by Jin Lovelace, HSM team writer & filmmaker

There’s a scene from The L Word where a woman by the name of Bette Porter (portrayed by Jennifer Beals) meets with Peggy Peabody for the first time, sharing an intense conversation about art and a famous photographer that Bette lauded; she would go on to fiddle with her favorite piece by the artist. At the peak of the conversation, Peggy would then invite Bette into a room where she held a large covered picture frame, instructing Bette not to open her eyes until she uncovers the art. On it was a photograph of a model that moved Bette so much that she broke down and cried.

The scene has been described as one of the most moving pieces in modern film and television; it captured the essence of art, the intensity of the discussion, and the overall acting that garnered notable attention.

As to what Bette had stated about her favorite Carla Marie Freed photograph (and from my own understanding from it), she mentioned how the artist would shoot photos of the same model (who happens to be female) for 20 years, with a disbelieving notion that if anyone could imagine ever doing such a feat. I mean, could you honestly imagine capturing timeless pieces with the use of the same model for that length of time? From the artist’s point of view, beauty was captured by the essence of the model, through sheer multiple depictions of what she saw in that one, very same woman for two decades; she saw something only she could view from her own perspective, and it was rather up to us to depict just how amazing the pieces were.

It’s a basic concept of art and creative imagery. In this case, the scene described earlier in regards to one’s own perspective about how one is moved by a piece so telling that it takes to see from their mind to know the true meaning behind the work.

It’s a challenge to replicate something like that in Home, for the simple reason that avatars don’t age; we can make them look however we want them to. But I wanted to give it a try. This series foretells an emotional experience through outfit designs and transitions to showcase a particular mood behind the apparel and music. Here’s a breakdown:

Endless White

Endless White was based solely on the idea of peace and tranquility through an endless void, depicting the value of white. At that time, a lot was on my mind and it was to the point where I needed to find some solace. I just happened to think up the project on the whim and produced the entire video within a couple of hours. At this point, I was still in my early phases of filmmaking as this was rather new to me.

What I also wanted to note was the lack of camera movement. I just wanted to convey every shot, every fashion through exaggerated viewpoints (birds-eye and dutch shots, mainly) to showcase the hues in the sky, along with the Santorini space.

Infinitum: the Midnight Feast

Infinitum was a piece based on the emotional state of transition from light to dark. At the beginning my goal was to depict lighter toned colors (and style), and just degrade from there. I chose the Summer House as my choice of establishment for this production for its afternoon hues that could easily go straight into night (in this case, Jess’ Apartment).

Whereas Endless White showcased lack of camera movement, Infinitum features mostly hard cut transitions to artistically contrast with the mood and music. It’s purpose was to feel indifferent from the start to the comprehension of the older fashions retold.

Infinitia: Night into Day

Infinitia is my first full fashion catalog presentation that will be presented on HSM’s EOD channel in Home, and features varied outfits based around the psychedelic feelings that occurred from night to day. Moreso, how it distances itself from such musical pieces from the artist, Flying Lotus, and instead contrasts itself with a eerie-yet ambient-style set that describes not just the clothing, but the backdrops of the machinima (for instance, the Santorini space was revisited which transitioned over to the Gothic Cathedral to express the darker foundations of the clothing shown).

This catalog chronicles a bit of my emotional expression, in hopes that those who view the works will resonate with them. Be sure to check out the video when it hits the EOD soon.

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