIBLE (2007) - which also resulted in a partnership with Habitat to build a new home for (then homeless) HIV+ Veronica and her two children. Habitat continues to do invaluable work, constructing homes for families in need.

Veronica's House (2008)

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MORE ON THE HENRY FAMILY HERE (info supplied by Habitat) Mr Curt Henry and Mrs Lorna Hamilton Henry Barataria
The Henrys are the proud parents of two young beautiful children under the age of six years old. Mrs Henry is a very vocal advocate for the National HIV/AIDS coalition, as she is HIV positive. She is quite aware of the ways in which the disease can disrupt ones daily life and will do all within her power to help others avoid contracting the virus. Unfortunately, her beloved husband damaged his spinal cord and is unable to work a regular job. Consequently, they have been walking on a very, very tight financial rope within recent years. The family's home is made up of termite eaten rotting boards and a rusting galvanize roof which is on the verge of collapse Part of the outer wall at the front of the house which was made of plyboard has since collapsed and is replaced by fabric. The bathroom/toilet facility is outdoors, which further makes it an unsafe dwelling for the children in particular. The house is unlivable and at present they have been sharing a room in Mrs. Henry's mother's house. We can do so much to bring some safety and security to this most deserving family. This project has been named "The Promise Home" as it will symbolize the promise Mrs. Hamilton-Henry has mde not only for her children but significantly for herself. This legacy that she wants to leave for her children is one of strength, determination and hope. She is afflicted with this disease but that does not mean her life and dreams are over. Women can build and by joining forces and working together side by side, we can help this family build "The Promise Home". (Release from Habitat for Humanity TT)

Out of the Box (the online launch)

First there was Invisible: Children Living with HIV/AIDS - an awareness-raising mini documentary created for TTCRC (Trinidad and Tobago Coalition for the Convention on the Rights of the Child).Now there is "Out of the Box".

Five secondary school students meet an openly HIV positive woman (Lorna Henry) and discover that the face of HIV doesn't always hide and doesn't always fit the stereotype. Under the guidance of multimedia artist Elspeth Duncan, the girls created this mini film during their experience.

Out of the Box (2009), created for TTCRC (Trinidad and Tobago Coalition for the Convention on the Rights of the Child), was funded by UNAIDS and UNDP.


ABOUT TTCRC
The TTCRC is an umbrella organisation comprised of individuals and groups who are interested in realizing the full implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in T&T through advocacy, education and collaboration at all levels, with the aim of developing each child's fullest potential and keeping at the fore all things that are in the child's best interest.

For more information and to get involved: ttcrc1999 (at) yahoo (dot) com

Are you out of the box? Stay tuned for video launch

In Dec 2008 - Jan/Feb 2009 I worked with five secondary school students on a mini documentary for TTCRC (Trinidad and Tobago Coalition for the Convention on the Rights of the Child). This mini doc was entitled: "Out of the Box".
The girls had never (knowingly) met an HIV positive person before. In their experience of filming "Out of the Box", they met and worked with Lorna Henry, a woman/wife/ mother living with HIV. Through her, the girls came to realise that the face of HIV does not always hide and does not always fit the stereotype.

Tune in later today on this blog for the online launch of "Out of the Box". As with this (offline) screening last year, discussion is encouraged. We look forward to your comments.

The girls and Lorna.

Cherish Freedom

Still frame from the music video "Kutunza Uhuru"
Music & Lyrics: Mawasi Experience
Video: Elspeth Duncan
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The drum group Mawasi Experience approached me recently to shoot a music video for one of the songs on their new CD.

I chose track #3, Kutunza Uhuru, which means Cherish Freedom. This is also the name of the new album.

The video is now complete and, as of last night, the DVD is in their hands. The founder of Mawasi, Peter Telfer, will be surprising the other members of the group tomorrow morning by screening the video after their performance.

Another still frame from the video

New Window

Driving home with one of the new windows (for making window lamps) in the passenger seat. I don't know yet who this new lamp will be for or what it will be about, but maybe the answers are in the video.

Little Bird

On Friday a little bird crashed into the door glass and fell to the ground. At first I thought it had broken its neck. It looked like it was about to die. I held it in my hands for a while since it couldn't stand. Its eyes were closed and every now and then it would open its beak (as if gasping). There appeared to be something like blood (a red spot) at the tip of the beak. Eventually it revived enough to stand on my finger ... still stunned, eyes still closed.

This video shows less than 2 mins worth of clips from a nine minute period. See what happens at the end. I added slow motion to those last few seconds for emphasis.

This story reminded me of this one.

Prep's Garden

7:24 mins
Food security in Trinidad and Tobago - a national priority

I completed the above video this week (7:24 mins). It features 6 year old students of the primary school I went to as a child (The University School).

Hopefully after viewing this you will be inspired to plant your own organic garden (i.e. if you don't have one already).

As a thank you for making this video with them, the children gave me some of their delicious organic ochros.