Jesse Vogelaar

I keep remembering that I was jumping. On the trampoline. Everyday. I didn’t realise how much it meant at the time.

I remember the crescent moon suspended on the mountain skyline. All kinds of orange and pink. That was the sky. I was jumping on the trampoline.

Here I first remembered Megeddo. When I say remembered, it came from somewhere. Not necessarily in my lifetime. Not necessarily in another. It just came to my mind like a memory does so that is what I call it.

And that is what I keep remembering. That I was jumping. The same motions every afternoon. Every afternoon after high school. I was in love at the time. That doesn’t mean much now, but I suppose I should remember that when I remember then.

I would remember Arizona a few years later. I’ve never been there but I remember it. I would fight on the front line a century earlier.  I would be Clint Eastwood on the Mexican border. I would see the sun set as it was actually happening. That’s the time we live in. Where things are still happening. When the times aren’t dead. Not yet.

We live in a day when things are more than just a memory. They have a now but they won’t always. That crescent moon above the mountains reminds me of more than just being on the frontier with Clint Eastwood. I live for that memory today. The sun burned it into my forehead. I want to jump on this trampoline forever. When I’m tired, I will jump more until all those in my life at the time just disappear. Until the clouds part for none other than myself. I will have the key. The possum won’t eat my salvia divinorum. I won’t leave it in the garden. I will just use the yard for jumping in. One day, I will recall how I used to jump. I will watch a terrible film that was written with good intentions over the course of a few red wines. Then I will think how I could have written it better and I will remember jumping on the trampoline and I will remember the crescent moon that reminds me of Arizona and Clint Eastwood suspended above the mountains. The mountain I live on now. Who would have thought. I don’t feel any more enlightened living on the mountain now.

 Premiering @ West End Film Festival 2013 - April 21st 8:30pm

So this is more of a retrospective journal than a review, considering I was involved with the production. I thought it was worth sharing my thoughts on the film regardless.

The Worm Eaters is a film set and shot in Brisbane. It follows the story of a swimming pool patron who bares accidental witness to a lifeguard enacting his dirty little secret: he likes to eat worms. In desperation to avoid confrontation she drowns herself, resuscitated by who else? The story follows her unusual quest to thank him and let him know she is accepting of his peculiar activities. 

Although I had watched the film a hundred times by the time my work was done, it was even more entertaining seeing it on the big screen with an audience. A bittersweet mix of melancholy that doesn’t take itself seriously. It’s both intriguing, with big laugh out loud moments. If it gets the exposure it deserves it will be a big crowd pleaser.

My favorite aspect of the film is the character Jeff, played by Dan Eady. A man who strokes her hair on the bus. Yes, that is how they meet and a friendship is formed. Although the things he says and does are downright creepy, the writing & performance really brings out some kind of sweetness. Not enough films sympathise with the creepy guy. He forms an unusual father-daughter like bond; defending her, “Even though she is part of the slut generation”.

I was a soundie on this film, meaning I recorded everything from dialogue to foley. I also edited the sound in post, mixing together the final product. I must say this one was a lot of fun and well worth the end product. If you’re in Brisbane, I thoroughly recommend heading over to West End Film Festival and seeing it in the short film program. The line-up looks quite promising this year.

Follow the film at:

http://www.facebook.com/TheWormEaters

For screening information:

http://westendfilmfestival.com.au/

December 20th 2009

3435 West Jeffery/Oi Country Road

West Jeffery, Las David 3478

Rickwood Stove,

Welcome to our society. Who are we? We are the ones who make the world a place where people can live, without worrying about our existence. We do an awful lot, yet no one knows of it. We are the precursors of most things, yet people wonder how trends start, how fashions emerge. Style; it is not a thing people are born with, it is a thing we provide. Anonymously, generously and most of all, with style. Our customers, they wish upon the moon to have the same grace, we give them the moon. This month there is a special blue moon offer. Two moons for the price of one. 

We hide in plain sight, the secret to our success is that we don’t move. We haven’t for a long time. It is not something which we need to do in order to thrive. There was a time when people looked at the moon and saw only a circle, now they see a sphere. In the west they see a man, in the East they see a hare. People look upon mannequinnity as inanimate objects that have little to no meaning, for they do not know any better. Unlike you. You have grown wiser over the last few weeks. You know of our existence, you also know of our accomplishments. You are welcome to join us. We cannot do the things we do without our human employees. The ones that dress us. The ones that pamper us, because they love us. We cannot love them back because we are mannequins. We obviously do not have a biochemical makeup like you and that is your asset to us. Use us as we use you.

We understand you may be confused. We hope you can come to terms. Please consider our proposal and bare in mind your new-found knowledge holds great responsibility. You will be held accountable by us for anything you do beyond this point.

Sincerely,

Mannequinity

#1 Rabbit on the Moon

As I grew up people told me there is a man in the moon. I could vaguely see it, nice sentiment though. When I grew up, I discovered people in East Asia see a rabbit in the moon. Since coming of age, being capable of making an informed and mature decision, I lean towards the rabbit theory.

#2 Blue Stoplights

In Japan they perceive a green stoplight to be blue. Referring to it as ‘aoi’, which directly translates to blue. The first time my partner mentioned the stop light being blue, I felt the confines of reality dissolving beneath my feet. Narrowly avoiding an accident I realised it was just another word for the same thing. 

#3 Thank You Box

McDonald’s staff are required by policy to refer to the rubbish bin as a ‘Thank You Box’. I do notice here in Australia the bins also read ‘Thank You’ as you slide your tray through the little horizontal door. I still haven’t decided if it’s an extreme politically correct term for a bin (bins have feelings too) or just an arbitrary misinterpretation on behalf of upper management at McDonald’s Japan. Either way it is a happy thought.

#4 Fan Death

As mentioned in a previous post, it is a widely held belief in Japan & South Korea that leaving a fan on overnight can lead to death. For this reason, all fans are sold with a timer. Also for this reason, I have to sweat out all those summer nights. I have convinced my partner of the science, yet she still believes it is unhealthy to leave it on overnight. If anything, air conditioning will be the thing that kills us all…