Hannah

Here's the video I shot of my friends Hannah and Paden. Same set up as before with the iphone app 8mm, except this time we set it on the 70s filter. I edited it in imovie and put it to David Sitek's, 'With A Girl Like You". Paden was using the Brownie Hawkeye during this film, but because the lens was so dirty, he was pretty much shooting blind. We're just hoping for at least one photo to turn out okay!

Masscob Fall Collection

I discovered the Masscob fall collection while working on my recent article about the 70s trend. The colors and materials matched all the things I was picturing in my head perfectly. I wondered how I missed such a fantastic collection until now?

After a little more digging, I discovered the film that went with the collection. It brought a whole new life to the clothing, and added a personality that couldn't be translated through photographs. It's one of those films that your heart attaches to just seconds into the piece. It reminded me of a brilliant video I saw in the school art gallery last semester.

The film from school was very personal and poetic. It's called Outpost and was shot in Super 8, and it touched on the idea of how landscape defines a place and a people. It's based on a true story about a 22-year-old Icelandic fisherman who survives a shipwreck in the middle of the North Atlantic in 1984, and it's one of the first pieces that really made me want to pursue film.

Every time I see a good collection video, my love for story-telling though film is reinvigorated. I usually watch them over and over again!

Masscob Autumn-Winter 2010-2011 from be-poles on Vimeo.

Penny & the Quarters: You and Me

It's been a while since I anticipated a film as much as Blue Valentine. I saw this trailer on James' blog, Bleubird Vintage, the other day, and I haven't been able to get it out of my head ever since. Maybe it's because I was writing a treatment for a film in my scriptwriting class at the time, dissecting all of my favorite films to figure out what made them so great. I really just couldn't get over how honest this story looks from the trailer.

I normally refrain from showing Jake this kind of thing, thinking that he'll only accept it as romantic mush, but to my surprise, he actually liked the trailer. We were sitting around in the living room with the t.v. off (I wish it was like that more often) when I pulled up the scene above on my phone.

The second "their song" began to play, Jake said, "that's my favorite song"– it literally only took him a single note to recognize it. It's called "You and Me" by Penny and the Quarters from the early seventies, and Jake knows it from his affiliation with Numero Group (our absolute favorite record label to ever exist). He said if he ever got married he had planned on using that song in his wedding, but now he can't because after the movie comes out "it'll belong to some 10-year-old girl in Arizona who just loooves Ryan Gosling." He's a tad bit upset that his secret song has been outed (especially in the manner that it was), but it's such a great song, I can't blame them for choosing it. I'll just be happy if a 10-year-old girl knows anything about great 70's soul music!

42nd Street

Things were too busy to watch 42nd Street before I left for New York, but I finally found some extra time to sit down and watch it over the weekend. I already knew I was going to love the costumes – Orry Kelly must have been bloody genius – but I had no idea how hard I was going to fall for all the sweet characters! It was so upbeat and exciting the whole way through, and boy was it fun watching Busby Berkley's routines!

So many beautiful and talented ladies in the cast! They were all so adorable. Of course, Ruby Keller was my favorite – gotta go for the underdog – but I also really enjoyed watching Bebe Daniels. The whole way through she kept reminding me of an old friend, but I could never put my finger on it. 

I couldn't wait to do an outfit inspired by the movie, so I ended up going to take the photos later that afternoon. I'll have them ready to show you on Wednesday! You can see more photos of the movie here.

Alexa Chung Madewell Commercial!

(Refinery 29)

Well, since I didn't have a real post scheduled for today, I thought, why not another fall collection video instead! No more Orla Kiely this time. Instead it's a commercial from the much-anticipated Madewell collection by Alexa Chung, coming out in stores tomorrow! It's super short but reaaaally sweet.

Forest Doll Video!

I feel kind of silly for hyping my video up to be anything grand yesterday (because it's hardly that), but after making a last minute song change in the middle of the night I can say I'm satisfied with my work. I'm incredibly fickle when it comes to making final clip placements and song decisions, but I suppose I'll get a little better at it once everything in iMovie becomes more familiar. So with that said, don't get your expectations too high. It's short and sweet and just a tiny glimpse into my wonderful world of adventures.

Forest Doll. from Starr Crow on Vimeo.

I shot this video using a Sony Handycam DCR SX41 and a tripod, and I edited it in iMovie. It's set to Joanna Newsom's "On A Good Day".

A million reasons to love Modcloth & a movie!

I accidentally went over to Modcloth's website yesterday and feel in love. Ever since leaving my job I've been trying to stay away from adorable online shops, but sometimes I just need the inspiration. Looks like there may be a lot of wishlists in my future.

All clothes from Modcloth. Photos from Google Images and The Cats Pajama's.

I'm starting to think I should have gone with white socks instead of the red (it's a little much), but I guess I don't really mind the red too much. This Sunday night project actually inspired some new blog design ideas. Hopefully I can get those together soon.

Also, I worked on a little video from my Memphis trip. It's not the most spectacular thing in the world, but it makes me smile every time I watch it. I chose to put it to LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends" because a) it's amazing and b) it's appropiate. It's been a favorite song for years now, and I've finally manage to put it to a video! The video pretty much sums up my Memphis trip in about 2 minutes: driving, jumping on beds, climbing on roofs, watching Yeasayer...

"You spent the first five years trying to get with the plan,
and the next five years trying to be with your friends again."


Shot by my sister Kristi. Edited by me.

Wendy Bevan Circus Act.

Just when I thought I couldn't like Wendy Bevan any more than I already did, she went and did the most stupendous (and my favorite) work she's ever done: vintage circus photography. I love vintage all across the boards, but if there's one event I have a special affinity for it's vintage circuses. There's just something extra sweet about those intricate costumes that get me all giddy inside, and this time they were modern creations of all those vintage styles I love! Shot for Italian Marie Claire (S/S 2010), this is hands down my favorite editorial of the year so far.

And as if these didn't cause me to be featherbrained enough, there was even more excitement when I discovered the short film to match. I needed this film inspiration in a bad way, and who better to provide it than Wendy Bevan herself.

Source: Wendy Bevan

More stop action film & stills

Below are some of my favorite stills from the pitch black/strobe light shoot we did the other day and one more new, (and yet again) pointless video I made in my spare time. It's silly, but fun. I feel like a video-makin' machine these days. I just wish I had more footage so they could be longer than a minute. I want to fill a whole song!

Damn you vertical photos. Your nearly impossible to see in movie format, but you'll have to do.

Ellen Von Unwerth Film & Photography

I finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up.

Ellen Von Unwerth. Or at least as much like her as I possibly can be. I don't mean to sound creepy by admiring her work all the time, it's just that all her videos are so perfect. They have sun rays and fluffy dresses with stockings and garter belts. Bike adventures. Rabbits. It's all so magical and carries such a Virgin Suicides sort of mood, the kind that's infectious and likely to embed summer seeds in your soul. And even though most of her videos are real sexual with a burlesque feel, they're still so tasteful and romantic. She's found a perfect balance between femininity and sexuality, and she's by far my biggest inspiration on this whole film (and photography) wave I'm riding right now.












She does a lot of work with Christina Aguilera too which is probably no surprise since leaving her X Tina days and moving on to the vintage, burlesque girl she is now.

Leith Clark, Ellen Von Unwerth, Kirsten Dunst, & Erin Featherston

If you love Lula Magazine and want to watch it come to life, watch this video...

Sorry to all of you who have followed my blog since the beginning, I guess you guys may want to skip this post. I think this marks the third or fourth time I've talked about it in a six month period, and here I am still ranting and raving. Anyway. It's my absolute favorite short film on the web with a handful of my favorite women involved in it's creation. It's called "Wendybird" and it was made to showcase some of Erin Featherston's 2006 collection. Made by Ellen Von Unwerth (love), starring Kirsten Dunst, and styled by Leith Clark (creator of little 'ole Lula magazine), it's the exact kind of film I envision myself making in the very near future.

I guess the reason I'm bringing it up again is because a) I had no idea Leith Clark styled it until now and I'm absolutely infatuated with her and because b) I've finally got a video camera and I need the added inspiration. After watching a short film in the university art gallery from a photography student in Iceland, my super 8 film star dreams were amplified once more. I've looked into film classes for the summer, and I'm currently bidding on a super 8 movie camera on ebay, but until then it's inspiration, inspiration, inspiration.

And even more inspiration.

A Little Princess

A couple of months ago when money was still plentiful and impulse buys were still a problem that I could afford, I picked up a couple of movies at Wal-Mart. It was one of those two for one deals where similar movies are packaged together and sold for one price and it just happened to be two of my favorite childhood films, The Secret Garden and A Little Princess not to be confused with The Little Princess, the 1939 version starring Shirley Temple.

I've yet to rewatch The Secret Garden but I finally got around to watching A Little Princess and I have to say, I adore both the 30's and the 90's versions of the film. Both Shirley Temple and Liesel Matthews do a wonderful job at playing little Sarah Crewe.
...
...
She is my hero.
So beautiful on the inside and out, Sarah is a reminder to be kind no matter what your situation is. I love that she's so sweet and kind yet isn't afraid to speak out and stand up for the things that she believed in.

You just have to believe.
...

If I ever have a little girl she will definitely own this film.

Hope everyone is having a lovely day and just a reminder...
if your watching any ebay items the ebay auctions end tonight!

A face with gladness.

Things that made me smile today...

Watching this old trailer:
Anna Chlumsky is so dang cute and she's in a new movie too!

Finding all these treasures for a only 8 bucks:


An old Jim Beam collectors bottle with a painting from popular wildlife artist James Lockhart on the front.

A vintage Kodak camera bag and a glass measuring juice jar.


Wooden cutting boards and an old Webster's dictionary for more decoupaging.


A book of landscapes with great rich color for more mixed media endeavors.


Some vintage shades..


This lovely purse...
with stains I know but I still love it.


An etched print with a wonderful wooden frame ...my favorite!




Wearing this yard sale dress that cost a dollar:
(hemmed shorter)






For Sale
Item of the day
Available at my etsy site...
An awesome pair of 80's pumps (Size 8) with a quite innovative heel for that time. I know we see teacups and guns and lightbulbs used for heels these days, but for the 80's I'd say that this was a pretty unique choice finish. I'll have them listed later tonight if your interested.