February 23, 2007 - Image #0013 - "I'll Never Let Go"

It's amazing what you can pull off in one evening.

A last minute production created a 15-second spot spoofing a famous movie scene, and starring the two of us for a contest requesting an advert for theaters with the phrase "Turn Off Your Cell Phones." Tonight we were lucky enough to screen the spot in front of the Fallbrook Film Factory.

The night we created this film, the time limitations were fierce, and filming didn't start until we haphazardly arrived at someone's backyard in Costa Mesa, CA, borrowing a swimming pool and trying our best to not wake the neighbors.

The family really came through and all showed up, Clint, Brandon, Janie and Clint's girlfriend Courtney. 15 seconds was a short time to fill a scene, but the setup took much longer than expected. The late evening and the necessary near-silence kept us at a disadvantage, but nothing was worse than the temperature of the pool, which we are certain, if not for the chlorine, would have been iced over.

When you are up to your midsection in freezing water, you realize that 15 seconds is a lot longer than it seems on tape. Especially when there are multiple takes. You reach a point where your body refuses to go under the water. Your brain sends signals demanding a response, but at some point there is a subconscious refusal and the top half remains stubborn and motionless.

At around 1 a.m., shrouded in towels, we wrapped production, satisfied with the shots, and ending up with an excellent clip. Shows you what you can do with a small amount of time, some determination, and the willingness to freeze off your toes. During the screening, our spot was met with a positive response. It was worth every degree below 40. (5 for you Canucks.)

To those that want to see the spot, here's the clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGqtcErSUeg

Enjoy!

February 17-20, 2007 - Photo #0010 - "Snowed In"

For the past four days, we have taken a brief sabbatical from the daily photo blog, as we took time to relax and enjoy the crisp winter of Montreal and the wonderful company of friends and family.

Trekking through the snow and experiencing (for Travis) negative temperatures (in Fahrenheit) for the first time was incredible and a fantastic break. We were so grateful to see everyone during the trip and cannot wait for our next venture up north into the Hinterlands.

We were thankful to be able to celebrate our engagement in so many different ways. We had a fantastic trip. Expect to return to your regularly scheduled programming tomorrow. Thanks for reading so far.

February 16, 2007 - Photo #0009 - "Two Handfuls of Frozen Water"

Growing up in Montreal, snow was always seen as a cold, wintry, achromatic adversary. Road blocker, car staller, toe freezer and general miscreant. This is a basic fact of life here in Montreal; snow is not something to be marveled, it just exists and can be counted on every year.

Tonight though, I watched Travis touch it and feel it like it was something magical and foreign. His eyes sparkled like a child's. The texture, he said, was soft and light, but sparkled like a handful of powdered diamonds. This was just a statement of the obvious, and seemed unimportant until I realized that to someone who has never really seen snow, it truly is a marvel, a force of nature that is, on its own, beautiful.

Holding aloft two handfuls of frozen water seemed so meaningless until now, but it gave me pause to realize that the mundane can become exciting, and that nothing should be taken for granted.

I'm happy to be home.