Let the music move you.

http://www.ionimagestudio.com/

We (artists) often share musical/lyrical thoughts as a way to describe feelings about a particular story that moves us. It allows us to describe, what at times, feels indescribable with ordinary ole words.

A while back, Ross Partridge, our verbally attached lead male in LIS, shared with me the song Home, by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. More recently, my friend Natalie said that, "The Sound of Sunshine" by Michael Franti and Spearhead made her think of LIS, too. Reiterating to me, just how important music is to everything we do, especially film.

For the last few weeks, I've been working on a (untitled) documentary that's turning out to really inspire me. When I was cutting the little trailer together, a definitive mood didn't really spill over me, until I began searching for music.

With Lost In Sunshine, music has (already!) moved me so much. Doug Burr's "In The Garden," Larissa Ness' LIS theme song, "Lost In Sunshine" and Cadenced Haven's ambient beats have given me chills, and created an even deeper enthusiasm for the time I can actually consider, with the help of my score master, Ari, and music supervisor, Laura, the perfect music for LIS.

I feel like movies are defined four times: when we write them, shoot them, edit them, and score them (which you could consider as part of editing, but scoring is a job all on its own).

Writing is such an intimate process. It's like oddly making out with yourself for a year. It's fun, (can be) provocative, adventurous, and a little weird being alone so much. But it's all about divulging what's inside!

Then there's the official shoot time, where you have to translate what's in your script/head to screen. Still intimate, but on a larger scale. I suppose you could say it's like making out with a lot of people for a couple months! ;)

Then there's the editing, a place where you must retell the story, but only with what sits in front of you on your machine. It's like having all the puzzle pieces, but knowing there's more than one way it can be pieced together. Especially because of timing and cadence. The editor must understand the pace... the rhythm... the tone.

And then there's music. Music can mend, bend, ruin, manipulate, or magically enhance anything! Music can tell the audience how to feel, if there's an uncertainty in what's being delivered on screen. It can be ironic, literal, or just work to discreetly carry the picture, like subtext.

Don't ever underestimate the importance of a good track, and appreciate your musicians and fellow artists. There are a lot of artists that would value the cross promotion!

Bottom line, when I choose music it has to move me. It has to make me feel something I didn't feel before I hit "play."

Lost In Sunshine status, newsletter & website

Hi LIS friends,

We've been working. A lot. In between all of our daily lives, regular work schedules, crazy work schedules, and here & there challenges, we've been finding pockets of time to create, visualize, manage, motivate, and develop a website, as well as keep the spirit of our film alive in the hearts of many who support us.

I've been working on new content that fits into the shape of our online new age approach (i.e. blogs, twitter, facebook)

while Lorie's been diligently working with Ari to produce a well-oiled machine to display our inventive, out of the box,

web-site vision for the entire life of our project.

While our designer, Shad, cranked out the new design, our developer, Ari managed to feverishly plug in all the details that make this show experience come alive.

There's a lot more that goes on 'behind the scenes' than anyone would want to hear about, but this is what we've been

pounding away at for the last several weeks... And now it's paying off. We are launching this THURSDAY! :)

Sign up for our newsletter on Thursday via our site, so you can receive our FIRST EVER NEWSLETTER this Friday. Here, you'll get a special first-look at our production status, what's new, and a surprise featured blogger/artist each month!

Our engines have now experienced take off, and we're ready to fearlessly fly... hopefully with you.

Thank you all for your support.

With love, Jentri

How shall Lost In Sunshine stand out?

Our producer, Lorie, is always thinking of exciting new ways to get everyone involved in what we're doing, and where we're going.

Last week, she sent out an email to the Lost In Sunshine crew that was inspired by one of Ted Hope's prolific blog posts, "Ten Things to do before you submit a script."

Two of Ted's tips were:

9) Make it somehow provocative, intriguing, audacious, or thought provoking -- something that will make it stand out.

10) Make sure it is more than just a good story told well. Be truly ambitious. Take us somewhere new, or take us there in a new way.

So, Lorie asked our crew, "How shall LIS stand out?". She asked us to answer in 1-3 words (yeah, that 3 word thing didn't happen, sorry!) and then communicate how each person would like to see Lost In Sunshine be ambitious.

Among the many valuable responses, one thing that really became a topic of interesting conversation was something our art director, Ia, brought up - honesty. Or our ability to be honest. I say ability because it's a choice.

A huge part of being honest is speaking to the genuine intention of what you wish to communicate. If that's a small town, as it is with ours - then it needs to be sincere. It needs the townspeople's character, the specific landscapes, one of a kind buildings, and the moving, breathing, mysterious, space in between.

Our developer and composer, Ari, mentioned the importance of focusing on women telling a real, authentic story about WOMEN. One that men wouldn't know. :)

Our DP, Iskra, said, "Unite the cosmic with the commonplace, while indulging in a preciously stubborn, lighthearted irreverence." I couldn't have put it more beautifully myself, so I had to share her words with you.

Iskra also added, that LIS stands out because it attempts to capture: a "World in a Grain of Sand"

(her favorite William Blake quote)

I personally want to be able to dive into the authenticity of what inspired me to write about a small town to begin with. Its mystery, solidarity, and range of colors. Its ability speak to people a million different ways, and touch perfect strangers.

Lorie reminded us to be bold, and make specific choices. To remember we're small, not Hollywood, and to be as arty and unique and outside-the-box as we are inspired to be.

That inspired me. Thank you, Lorie. Thank you, Ted. Thank you, one-in-a-million crew. :)

Lost In Sunshine September Updates

Pleased to say that we're ON OUR WAY!!

The location scouting has begun with Laura. Here's an image of one of our cafes we plan to shoot in. The large rustic image is of a cotton gin, and the others are simply buildings occupying the town to give you a sense of its character. The town's people were so gracious, inviting, and excited. It was refreshing to see their glowing faces when we said we were "filming a movie" there. That has, lucky for me, and surprisingly, never been done before in this tiny little Texas town....

(this blog has moved -- read the rest here!)

Next step: Turning Dreams Into Reality.

WELCOMING OUR NEW LIS TEAM MEMBER, ARI:

This week, we were lucky to bring on film composer and music producer, Ari Koinuma (click on link above) who will be doing the film score for Lost In Sunshine. After he read the script, I was blown away by his interpretation and immediate vision for the picture. Very powerful. I have no doubt that he will be a great asset to the production....

(this blog has moved -- read the rest here!)