BTS to make you say "I GOTTA MAKE SOMETHING STAT"
My "ahh what do I even want to make right now?!" rescue remedy. Plus news!
Hi guys!
Before I get into the meat of the newsletter today (which contains a treasure trove of insanely inspiring BTS from artists, filmmakers, and set designers that I love!!!), lemme fill you in on some new things…
First, after a lot of thinking, I’ve opened up the paid subscriber option for this newsletter. For $7/month (or $70/year- a deal!), you can support the making of this newsletter (which will remain free, but does take real work to produce each month). Check out the subscription tiers here. Starting in 2023, I’ll start sending out some subscriber-only content that will include a more in depth look at some of my work, inspirations, and BTS (in multiple media like VIDEOS and perhaps an eventual podcast moment). I’ll always send out free newsletters too, but I want to offer something a little extra for those of you that might want to dive in a little deeper, hear from me more frequently, or just support this newsletter monetarily. It is MASSIVELY appreciated!!!
I recently posted a model call on Instagram, and wanted to push that out to y’all too. If you’re based in LA and enjoy hamming it up for the camera, please email hello@savanaogburn.com with the subject line “MODEL CALL”. Include your name, pronouns, social media handles, and a pic or two of yourself if they’re not easy to find on your socials. Open to people of all ages and genders. YAY!
Will be doing a HOLIDAY PORTRAIT SESSION soon in LA (date TBA). Come get a photo taken of you solo or with loved ones. Same deal as always- Ivory will be present with cute accessories, and you can basically do whatever you want. This could be a headshot or it could be a Christmas card photo. Use your imagination! Small dogs welcome with prior approval :) Watch out on IG for the date and sign up link!
I’ve felt a bit uninspired and TBH, a little fatigued lately. Queue my newsletter about burnout from earlier this year.
The thing is- I have energy this time! I want to make things! I really, really do! I just have no idea where to start. It’s almost like I have so many ideas, and there are so many places I could take them, that it’s overwhelming and I freeze. But something that always helps me is watching other artists make their work, so this week I’m sharing some inspiring BTS from artists I love that are generous enough to share their process with the world. I’ve heard people, almost always people who are not visual artists, say that seeing too much of the process can demystify the work and rob it of its magic, but I strongly disagree. For me, as someone who HAS to make things to be happy and feel like I’m living a full life, being able to watch another artist use their own two human hands to make something that feels mystical and beautiful and inspiring reminds me that I’m capable of the same things. Demystifying is GOOD. I really believe that the most effective way to express to someone that they can create something magical, is for you to show them how you create your own magic. And I think that’s what’s so inspiring about great behind the scenes images/videos to me- it reminds me that it’s not actually magic. It’s humans using their brains and hearts to make something bigger than themselves.
That said- here’s a handful of BTS that makes me wanna make things. LFGGGGGG
Pierre et Gilles
Pierre et Gilles are a French photography/painting duo and are collectively one of my biggest inspirations. I can’t believe I get to be alive at the same time as them!!!! I mean LIKE JUST MEANDER THROUGH THEIR GOOGLE IMAGE RESULTS. It’s ridiculous! Something that makes me love them even more is that they’re not shy about showing their process, which is incredibly interesting: Pierre takes the photos, and Gilles paints on top of them. They build all of their sets together, in their basement studio, using super accessible materials. If you scroll through the carousel in the post above, you can see a video of the set sans model and effects.
There are a few more posts from Pierre et Gilles here, here, and here. Just click through the carousels to see the BTS.
Shona Heath and Rhea Thierstein
I have been a Tim Walker fan for at least ten years now- if you know me at all you know how much I love his photography. It was his work that helped me realize, at like age 14, what photography could truly be- operating in multiple mediums, tactile, playful, silly, subversive, whimsical, and never boring. What absolutely ensnared me then and continues to now is his collaboration with incredible set designers, most frequently Shona Heath and in the past, Rhea Thierstein.
Shona’s work is completely bananas- it’s textural, ultra colorful, but somehow always still soft and whimsical. It feels surrealist but in a sneaky sort of way- I can’t put my finger on it. This interview and its accompanying shots of her studio and works in progress are ultra inspiring. Honorable mention to this also amazing video of Shona at work with Tim.
I recently came across Rhea Thierstein’s blog while doing research for a project of my own. It doesn’t appear that she posts super frequently but it is a TREASURE TROVE of amazing peeks at her process.
This post, which shows progress shots of giant insects being fabricated (!!!) lights a FIRE UNDER MY ASS TO MAKE SOMETHING, LIKE RIGHT NOW.
Vegas in Space
Vegas in Space is an early 90s B movie- I’ll just let Wikipedia do the talking here: “male spacefarers [who] undergo sex-change operations to solve a jewel heist on a planet populated solely by women.” It’s a completely silly premise and the sets match- there are tons of miniatures used and lots of glossy neon colors. I read that the miniature pictured below featured old lipstick tubes as space age buildings. It’s so genius and dumb and perfect. The movie is on Prime if you wanna watch.
I found this Smugmug account (woah) with tons of BTS from the making of the film.
Piercefilm Productions (Youtube Channel)
I’ve been researching miniatures like CRAZY lately and this channel is my addiction. I’m not sure if there’s much else to say- if you subscribe to this newsletter, I’d be shocked if you didn’t like this shit. I also recommend their videos about the miniatures and model shops in/for The French Dispatch and Ghostbusters.
OK, that’s all I’ve got for you today. Wishing ALL OF US, myself very much included, creative clarity and inspiration and ideas and energy!!!! Thanks for being here. :) talk soon!