Awesomes and Awkwards of the Week

AWKWARD:
-I left my tweezers in South Dakota so my eyebrows look similar to caterpillars
-I cried in front of the class I teach. I felt like I was throwing up my soul. In a good way?
-The band Com Truise is what I imagine tripping to be in song form.
-Erika was teaching me how to be better in confrontations and the conversation got so intense that I cried and left the room (uh....I obviously don't feel comfortable confronting people)
-I called someone a jerk and then he hit me in the face...with a ball
-I won't allow Dave to watch the last New Girl episode because he is already too baby hungry
-I have a huge hole in my pants

AWESOME:
"You can't describe the taste of salt, people have to experience it for themselves."-Student in my 102 Section
-We have a shotlist for Africa
-The new and improved zipline is almost ready (this time, with a brake on it)
-We beat our record score in volleyball class
-I love it when I see people I know, walking to class, in the grocery story....you name it!
-Sister Felix is back from Arizona
-My lucky shirt from the South Dakota goodwill gave me magical powers
-Mousercizing with Goosie is the best way to dance yourself to sleep
-There was no need to scrape the windows this morning

The Legend (or truth) of The Lucky Thanksgiving Underwear

On Thanksgiving we were galavanting around, being mischievous and such when we saw some thing odd on the roof of his father's car.

It looked something like a frozen piece of clothing. After Dave acknowledged it...he was extremely confused because not only was it underwear but it was HIS underwear. After our inquiries, we noticed the silence of Seth (something quite unusual for the man) and the confession poured. It was simple, he forgot.

So from what I understood, it had been on there since the lodge, clinging on for hundreds of miles (lucky ) and it was like sword and the stone for the boys to try and pry it off. They lost interest and we left our inlaws a present.

I made long lists of what I was grateful for that day but one thing that kept popping up in my mind to share with the world is:

I am so grateful that my husband has frozen underwear stuck to the roof of his parent's car.

More Thanksgiving Pictures Here: http://feslerfilms.wordpress.com/2012/11/28/ava/

Flying South for the Winter

While driving away from our safe haven in the middle of what seems like nowhere, we blasted MoTab and watched as several flocks of geese flew overhead. There was a magical sensation of peace to the experience. Leaving is always hard but for some reason, the birds flying with us gave us strength to move forward.

The Cool Sisters Club

First time Google Hangout user here and it is most definitely approved.

Loved talking with Kim n' Loo in their "Cool Sisters Club"

Don't worry, we would've invited Katie and Erika too if they were online.

Plus our parents joined in and just like a traditional family night, we all were goof balls while Mama E was trying to share something serious. 

I believe in cyber-talk.

Clips from Security Cameras

Lizi Fesler vs The Paper

Working on a 10 page paper for this movie....

Scott Pilgrim vs The World

Majoring in film is the best!

'It will about kill me when they move.
You know, you wake up not feeling very well,
And then you see that little Ava walking towards you like an orangutan...
You can't help but smile at those bright eyes.'
-Uncle Gary

Les Mis

"To be a saint is the exception; to be an upright man is the rule.  Err, fall, sin, if you will, but be upright."

-Victor Hugo "Les Miserables"

On the mind...

Fix at Four

Dave and I saw this commercial the other night and we've been laughing about it ever since.

Camera Advice from a Filmmaker

Now that I've had my spout about not using gadgets TOO much. . . you should know that if you want a fancy camera-Kracauer (a film theorist) once believed that cinematography holds the power to unleash reality's most precious moments.

Nikon vs. Canon
Honestly, they both have their perks and their downfalls. Nikon's image quality is pristine yet they don't come out with models as often. Nikon's are heavier but cheaper. The only reason I work with Canon more is because I'm used to Canon and more familiar with it's workflow. If you're interested in the Nikon, I hear great things about the D7000.

Here is a film fellow students made with the D7000. Jessica Cooper also suggested this site for more information  http://www.digital-slr-guide.com/canon-vs-nikon.html

Video Cred: Kelsie Moore, Kristin Todd, Jessica Cooper and Jesse Myrick

As for Cameras, they do what you tell them to. So you can buy the fanciest model out there but you will still be limiting it's possibilities if you only shoot it in automatic. I always shoot in manual, no matter what, the picture is ALWAYS better when I shoot it in manual. Some photographers shoot in Av (aperture priority) and it gives the photo a slightly different feel. I shoot in manual because I like being in control of every aspect of the photo/film.

If you want something nice but don't need a professional camera. I suggest the T3i. It's on sale and it gives exceptional quality for the price. Here's a fellow film student photo example (Stephen V Nelson amazes me with his work on the T3i)

For the inbetweeners, I suggest the 7D. Again, it's cheaper than it has ever been in the past and the camera doesn't disappoint. It has a lot more options for ISO and I've used it for my grandmother capstone as well as the Kiva New Orleans piece. You can look below if you forgot what that looks like. You can see more examples at Lauren Merkley's blog here.

For those with the aspirations of becoming professional we have the 5D mark ii, 5D mark iii and the 1D X. It is just depending on how much money you want to spend but always remember that they come out with so many models that the price for cameras will constantly be dropping. If you want to know what specifically is different between all of these cameras you can go to snapsort.com and compare them. Examples of these camera's are Abby Alger Photography and DevinSuperTramp's Youtube channel (5D mark ii for him) 

Honestly, the lens makes just as much of a difference as the body. If you are going to buy one of the following cameras, I suggest getting at least the 50mm lens to go with it instead of the kit lens. Professional photographers use the 24-70mm lens although it doesn't have Image Stabilization so if you're a video-grapher I'd suggest the 24-105mm instead. If you're interested in sports or wildlife photography, they suggest the 70-200mm lens. Always try and get the lowest possible f-stop because then it will look better even when it's darker so that's the difference between a 35mm 2.0 and the 35mm 1.4. Know whether it's wide-angle (which will distort faces but have gorgeous landscape) or prime.

I believe in film.

Camera Comes Between Us

June 25, 2012

Recent ponderings: gadgets.

Doodads that get in the way--applies to most individuals.

My experience in particular has gone from loving these such tools, to loathing them, to just plain confusion.

There's only so many: people to text, games until boredom, socializing sites to stalk..etc

Confusion sunk in at about 6:11 yesterday eve when my camera was attached to my eye socket

Is my camera coming between my loved ones and I? 

The thought disgusted me.

Camera attends most family gatherings but instead of dancing or eating the cake I'm "capturing" the rest of my family doing it. 

November 6, 2012

I write a lot of posts that don't surface but this one I thought could be beneficial. Since this thought from the summer, Hairy Chest has a very specific duty of taking away my camera when it has gone too far. Now, I may have missed some moments to take a picture but man, I sure loved experiencing them myself.

Step away from your gadget today, empower yourself.

Kiss Cam

We were on the BYU Kiss Cam....twice!

Kiva-Louisiana

Remember how we went to New Orleans in May?
Here's the finished product!

For buildup and behind the scene photos you can go to these posts:
Crew Photos
Screen Shots
Sneak Peek
Initial Response upon return
Significant Experience

With help from the Peery Foundation and the Ballard Center at BYU

Faculty Mentors: Thomas Lefler, Brad Barber and Todd Manwaring
Kiva Collaborators: Beth Kuenstler and Jason Riggs
Corporate Liason: Jason Brown
Co-Producer/Co-Director: Jennie Mangum Brown
Co-Producer/Co-Director/2nd Camera: Lizi Richards Fesler
Director of  Photography: Lauren Merkley
Editor/Sound: Katie Ercanbrack
Comper: Spencer Russell
Featuring: Angelica and Roman Rivera and their construction company Colmex.

Special Thanks to:

Kiva
Goodwork Neetwork
ASI Federal Union
Visa
Mary Lou Fulton
Matt Flannery
Premal Shaw
Esailama and Tyrone's Bissap Breeze
Pamela at Kiva City New Orleans
Mignon at ASI Credit Union
Adele at Goodwork Network

If you can't tell...

This is our Halloween costume. People don't understand my costume until they see Dave's but as soon as I say it, at least film students know who she is!

The runner up was this:

Happy Halloween!!!

Overcoming Grief

While I was going through a particularly hard trial, I didn't recognize the emotions I was feeling and misinterpreted them. From a class I didn't expect to be so life-changing, I have since found that I was in a state of grief rather than my original assumption. So hopefully this is helpful to someone else as well.

Grief isn't just for death.

It means "any sense of loss" so that could be losing a job, losing a lifestyle choice or losing a person emotionally. Even if you know about the stages of grief, you will still go through them-it's natural. Learning how to deal with grief in a HEALTHY way is extremely important and will help you deal with it in the inevitable future.

Symptoms of Grief: more intense emotions, natural/animal-like feelings, complex set of physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual difficulties and changes that follow a loss. Tend to isolate yourself. Physical pain: loss of muscule power, broken heart, suicidal thoughts (you are not alone, you just don't hear about others suicidal thoughts very often.) Spiritual Pain: blame and anger to God, cease prayer, cease reading scriptures (this doesn't happen to everyone and can be confusing to those it doesn't happen to.)

• Shock- you feel numb. Empty. Aches. Sometimes physical pain. Attached to Denial.Sleep deprivation. Confusion.
• Survival Mode-can be explained as you don't grieve but by doing this you are preventing yourself to progress and you will grieve eventually to get over the situation.

Stages of Grief

(In some cases you can skip stages and you don't necessarily go in this order)

Average Recovery time 18-24 Months

1. Denial
-this stage protects us from what we know to be true. Maximum amount of denial should be 1-3 days. e.g. "I can't believe this happened. It doesn't feel real."

2. Anger
-can last a long time, however long it needs for your mind/body to heal. Try not to be stuck in this stage for too long because it can turn into hostility and regret. (This stage in particular caught me off guard in a major way, I was not expecting it because anger was not something I was used to. I wish I had known the stages of grief before.)

3. Bargaining
-If you skip any stage, it usually is this one. It's you begging for another chance, whether that's with another person, with yourself or with God. e.g. If I could just have one more hour with them OR If you let me work for just one more day, I'll show you how much better I can be.

4. Depression
-Usually the longest phase and can last an extremely long time for a significant loss. In many ways, you don't recognize you're in this depression until it hits you suddenly and you feel like you've been lying to yourself for a long time. This phase is your realization of what life will be like without that person/place/thing.

5. Acceptance
You are finally coming to terms about the situation. Forgiveness and reconcilation are established. You start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

6. Hope
You start to feel the happiness again, you see the ability to forgive or repent. There is hope and thank goodness this is the last stage, while dealing with a difficult situation it can really help to know that eventually you will see hope.



If you go through grief, you are not crazy and though it may seem extremely hard right now it is NORMAL.  You will come out of the refiners fire better than you went into it and always look forward to where it will bring you "hope."

I believe in recovery.



Bob Ross

Yes! Great job guys!

I believe in Bob Ross.

Elephant Polo

Elephant Polo The King’s Cup from stefan heinrichs on Vimeo.

This film is simple yet surreal. Plus, I now want to try elephant polo.

I believe in lucky charms.

The Secret=Africa

If you heard the rumor, it's right. 

Dave Fesler, JiHye Park, Nate Roach and I booked our flight to Africa for January 15.

(Visual Statement: vibrant color and happy faces.

Photo credit: anonymous)

But you need to know something. The other day, I realized that just like how some people perceive getting a mission call to another country is your ticket to manhood, It seems like going to Africa and making a documentary is non-fiction filmmakers ticket to prestige. Both statements of the above statements frustrate me (and knowledgeable people who have learned about sociology/ethics.)

We want to change the world yet we ignore those who are suffering in our own backyards? That doesn't seem quite right. I hear about those who find out that they are going on a state-side serving mission and those who never get to film anything in Africa and want to say to them SO WHAT. Leaving more miles away does not increase your worth.

That being said, here is how I got hooked up with this opportunity: Family.

I made a film. This one to be in fact.

       Where We Are is a film that mainly was made for fun but it did have some heartstrings attached to it. You see, my husband grew up in South Dakota and I have been invited a few times to accompany him home. His parents are moving to Idaho at the end of this year and so at our annual family reunion this summer-I was volunteered to make a documentary about it all.
        I felt so inspired while making this film that I can hardly call it mine. There is something magic about that house and that family. When they all come together, you can't help but feel an huge amount of love. So though I sat there with a camera all day and edited the moving images together, I wouldn't have been able to capture something that wasn't there.
        Well, they liked the film. As a matter of fact, they loved our little snippet of heaven and shared it with a few of their friends. Two friends in particular who are going to Africa in January for their groundbreaking of an upcoming Dream Center in their hometown.

      Hearing about their interest in me coming with them was extremely flattering yet I didn't believe it would become a reality. We've had several skype meetings (and probably many more) and everything seems to be falling nicely into place. Val and Fred are so welcoming, Lighthouse Ministries has such an edifying focus and I have been searching KSL and Amazon everyday for another camera to bring along. It will be interesting working with a crew of non-film students in making this piece but each crew member has something unique to offer.

Also, check out this cool way to make your own camera bag for if you're interested in being a little less obvious. I have been researching a ton of these little tips and tricks but I'm never sure if you're actually interested in these types of discoveries. Let me know!

Last of all, I promise:
. . .this will not be a pity film.
. . . I will try my best not to impose false ideologies while making this film.
. . . I will not physically or emotionally look down on any person, place or culture in this film.
. . .all participants have something to learn by this experience. Definitely including me.
. . .any prayers during this time would be highly appreciated.
. . .to depict progression, faith, dedication and happiness in as accurate of a form as I know how.

Why Does Rain Smell like Rain?

I've wondered this for a long time.

 Read the article here.

I believe in rain.

Galloping

There is nothing compared to melting into the horse saddle, wind in your hair and only hearing the beat of the hooves beneath you. Literally, nothing else in that hour of riding Captain mattered. I was there, alive. Riding is where I picture myself, when I need a happy place, a sanctuary or a bit of peace.

A few facts you might not know about me.

• I have had horse lessons for: Western riding, English riding (I was training for horse-jumping,) Bareback riding (what can I say, my mother was a hippie. It's in the genes.)
• I've been in 9 rodeos: barrel racing, pole bending and as the national anthem singer.
• I've had a one on one relationship with the following horses: Snow (my teacher thought he was too slow for me,) Lucy, Baryshnikov (that squatty/lazy animal,) Calypso, Gunsmoke, Wile E and Vern. You can tell by their names which ones were for the different types of riding.

It was a past life thing...