Indie girl in a mountain town

This video was shot on the Deschutes River at Dillon Falls in Bend, Oregon in December of 2011.

Laurel Brauns “Kaleidoscope Eyes” Music Video from FAR from EARTH Films on Vimeo.

As a child of the 80s, I’ve always wanted to make a music video. Of course my vision then was of big metallic hair, cheesy effects, and lots of hopping around throwing my leg in the air as a dance move.

How ever many years later, my dream came true, but its my 30-something self’s version of the dream where I am playing guitar and singing by my favorite river. The whitewater and mist erupting behind me is the most exciting action, and the only thing that might be considered an “effect” is the videographers skillful use of a 18 ft. Kessler Crane that he lugged through the woods for a ½ mile.

Oregon Filmaker Tim Cash has been specializing in creating music videos for close to a decade, and along the way he has produced works of art for many local Central Oregon musicians, exponentially increasing our professionalism overnight. The videos he made for Erin Cole-Baker and Leif James are some of my favorite.

So here is our little masterpiece. I think it is really different than anything else Tim has done, and I am so truly appreciative of his ability to create something that I feel is so authentic to me. To put things another way, this guy can basically do anything. He has the skill and most of the equipment to do what all the big budget guys are doing out there, but instead of adding all that stuff in, I feel the strength of this particular work is in the subtraction and simplicity. I think it takes a real sensitivity to an artist’s vision to help them find their own authenticity, and to be humble enough to do something understated. So thank you Tim for all of that, and for all of you musicians out there, if you are looking to make a music video, check out all of his other project on his website, and get in touch!

And if you’d like to see a little behind the scenes, check out Tim’s explanation of the Crane that he and his assistant Robert Slaney carried through the woods.

Oregon Filmmaker: Kessler Crane from Oregon Filmmaker on Vimeo.

I just had the most amazing meeting today with Tim Cash of Far From Earth Films. I met Tim a few years ago after he ran a local music video contest with The Source Weekly (whom I write for now as the Outdoors columnist). Although we did not confirm any projects at the time, we had a great conversation and had a lot of artistic passions in common. I knew he was the man I wanted to work with to make my first music video. With the investment involved in such a project, I figured the best plan of action was to write a new album and then get Tim on board with a video to help promote it.

The blog gods would say, this is not the place to express that you are having a hard time in life, but yesterday I just hit a nadir, and was subsequently extremely uplifted when Tim sent me a message expressing that he had a vision for the song Cinderella, one of my favorite tracks on my most recent album, Closed For the Season. In his mind, we would film the track with me sitting in a forest of dead trees playing a piano sitting in the snow. I’ve always wanted a video in the forest!

Tim Cash in his new studio

I drove out to Tim’s new home 10 miles outside of Bend. He had recently refurbished a barn into his filmmaking studio adjacent to his new home. The views were spectacular and looked out towards Smith Rock. We talked for almost two hours about everything ranging from his dying grandfather to his successes as a music video producer/director/film-maker. Tim is a humble guy, but he has some serious credibility behind his music videos and documentaries. Two of his videos this year were number one on YouTube and other projects are regularly played on MTV in Europe.

“It is not as if I spend a ton of time telling people about these accomplishments,” Tim said. “But when I do, it is almost like people don’t believe me. I mean, I’m this mellow guy living in the hills of Central Oregon.”

Yes, Tim. I guess it might be that whole “I’m big in Europe” phenomenon… except with you it is absolutely true.

Tim works out of a VW Westfalia with a solar panel on top. He plans to 100% off the grid in a few years and make the first film made with entirely sustainable energy. Them computers suck up a lot as we all know. For this month only, you can watch his documentary about “back to the landers” called “Back to the Garden” on PBS for free. You will understand what I mean when I say the man walks the talk.

I said good-bye to Tim as the sun was setting over the east hills this evening and hopped in my bio-diesel Bug, which spawn a whole other conversation about sustainable energy. I feel like I have really found an amazing person and friend to work with. Just when my heels feel like they are set on fire for moving on from CO, I am again awash with gratefulness for the amazing people that call our little mountain town home.

Here are some of his projects that I’m really into:

Vimeo is really friendly to filmmakers but not so much to social media dorks… so here are the links:

I heart Leif

Tim’s Song – Has this “Elliott Smith California Frown” quality to it.

Franch and a Breedlove... the right mix.

Franchot and I moved to Bend around the same time. This town was just entering financial hangover stages in 2008, and although the craziness has ended, it is still is a great place for artists to get away from the riff raff, but still access easy flight connections to L.A. and participate in the world of music production via the internet.

Until last year, Franchot has diligently worked behind the scenes: as a producer in his own L.A. studio for about a decade, and later, as the sound engineer at Rage here in Bend, creating commercial soundtracks, and churning out albums for such Bend exports as Reed Thomas Lawrence. He is also some of the primary energy and direction behind the Culver City Dub Collective, a tripped-out reggae instrumental project he took from studio jams to opening for Jack Johnson on multiple tours. Franchot still collaborates and tours with the CCDC whenever they can all get together: I guess it is easy to record an album in a weekend when you hang with a super group ; )

Franchot Tone - courtesy of Rage Studios Bend OR

Although we have been buds for a few years, I haven’t really seen Franchot in live action until last week when I experienced his Saturday night show headlining at McMenamins here in Bend. His guitar playing was dialed: the man has spent years studying the craft; it goes without saying. His voice was great too, something he’s been working on lately, although, I thought it was cool to begin with. (I like a rough around the edges deal… but that is just me.) The main thing that struck me from the performance was that Franchot and the band were emanating a feeling of happiness and good spirit.

Now, don’t get my wrong, I die my hair black and worship trees, so it is really hard for me to admit that I connect with this kind “feel good jam” of energy, but I DID, and I specifically think that is because Franchot has a star quality, and that he has done a lot of work to be a positive person and express this through his music.

As musicians, it is natural to be somewhat narcissistic during our performances… communicating the range of our emotions, thinking about ourselves, acting self-conscious. But SUBCONSIOUSLY, all of this mental banter gets communicated to our audience, no matter bow broad our smile or how bright our lipstick.

After seeing Franchot’s performance, I left feeling like there is one real gift you should always try to give your audience. I’ve been doing this long enough that I can always put on a good and enjoyable act: I can wear a pretty dress and bring ‘em in with connective jokes between songs, but communicating true JOY and making the audience feel happy and connected to one another at the show is a worthy goal, perhaps the primary goal. That is true tribalism and why we leave our homes to experience live music; that is what we might miss the most in our day-to-day, blue-screen lives.

40s Franchot

Did I mention that Franchot is the grandson of the more “googleable” Franchot Tone… 1940s actor who starred in the Twilight Zone and Mutiny on the Bounty? Maybe the star quality is genetic, but given that Franchot hesitates to name drop, I doubt he’s looking to ride any coat tails. I say, you are born with it, my friend, people love your energy and sound, and it is time to take it where it goes.

Check out the link to Franchot’s McMenamins performance below as well as his video of “the making of his custom Breedlove guitar.” Another great thing about Bend, the Breedlove factory is only a few miles from downtown, and a stone’s throw from my house!

The Breedlove video produced by Tim Cash:

And here is the McMens vid… on vimeo so can’t embed yet…. http://www.vimeo.com/17111170