Meggie Maddock

Although you can certainly shoot a beauty shot with nothing more than the sun, shooting one in a studio with a beauty dish and supplemental lights can give you a stunning hi-key result, even with a model with fair skin and pale blond hair.

The trick is to use your light to definitely separate your model from a brightly list background, and use a beauty dish to bring out the features and fill in the face.

Background // In this example we used two umbrellas to light the background evenly, making sure the background lights were about two stops brighter than our subject. Feather these lights until the light crosses over the background as evenly as possible. Then flag the background lights so that none of the umbrella light is hitting the subject, and no shadows are being created by them.

hi-key beauty shot diagram

Fill light // Use a large softbox dialed way down and positioned far enough away that it does not light the background, and just gently fills in a little light around your model.

Reflector // Use a large white reflector (in this case just a v-flat) to bounce back a little light from the other side of the model.

Dan is an award-winning, Denver-based photographer, writer and global nomad. His work has appeared in magazine advertisements, editorials, and in websites, on billboards, and his books are available on amazon.com. danjahn.com

styling: Nicolette Lang-Andersen

make-up: Aaron Wozlowski

Kim Akrigg picked up a camera at the age of 18 and hasn’t been able to put it down since. She aims to find the unusual in the usual, and resides in Toronto. kimakrigg.com

Thrifty Diva Alisa Benedetti

My enthusiasm for all the money I was about to save was surging through me like a roaring river! Until the third newspaper box in a row proved to be empty of every Sunday paper and the one paper I did find had been stripped of the coveted coupon circulars. I had no idea that this was going to be so cut-throat.

I found myself looking over my shoulder every time I deposited a dollar into the metal box for the dream of saving say…$20, $30, maybe even $50. Ten dollars later, no one pushed me down in the grocery store parking lot to commandeer my paper, I was still without one single savings document and I was going to have to use nickels on the next machine if I continued this endeavor.

In all honesty, I deserved for this endeavor to prove fruitless. I had every intention of paying for one paper but taking three from the box. And that is how karma works. It saw me coming and made sure that an equally dishonest couponer got there first. I could refine my approach and tackle the prospects again the following Sunday, but I really didn’t want it bad enough. I love saving money, but this was not reaping the immediate rewards I desired on my money saving hunt.

For me, the best place to stretch my consumer dollar is at the thrift store. There has never been a trip to the thrift store that did not result in some kind of desired item being stalked, hunted and bagged for home. I have my Jimmy Hendrix t-shirt, my best fitting pair of jeans, and several amazing vintage cocktail dresses that have seen more action then the dress I almost paid $350 for. I say almost, because anyone that knows me, knows I would rather chew my own arm off then pay $350 for a dress I KNOW I can find somewhere for less. I found a similar dress elsewhere for $30. Seriously. I am not joking.

Thrifty Diva Alisa

If it were not for my friends at the Good Will, ARC and Family Thrift Store, my kids would have been naked through their entire youth. Maybe not naked, but certainly not wearing Tommy Hilfiger or genuine Levis. It would have been Geranimals straight into Old Navy, from birth to graduation. None of them would have ever owned a pair of dress shoes either. Dress shoes are expensive and little boys don’t care to keep them on their feet. And bigger boys don’t care to wear them either. There are always dress shoes for boys at the thrift store for under $5.00. Cha-ching! That’s the sound of a deal.

There is a technique to shopping for second hand clothing, not unlike that of coupon clipping. The first step is to look for fabrics that jump out and say, I am not rayon! I brush my fingertips across the shoulders of shirts seeking the familiar texture that can only be found in silk blends. Like they are reading Braille, my fingers can feel a fabric meant for dry clean only.

I recommend you pull these items out and examine them more closely. Second sweep through the aisles, I gaze downward toward the hemlines and hope not to collide with another shopper. It has happened before and there is a 50/50 chance that the other person will interpret this as a sign of aggression. If all goes well, you will find the long pants and skirts you desire. Again, pull these items out immediately, check for sizes later. If I had not mentioned this earlier, a cart is necessary. You will only take home about 10% of the clothing you find in this store, but you don’t want others to sneak off with it while you are pondering the pros and con’s of having another long sleeve black t-shirt.

Thrifty Divas Diandra & Alisa

At this point in the adventure, I move on to the dresses. If you are in the market for formal wear, you will now be overcome with a feeling of euphoria. The most amazing thing about formal wear is that you really only wear it the once and then it does nothing until it ends up in the bottom of a black trash bag heading for the orange receptacle behind the Walmart. These items are plentiful and in good condition with only the occasional pit stain from an outdoor engagement party. It goes without saying – those are left on the rack.

I employ similar methods to the other departments in a synchronized order from back of the store to the front, strategically ending at the dressing rooms in the men’s department. Thrifting is not for the weak or shy. If your sensibilities insist that you use the women’s changing rooms, then you can add another hour to your shopping trip. Men in thrift stores do not try on clothes. I guarantee this. There are only other smart female shoppers in those men’s changing rooms.

You may be able to grab-and-go with an outfit from a department store. But, that will not work here. A size six is much different after it has lived on someone else’s size 6 body for a few years. Things stretch and accommodate the last known body it clothed. This also means that a size you would not imagine you could pull up over the bum before may fit you like a glove now. Leave the store without trying on the clothes at your own risk. You will only have ten days to bring it back and you will only get store credit.

It is not that uncommon to see a woman forcing her child to change in the aisles to save time. All kids that grow up in this environment know how to back into the racks, using the garments as make-shift walls and the shopping cart, or parent’s backside as a door. Petite women can use this approach too, but anyone over 5’2” is out of luck. Obviously, some people just don’t care and pull pants up under skirts and recalculate the American sizing system for the ¼ inch of extra clothing they are still wearing.

There was an occasion when my hand and that of another less deserving woman pulled a shirt off the rack at the same time. The air was tense between us. We smiled tightly at each other and gave an experimental tug on the shirt, just to test the other person’s conviction. She was shorter than me, a bit stocky, and I am pretty sure she could take me. I’m not all that strong, and short stocky women are a force to be reckoned with.

Thrifty Divas Alisa & Diandra

But, luckily for me, I was trained in the way of the second-hand-store-ninja by the best of the best; my father. I knew exactly how to react to the imminent threat of losing the shirt to someone more formidable. I started to sing. Loud and proud, like the acoustics in an extremely large warehouse were just the thing I had waited my entire life to experience. I sang something very catchy and verbose, like “Ears, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”. I can’t remember exactly, but it was not Lady Gaga. It was not cool. It was so un-cool, that my children scattered into the
bowels of the building and I knew they would find their way back to the car somehow without my guidance. My face-off ended with an awkward half laugh, the loosening of her steel grip and a few cautious steps backing away from the unsuspecting woman. But, she didn’t punch me or knock me out from under my own feet and I left that place with the shirt. I play dirty when it comes to finding a good deal. I’ll admit it.

Thrifty Diva Diandra

If you are worried about my children being scarred permanently by my display of humiliation and persecution upon them, don’t. I am just passing down the craft to the next generation of hunters and gatherers. {f}

Welcome to the world of modeling, was the response I got. But this was not your typical modeling shoot. There were no makeup artists, no hair stylists, no lights or fans, no Photoshop or re-touching.

As we arrived by the spiraling staircases, Katie took off her heavy winter coat and began to warm up with some Sun Salutations on the frozen ground. Moving her body with her breath, she gracefully stretched her arms towards the sky – inhale, swan dive forward – exhale, lifting her eye gaze to the horizon – inhale, and so on and so on.

Rachel | Backbend at the Amphitheater in Boulder, CO

We all three studied the three black, metal (and cold!) spiraling staircases and discussed which yoga asana (pose) would fit best with the swirling lines of the structure. The twirling fabric at the bottom of Katie’s yoga pants takes you further into the thoughtful investigation of how this moment will be captured. Carl has Katie try a few different poses on the staircases like Garudasanawhich means “Eagle Pose” where her arms and legs are wrapped around one another but he was not happy with the way her body seemed to get lost within the architecture.

Katie | Triangle at the Boulder Church of Light, Boulder, CO

Utthita Hasta Padangustasanawas the next suggestion which translates to “Extended Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose.” As Katie found her balance on the 4 inch x 12 inch step, she effortlessly lifted one leg into the air, capturing her foot with her hand. You could easily see what Carl was looking for in this shot; the lines of her leg and arms matching up with the spiraling rails of the stairs and at the same time, her pose held a very significant presence in the frame. Using her breath to guide her, she fixed her drishti (eye gaze) on one point to remain stable and that is when – she “struck” her pose. We all knew this was the shot. Carl began to click away and I did my job – called out cues. “Relax your right shoulder, don’t hyper extend your elbow, deep breaths, radiate out from within, you are beautiful.” Ten years of teaching yoga, you learn a few things here and there…

Laura | Side angle pose outside the Denver Performing Arts Center, Denver

After the shoot (and when Katie unthawed) we headed back to Pearl Street to one of our favorite restaurants, The Kitchen Next Door, ordered some kale chips and got started with the interview. Katie Armstrong, model, yogini and owner at The Om Collection, which features all of the clothing in this article; and Carl Kerridge, photographer, seeker and peaceful warrior collaborated to bring together the fashion and beauty of yoga combined with the fixed form of architecture both locally and nationally.

Jessica Durivage: Where did the inspiration for this series come from?

Carl Kerridge: I think at least one part of this series dates back to my childhood; my father is an architect so I remember growing up looking at blue prints in his office with fascination. My whole life I have loved buildings and found great joy wandering the streets of foreign lands with no destination, just observing the structures. The idea of blending yoga asanas with architecture has been developing in my sketch book since I moved to Denver one year ago. The yoga community and businesses here have been so supportive of the idea and it has been wonderful to have worked with so many teachers, students and friends. I would like to especially thank the Dushanbe Teahouse and BMoCA in Boulder for allowing me access to shoot at their facilities.

Katie | Extended hand to big toe on the Spiral Staircase at BU Campus, Boulder

Jessica: What is your inspiration for the passion that drives creating clothing that is fashionable in and out of yoga class?

Katie Armstrong: The idea is that we live in a really fast paced world, that shouldn’t mean we have to sacrifice comfort, esthetics or mindfulness, so my goal is to integrate beauty, function and environmentalism into clothing.

Jessica: Can you name a couple of examples of how the clothes integrate beauty, function and environmentalism?

Katie: We try to use fabrics and designs both for men and women that allow for full range of movement, whether that is dance, hiking, yoga, walking or travel. The way we integrate esthetics is we focus on bright, brilliant, exciting colors; spirals or flowing fabrics, cuts that work with a man or women’s body to accentuate the best features or maybe hide or play down the more difficult parts.

As far as environmentalism goes we see consumption as the biggest problem when it comes to fashion. Sure, there are issues with fabrics and chemicals but if you buy a garment and wear it down to its death you are actually cutting down on environmental impact as opposed to buying something new each season and getting rid of it. My goal is to offer clothes that you love and adore, that you’ll be able to wear all day for every activity and you are able to wear into the ground. Then, you are cutting back significantly on the amount of consumption. This year we are also launching both a bamboo line and an organic cotton line for our women’s clothing. Last year our men’s line had a lot of organic fabrics.

Rachel | Half Moon at BMoCA, Boulder, CO

Jessica: You recently had a big fashion show in Boulder, CO at Shine where you launched your line, The Om Collection; do you see these clothes making it to larger cities for Fashion Week or showing up in more high fashion magazines?

Katie: This was the first year that Denver had a Fashion Week, before that you had to go to NY, Vegas or LA. There is a push for Denver to be a base for up and coming trends. There is also a call from some of the alternative communities in CO to create a Rocky Mountain “look.” California has its own style, NY has its distinct look and the South has its own esthetic while the mountains towns do as well. The focus here is on being functional and having an active lifestyle in what can be very extreme temperatures. Incorporating fashion allows you to play hard and look great while doing it, right? So the goal here is to be one of the front runners.

Rachel | Backbend at the Amphitheater in Boulder, CO

Right now we carry 12 different designers and are looking to add a couple more. We are building our own self titled, “The Om Collection” line to set an example of what is Colorado or Rocky Mountain fashion. We do think that that will actually effect both the NY, Las Vegas and California fashion worlds because everywhere we have taken this collection people are really excited about it – it is so versatile as it works great for one person to wear to yoga and it is great for another person to wear to dinner to a 5-star restaurant in NY or a night club in Atlanta. They mix and match extremely well for all different environments.

Jessica: You are getting ready to head to Bali to start working on your line, Katie. Can you tell us a little more about it and the vision behind it?

Rachel | Backbend at the Amphitheater in Boulder, CO

Katie: For me, I try to blend creative, artistic and personal expression. I knew I wanted to work on a yoga line. Occasionally I can find something that I like, but it is very rare. I want to feel like I am wearing something more than just active wear or sporty clothes. On the other side of this is for almost seven years I did not by any leather. I only bought used clothing, or clothing that lined up with my morals. I found that I basically didn’t buy anything. It was really frustrating. I wanted to enjoy the esthetics of being fashionable and fun but did not want to be making a negative impact on the environment or the communities producing the clothing.

This last year has been a bit of a struggle for me as that is not the way fashion is run generally. When I launch, it will be very meticulously in line with my philosophy. The fact that we make our clothes abroad is upsetting to some people, but having watched the positive impact it has on the lives of the people I work with, I have absolutely no moral problem working out of Bali. We are educating the people who are making the clothes on organic food and how to be healthy eaters, how not to litter, certain feminist principles and generally improving the lives of the people who work for us by giving them a stable life.

We will be working with organic bamboo and cotton. I am working on mostly shawls and jackets; things that are really amazing for over yoga clothing. The truth is, you need a sports bra that works as a sports bra and there are some benefits to having a simple pair of leggings while you do yoga but you want to quickly turn that into an outfit you can walk out of the studio and be ready for your day or evening, so I am looking to create a lot of the connector pieces.

Yoshi | Reverse Warrior at BMoCA, Boulder, CO

Jessica: Explain your thought process when creating and then photographing an image?

Carl: If I am thinking of a theme or body of work, I start the old fashioned way with a pencil and pad, sketching ideas, thinking of locations, models or yogis and of course, the lighting I need to create the look I envision. Then it becomes action, figuring out the time of day gets the shot, who to work with and what they need (clothes, make up, etc). Once logistics are worked out I start to consider the equipment I am going to use. On the day of a shoot I manually set the camera’s aperture and shutter for the desired look. The most important element is bonding with your environment and subject and letting go of the technical preparations to simply be with your camera which is your artist’s tool. A great relationship between all parties makes ART.

Nancy Kate | Side Angle at Red Rocks, Morrison, CO

For this set of work my goal was to show the lines of the human body inside the architectural structure, to show the balance of solid and fluid in one image. These are traditional poses, modified to fit the form of the building by highly trained and skilled yogis, I used only natural light to keep the whole series clean and simple and in union (the meaning of yoga) with its surroundings.

Let’s analyze one shot, Rachel and the stairs leading to the back of the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, or BMoCA. To keep with the architectural nature of the shoot I used my full frame Nikon D700 with a 28mm pc Nikkor tilt shift lens. I set my exposure as I always do, manually. The shot was taken at 1pm in December so the winter light was strong but not too high in the sky, creating a deep shadow under the stairs and a direct line for me to follow and form my shape into. The strong light also allowed me to set the camera at ISO 100, shutter at 1/160th, mounted on a tripod and released with a cable, and my aperture was set to f11 giving great depth of field allowing me to seamlessly blend the forms together. I set my white balance for the blue sky at 5050K. To create the image in black and white I imported the RAW files in to Adobe Lightroom and made small changes to the color channels and saturations of light and dark, then added a slight 3 point vignette and a touch of sharpening for output, no photo shop work at all for any of these images.

Jessica: Carl – in your body of work – form, shapes, light, nature and architecture can be seen individually or working with the body, namely your fine art nudes. What was it like to be working on a fine art yoga series and  working with clothing that is meant to be seen and shown?

Carl: Yoga is very fluid and moving and it is an individual practice for everybody. There is no perfect updog, or triangle… everyone has their own unique physiology and their own unique body, watching peoples bodies merge and try to blend with the lines with these fixed architectural shapes is an interesting mix for me. Normally I work with nudes and it is just the body and the lines of the body. Now I am trying to blend the two together. It is almost like working backwards for me. I am watching myself and thinking: I would normally try to shoot like this and look for the light to sculpt the body but this time I am looking for the building to be that sculpting portion and the body has to work its way into its own shape inside it.

Working with the clothing, as opposed to nudes… one of the great things about this line is that it is artsy and eclectic. The ruffles and the details in the clothing lend itself to a time past and the present moment. That is kind of what fashion is. Working with the clothing gives me the freedom to say, “For some looks I need this and for other looks I need that.” Then I can find the balance between the pose, the clothing and the shape that it all needs to fit into.

Jessica: Katie, your thoughts?

Katie: My background is in fine art. I left it because I never thought I would make an impact with it. That was a false perception that I had. My reason for it was that there were so many images out there in the world and it is so difficult to feel that enough people would see it or spend enough time with it to really understand the message behind it. The exception for that, for me is print media.

A magazine is picked up in order to study or enjoy it. Articles in particular are approached with the goal of enjoyment or entertainment. Ideally it is some kind of forward thought to act or do or inspire. What excites me about this series is that it inherently raises the bar for artwork in general. It’s basically saying the human body, being a gorgeous piece of artwork constructed in a way that requires year’s worth of training to move into poses that have their own expression, like calligraphy of the body; and then we put these bodies into a space that was created by human beings – while again we are wearing clothing made by humans. It is like a large scale production that is easily digested into a single image or article. That for me is an exciting statement because it is not being done in just the fashion world or just the yoga world or just the architecture world. Instead it is this blending of human beings, fashion and space and I think this is just the beginning.

Jessica: Carl, can you talk us through one of the images and how you are blending yoga with architecture and fashion and share any future plans for similar work?

Carl: Let’s take the image of Katie on the stairs. My focus here was a pose that would not hide the clothing behind the railing so we went over them with a variation of Utthita Hasta Padangustasana, her leg lines up with the upward flow of the middle stair case, the arm and leg forming a triangle mimics the shape of the steps and the line of her left arm follows the metal railing. A perfect symmetry of lines and form.

Nancy Kate | Wide-legged forward fold at Red Rocks, Morrison CO

I have another couple of concepts, one centered on finding the stillness in our world of constant flux. I have an obvious fascination with Black and White images, I have recently acquired several film and Polaroid cameras that I am having fun playing with, more to come there and I will be launching a new web site in the spring (www.fotaography.com) for personal and commissioned art work based on the Buddha’s teachings of the 4 elements of Earth, Air, Water and Fire and all that is Zen in the world – lots of yoga here.

Also coming up is the summer yoga festival tour, starting this year in Colorado with Hanuman Festival June 8-10 in Boulder and ending in Estes Park for Yoga Journal in October, that’s going to be real fun ad an amazing way to connect with world class teachers.

Jessica: At the fashion show for The Om Collection, which you shot Carl; there were models there who were not yogis. If a model is really interested in posing for yoga what advice you would give them?

Carl: Just coming from a photographer’s perspective – one of the things I find the most challenging about working with models is when they don’t have confidence in themselves. I have found in working with people who practice yoga that they have the ability to radiate calm and confidence when we are shooting. It is not about modeling. That inner calm needs to come through and that is easy when you are shooting someone who actually practices yoga. Models that want to shoot some yoga shots are going to come at it from a different perspective. With yoga it is more subtle – letting yourself shine through.

Katie: I have done some modeling work from high fashion to bridal to industrial. People think that these are just naturally beautiful individuals stepping in front of the camera to model – but really there is an art to modeling. There is a contortion element, there is an understanding of how light hits the body in a contrived setting and also figuring out what you are modeling whether you are modeling jewelry or clothing or doing a head shot. All those require putting something different forward.

With yoga it is the opposite. It is not about how the external world perceives you it is about what you are emanating from the inside out. Doing a proper, not necessarily perfect, yoga pose based on alignment principles and a basic understanding of what yoga is, is grounded in connecting with source and self. From that place we often see some of the most radiant and externally beautiful moments and articulations of the human body. Having done both yoga photos and modeling, to a model I would say, “Be in your integrity, take a couple of beginner classes if you know you have a yoga shoot or yoga fashion show coming up – not only will you be more comfortable in front of the camera, you also might discover that deeper connection to what the yogis have been talking about for the last 5,000 years.” {f}

She too is shedding the remains of her professional alter ego. The weekend officially beginning with this ritual of Friday night gathering with comrades. But, this woman appears to be less excited about the relaxation and joviality building around her. Her spine is stiff and her posture rigid. Her legs are tightly crossed at the knees and she taps the toe of her well worn pumps against the base of the table. She holds her lips tight, only parting them slightly to take a sip from her red wine. Something has exchanged between these two people, but what it is, is not clear. There is tension in the air that makes up the bubble they sit it, while others go about their business unaffected.

The woman stands abruptly pushing her chair into a fellow patron. She takes one last generous gulp of her wine then unceremoniously turns it away from her and tosses the contents directly into the face of her companion. He does not react. The reaction was expected from him. The wine sticks to pieces of his hair line, while legs of red liquid stream down his cheeks and chin and gather into growing stains upon his white work shirt.

No need to show concern for this couple. They are actors playing out a scene. The patrons about them are extras. The red wine is only grape juice and the scotch is apple juice mixed with flat cola. The scene will be played out again several times and from every possible angle. There will be people stepping in to change the actors stained shirt for a new crisp white clean one. The glasses will be refilled to the exact level that the scene started with. Loud voices will be heard competing to be heard over another’s and words and phrases like, “everyone back to one” will snap the room back into position for another take.

A man with a very impressive camera will sit on a contraption that looks precariously jerry-rigged with clamps and duct tape and others will roll him on his perch across parallel bars on the ground in smooth gliding, soundless motion. This is the “dolly”. Not to be confused with an “apple box”, a “stinger”, a “c47”, or another oddly nicknamed item. After all a “c47” is really only a clothes pin. But to call it that is to announce that you are new to the production world and you would rather not bring that kind of attention to yourself as someone may ask you to run an errand to find an item that does not exist. prank-playing by the veterans of film and video production on “newbies” is rampant in the industry.

An average production in Colorado can include as few as two people or as many as fifty. The average shoot day lasting twelve hours and the work week allows for only one day off. The work conditions can vary from the comfort of a sound stage to the bone chilling midnight hours after a ski slope closes and before it opens the next day for regular business, leaving the film crew to hustle through he night in below zero temps, with snot freezing in their noses and a constant stream of hot coffee being poured into their suffering bodies for extra warmth and adrenaline. Sounds like hell to most, but to those that make their living bring entertainment to our screens; this is what it is all about. The sacrifice, the challenge, the bizarre conditions, the combined laughter that can only be found amongst people that live just a little bit off the center, preferring the uncertainty of weather to a small cubical with a regular paycheck.

They are a special breed, the people that make your favorite show a reality. The people that make a commercial for laundry soap speak to you and want to purchase it the next time you are shopping. The people responsible for making cool independent films to take a date to and impress with your artistic and intellectual diversity. These people tend not to be shy, or inhibited, or socially and politically correct. They do not tend to hide their opinions or avoid telling stories about themselves that others would not share in other work environments.

frenzy will be highlighting a few of our local production wonders in the next four issues. In this series you will meet some of the people that come together to create art. They are all necessary to the smooth operation of any production. They all depend on each other and they know that their jobs cannot be done without the support of the others around them. Sometimes they love each other. Sometimes not. But, they always have good stories to share.

Eric Altman, Denise Strong, Rusty Lowdermilk

Now you will meet a director, an assistant director and an audio/video tech. They have worked on hundreds of projects ranging from tiny student films to large budget Hollywood block busters, and can handle anything that comes their way.

Eric Altman

Eric Altman
frenzy: Let’s start with the basics. How long have you been in the business?
Eric: 25+ years I guess. Started in the mid-80’s

frenzy: How did you find yourself in this line of work?
Eric: I repped a still shooter, Nicholas DeSciose, who was transitioning into being a director/cameraman. Knocked on ad agency doors all over the place. Later I worked at a local company called Film/Video renting and selling equipment for what seemed like ions. Got to know a completely different side of the business. Dabbled in distribution for a couple of years but never really got much traction in that arena. It sure was fun going to Cannes a couple of times and getting to see the “bontemps roulez” there.

frenzy: What was the first department you worked in?
Eric: We needed a location for some turkey product job so I schmoozed the hell out of someone in the design center and shazaam, we had a showroom kitchen to shoot in and was king for the day. Locations and producing become my shtick.

frenzy: What was the best job you ever had and compare that to one of the worst jobs?
Eric: What’s the yardstick? The community interface/sales piece we did for the kind folks who owned Shotgun Willy’s was certainly a lot fun. They needed a film that would help explain their clubs, and very favorably, to the concerned folks in Des Moines or Cheyenne or Omaha. Talking to my then wife on set as all those lacy double-D’s floated by was an interesting experience. “Worst Job”…I’ve repressed that one…or those ones. Any day working beats a day of not. Well, there was the time I had to admit very publicly that I had absolutely no idea of where to go from here, (where we were in that moment). That was tough but I have a knack for getting good people to hang with me so they were kind and patient as I pulled myself together and we all combined (our efforts), saved the day.

frenzy: How closely do you work with the producer and the assistant director?
Eric: I’ve produced a lot of my own stuff so the, “We can’t afford that expensive sh*t” or “It’s really time to move on”
conversation is rather short. The AD is absolutely of primo importance. That’s my wing person, the one who helps make sure I don’t weave and stray too far as well as keeps us all sharp.

frenzy: What is the job description for a director?
Eric: Be the holder of the story ideally. Have the picture in mind and then go play point man.

frenzy: At what point are you brought into the production?
Eric: That depends on what kind of project is at hand. In the most general sense, as soon as the message to be delivered or unveiled or revealed is known, then it’s time to talk/daydream/imagine how that message or story could be told.

frenzy: Are you considered “above the line?”
Eric: Yes, the director is, “above the line”. Means my poop don’t stink no ‘mo.

frenzy: What the heck does that mean anyway?
Eric: Google, this. I don’t know. The producer, director, production director and writer are above the line for sure, can’t remember who else is or why.

frenzy: How do you relay a story that was written by someone else?
Eric: Is it conflictive if you do not see the same things as the writer or is he/she generally grateful for your interpretation? Either way, there is a little stress in your position. How do you cope? Some projects are really rigid about what is to be communicated or conveyed. If there are disparate points of view amongst a group of talented and opinionated people, the job of a good director in my view, is to work with the “committee” of caring contributors and yet not let the whole damn thing become a camel when it was supposed to be a horse. Or maybe just be a prima-donna a**hole and force the point of view as needed. License to be bombastic can be a very cool thing.

frenzy: Any cool perks for being the director? Your own trailer?
Eric: I think the DP’s monitor is actually my own any time I want it and since I’m the director, he or she has to give it up. Love that huge power feeling. That and always having hot coffee in my cup.

frenzy: What is your company Create Films doing these days?
Eric: We did a PSA for the One Book, One Denver program a few months ago which was a lot of fun. I’m working on a doc for the city on Burns Park, that unique triangle of grass and sculptor at Colorado and Alameda. That’ll be done in the next several weeks. It’s the head of a new year now and there seem to be a lot of possibilities in the air. This is a good year I can tell already.

Denise Gann Strong

Denise Gann Strong // 1st AD
frenzy: Denise, I learned about you before I actually met you. A mutual friend recommended that I ask you to be the director on my own small project. I worked with you a few months later on a commercial and you scared the crap out of me. My first impression was that you were not a woman prone to holding back. Is this planned on your part or are you just naturally a take charge person?
Denise: Aaaawww, I feel bad that I scared the crap out of anyone on a set. I don’t know the specific project that you are referring to but I have to assume it was high stress for me since I had that effect on you. When I work as a 1st Assistant Director (AD), I find my communication to be direct, concise and to the point as I work toward maximum efficiency within the shooting day. However, I don’t ever want to be abrasive or isolating as I work to achieve productivity. Some days I am more effective than others but I always want to honor everyone with basic human respect. And yes, I have always been a natural leader – even in childhood – so I think the “take charge” part comes naturally to me.

frenzy: Was there ever a time when someone scared the crap out of you on a production?
Denise: Maybe… Benita Allen, 1st AD… I first worked with her around 1990 on a small stunt film titled Fast Getaway. She is British, strict and demands the highest set etiquette with her crew. I respected her well-rounded knowledge of feature film production and my work ethic earned her mutual respect. I learned a great deal from Benita and I had the unique opportunity, as she took me under her wing, to gain information and perspective about being a female in male dominated career of a 1st AD.

frenzy: How long have you been in the film/video industry?
Denise: Since 1987

frenzy: Was this a career that you were aiming for or did you fall into it like many others? Did you go to school for film?
Denise: I have a BFA in Theatre Arts – there was no film degree in 1984 from Texas State University but I don’t remember really caring about it either. Just months after graduating from college I became a flight attendant for Continental Airlines. After a few years flying I decided to return to the theatre and started working toward that goal. It quickly became clear that although I had an abundance of free time, my flying career was a conflict in my ability to be involved with the run of a live show. I started looking toward film instead because the commitment of each project could be short term and would work in conjunction with my career as a flight attendant. I worked as a Production Assistant, Location Department Assistant and through all of this experience I learned that I wanted to be mentored to eventually become an Assistant Director.

frenzy: Your husband is also in the industry and I believe you have a son. With two parents in the business, do you encourage your son to follow in the family footsteps or steer him in another direction?
Denise: I hope my son will pursue a different career. I want him to do something significant, like save the world as a scientist, surgeon or something else substantial, (my dreams are big) maybe a world peacemaker. I try not to discourage the film/video industry as a choice though because if I push him away he will want that which he “can’t have”. Ultimately, as long as he is healthy and has a passion for what he chooses in his life, I will be really happy with that.

frenzy: Tell me a bit about what an Assistant Director does on a production. What are your responsibilities?
Denise: The First Assistant Director is responsible for the shooting schedule and running the set in an efficient and safe way. After doing the prep work of understanding each shot or scene detailing the requirements of each department, the Assistant Director comes up with the best shooting order and the call times for all involved. As the shooting day progresses the AD will communicate with all departments to keep things running smoothly and safely.

frenzy: What does a typical production day look like?
Denise: What I love most about this job is there is never a dull moment and no day is the same as the next – there really is no typical day but I’ll try to describe a stage day with simple talking head talent. A typical stage commercial shoot day would start with breakfast at 7AM – call time 7:30AM. The crew sets up while the talent gets ready. The director, ad agency and client approve the wardrobe and the talent comes on set for rehearsal around 8:30 or 9AM. We shoot until lunch which would be no later than 1:30PM with a 7:30AM call time. For a 10 hour day we would be camera wrapped by 5PM so everyone is wrapped out and off the clock by 6PM.

frenzy: At what point are you added to the production team?
Denise: On a commercial I usually come on just a few days before in order to scout and prep. I get all of the information and make a shooting schedule. On a feature film, the sooner the better… as soon as the script is pretty solid. I like to have many weeks to breakdown the script and scout/prep properly.

frenzy: What is the coolest part of being an AD?
Denise: Being able to make a significant difference in the efficiency and safety of the on-set shooting experience.

frenzy: What could you do without?
The west coast egos… assuming you must not know much, you don’t live in LA… “Well, In LA we do it like this…”

frenzy: Tell me about the most outrageous job you ever worked (no names).
Denise: Wow, there are so many outrageous situations it is hard to narrow it down to just one job. One experience was after shooting two weeks on a feature film, the director fired the leading lady and then cast herself as the lead. We had to go back and re-shoot her coverage in all the work we had done the first two weeks. On another movie instead of doing miniature work the director insisted that we build a full size ark and launch it off of Castle Rock in Utah for the climax of his movie. We shot for a week on the ark which was built on top of Castle Rock. The crew had to literally climb with ropes to get up to the set. Actors and lunch were brought to set by helicopter. The first day the plastic-ware flew out of the basket and everyone had to eat lunch with their hands. The best part was after everything was said and done, no one got hurt. The worst part was that the lumber was never completely cleaned up as promised.

frenzy: Did you meet your husband on a job?
Denise: Yes, we met on a movie titled Slaughter of the Innocents which was shot in Ohio and Utah. (What? You missed that one? You aren’t the only one ) .

frenzy: What was the last project you worked on and what are you planning on next?
Denise: Just did a TGI Friday commercial on Wednesday. Next week I have a GE job for 2 days and a Dish Network job for two days. Next month I will go to Baltimore where I do CarMax commercials every few months.

frenzy: You have a long list of impressive credits, including Dumb and Dumber and Things to do in Denver when you’re Dead. You’ve met some very cool people. Anyone in particular that left an impression on you?
Denise: Steve Buscemi (I got to work with him twice) was extra special and so was Steve King. Jeff Daniels was really down to earth and Jim Carrey kept us laughing. I got to do a Lake Powell trip over 4th of July weekend with a few crew members and Jim and Lauren while shooting Dumb & Dumber.

Fill in the blanks:
// My favorite item in Craft Services is //
Mint Gum

// Longest production day I have worked was //
21 hours long.

// If I wasn’t an AD, I would be a //
Location Manager or maybe a Teacher.

// They call me //
De – NICE or De Nay Nay or Double D was on older
nick name because my name was Denise Denver
on set.

// During family discussions, do you ever accidentally yell
out “quiet on the set!” ? //
No but my husband has been know to say “I’m not
your F’ing PA!!!

Rusty Lowdermilk

Rusty Lowdermilk // AV Assist
frenzy: We worked on a commercial together for the Colorado Rockies a few years back. I remember this job like it was yesterday, because I offered you a cup of fresh coffee and you said… wait for it… ”I only drink tea”. Am I right about this? No coffee? How do you handle the rigors of a shoot day that starts before the sun rises and ends after it sets without some form of caffeine?
Rusty: I used to drink coffee and one day my body said enough so now I drink tea. On those long days when I need to stay awake, a Mountain Dew works, but I’d prefer to be drinking coffee.

frenzy: We chatted on the phone the other day and you told me that many people confuse your role, or title, in the production line. What is an AV Assist? What do people confuse you for other then the AV Assist?
Rusty: I put monitors around the set to provide a video feed for whoever needs it. I work for the assistant director but get video from the camera and sound feed from sound, provide visual continuity for the script supervisor, play back for the director, help the director of photography with visual effects and matching shots, and make prints so the editors have a visual reference during the edit. I provide a way for the director, clients and crew to see what’s going on in the camera, record the takes and rehearsals for later playback. Video assist is a tool for getting things right. Sometimes I’ll be watching TV and I’ll notice a problem that could have been avoided if there was a video assist on set.
Budgets are getting tight and video assist gets axed often. Some young filmmakers have never used video assist, so they don’t understand how to use playback as a tool. Sometimes I hear “we’ll playback off the camera” and this sometimes corrupts the data before its backed up causing a re-shoot, which can be real expensive.

frenzy: Like most people on a production crew, you’re pretty versatile. What other positions have you had while working in film and video production? Any of them cool enough to pull you away from your cart and monitor? I mean, if someone with decision making powers on a job turned to you and said “Rusty, you pick first. What do you want to be on this project? AD, DP, PA, etc. What would it be?” Probably not the PA.
Rusty: I like being a camera operator and I’m a gear-head so assistant camera is cool. I’ve been a production assistant, video assist operator, electrician, grip, carpenter, painter, truck driver, assistant camera, camera operator, director of photography for a couple of things and the only thing I know is I don’t want to direct.

frenzy: Can you tell me a little bit about your upbringing? Did you belong to an artistic family? Did your parents support you getting into the film world? Was this a stretch from what they had envisioned for you?
Rusty: My dad and grandfather were highway contractors and both can draw very well. My dad used to sculpt. My mom is a math major and worked on some Apollo orbits for NASA before I was born. My sister is an art professor at Lane Community College in Oregon. My brother teaches math. We all seem to have a little art in us. I grew up in Denver but we would always go up into the mountains and hang around the various highway construction jobs my dad would have. We did a lot of hiking and I was really into photography.

frenzy: Did you attend a film school? If not, what were you planning on becoming professionally?
Rusty: I was supposed to go into construction after college. I have a business degree, a minor in economics and a self-constructed commercial photography degree. Tried the construction thing for a while but it didn’t suit me. So, I started assisting in still photography for a couple of years and one day got on a Ford commercial. I liked the environment better and made the switch to motion pictures. No film school but I did take a four week filmmaking course and have taken classes and workshops.

frenzy: If I can remember correctly, you have semi-to-fully grown children. Did you ever take them to work with you? Any of them thinking about following in your footsteps? Would it be cool with you if they did?
Rusty: I’ve got a stepdaughter and two boys, one is 15 and the other is 21. Both boys want to be doctors. My daughter has a communications degree and has worked in Public Relations and for professional associations. The kids can do whatever makes them happy! {f}

Fill in the blanks:
// My earliest call time ever was… //
2:45 am

// How many times a day does someone put an
open container of liquid on your work space //
Not very often

// Why do people say “I’m on set” instead of
“I’m on the set”? //
I guess because sometimes there are
multiple sets and on set would imply that
you’re on the set where the camera is.

// Admit it, though, you say it too, right? //
No reply …

// True or False. The name Lowdermilk is Norwegian. //
False. It’s German.

Julie Gallahue is based in Evergreen, CO, and owns and operates the boutique production company GOLDIE MAE PRODUCTIONS, LLC. Julie has worked in the film and fashion Industry for over 20 years in multiple departments.

I recently wandered through the Middle East, and paused to sip a cappuccino in Tel Aviv, and spend a moment people watching and style observing. In this ancient and beseiged land, in the heart of the troubled Middle East, this modern city is filled with people of all ages, practicing a wide variety of belief systems, from ultra-conservative to agnostic, and their style reflects it all, as they interact without prejudice. Here is a quick moment of observation from my journal:

I watch an ancient Orthodox man in black, beard blowing in the breeze, watching a statuesque super model in green tights and micro skirt stride by; he sees me watch- ing him and gives me a sheepish grin under his hat and tucks his chin and returns to his Torah. A tiny woman being walked by a mastiff effortlessly slips between four languages on her mobile phone, as her Burberry clothes swirl around her in a cloud of perfume. Two teen girls in painted-on jeans and midriff-bearing croptops with the “BEBE” logo splashed across them, argue loudly next to me about True Blood and laugh when they catch me watching and listening; one leans forward to say hello and asks where I am from. “Colorado” I say, and she tells me she wants to snowboard in Aspen and will I take her if she visits please? A boy across the street in red jeans, an Etro shirt, and suede ankle boots reads and nods to himself and glances at the sky and crosses himself when a church bell rings. A muslim in his white thobe unrolls his rug and prepares to pray on the corner. The sun slips towards the ocean, and I am surrounded by color, laughter, sights and sounds and smells of five different cultures interweaving in a delicate dance of life.

Dan is an award-winning, Denver-based photographer, writer and global nomad. His work has appeared in magazine advertisements, editorials, and in websites, on billboards, and his books are available on amazon.com. danjahn.com

Who would have guessed that in such a sort amount of time;  (less than 2 decades) the cell phone would not only become our way to stay connected to family, friends and work, but also our portable,  sharable, “picture-book”

Blue Mosque, Istanbul

Sandals for Sale, Jerusalem

Vancouver Impressions: Outdoor Artwork

Flying Away, in the Window Seat

Wicker Furniture Maker, Cairo

Government Building, Sofia, Bulgaria

Halls of History, Agora, Athens

Monasteraki Square, Athens, Greece

The Sphinx, Egypt

Classic Car, San Francisco

Camel named Michael Jackson, Egypt

Bikes for Rent, Tel Aviv, Israel

A Bite of Sushi, Seattle

Architecture, San Francisco

Ocean View, San Francisco

On Vancouver's Streets

Transportation in Giza, Egypt

Pots and Jugs, San Francisco

Shannon is an accomplished and well-known communication designer whose clients have included Harvard, MIT, and variety of Denver businesses. shannonmondry.com

The Edwardian era with an updated flair seemed to really pop with this shoot. We shot this in two days with two hair artists and one make up artist. We shot in studio the first day and then on location in Mt. Charleston the second day. All post production work was done by myself as well.

It took months of planning and consideration to finally put Drew in on Dalliance together. Most of the wardrobe came from overseas and collaboration of color and style took weeks. Post-production work also took time as the first day shoot was shot
entirely on green screen.

The final project is something that I think is fantastic and that shows a different fashion perspective into the journey of Alice. {f}

An L.A. native, Elizabeth captures images on her Nikon, then creates art with her computer. Trained in the art of digital transformation she textures mood, emotions, and thought with her use of vibrant colors and abstract imagery–her photos provoke instant reaction. Elizabeth is a published photographer with many awards and accreditations. coutureportraiture.com

Just as we were wrapping up this issue, Steve Jobs died. I met Steve, and it was a bit… intense. Steve was truly a person of great charisma, and a palpable force when he walked into a room. Some of that force was of course pre-existent due to the massive amount of chat in the ether about “good Steve” and “bad Steve”, but some of it was real – the man had a presence that simply overpowered everything else in the area. When I met Steve he had just taken back the helm of Apple and there was a collective sigh from the audience as he spoke to the Apple acolytes and called himself “iCEO”, and told us that the “i” was for interim, and we all know how that turned out. Steve stayed, took Apple to the height of its power, making it the worlds most profitable company at one point. I doubt the world will realize just exactly what we lost for a while yet; technology, movies, communications, music… all of these fields were dramatically impacted by the vision of just one man: Steve Jobs. The world is of course quoting Steve like mad (we did as well, on our end quote page in this issue), but later in this issue I am going to talk about something else – not a Steve quote, but some Steve principles. Thanks for checking out frenzy magazine, and as always, I would love to hear your thoughts – send me a note, and I will read it on my iPad, listening to iTunes, while I tell Siri, my personal assistant, to organize my day.

Thank you Steve.

Dan is an award-winning, Denver-based photographer, writer and global nomad. His work has appeared in magazine advertisements, editorials, and in websites, on billboards, and his books are available on amazon.com. danjahn.com