Author Archives for Ellen

Making a selfie

When i went to visit my mum in the weekend, i walked for two hours. It was a lovely day, half the walk was through a small forest. I made many clips. I had decided that was gonna be my clip for this week.

Last night, around four or five, i was lying in the dark. Thinking, dreaming. About my friends. People i know. Suddenly the thought about my first ideas for video clips came up. Me. Dancing. Ooh.. i had started on the Leusden clip, but those were clips already familiar to me. I realized i should move forward. Not make something i had already made.

So i did start with the dancing. Not that i used any of it. But still. An hour after that i made some clips of me sitting in front of the window. That worked better.

I went to the market. For an hour or so. When i got back home i started to put on some make up. Not that much. A bit of eye shadow. Bright red lipstick. Glossy. I made some more clips.

This evening i imported all the clips in iMovie. I made a new project and added all the clips, full length. I added some music. Not Around the world from Daft Punk. But Brian Eno and David Byrne tracks from My life in the bush of ghosts. I did notice the start and end bits of the clips. When i turn around the camera to stop the filming. The parts where i move the camera real close through my hair. The parts where its blurry. The parts where its too bright. I like it.

I am getting older. I see the lines on my face. The wrinkles around my eyes. I weigh too much. I do see that. I can not deny that.

It is so easy to forget. It is so easy to not see it. Filming myself, makes me painfully aware of it.

I do like to see how my mind works during work. How i try something, which doesn’t work. But i see something else, which shines. And i go for that. And i move along. And i watch and make new clips, and watch some more. And then i go and sit behind the computer and start to edit. And watch. And get more ideas. And tomorrow i will make more clips. I’m sure they will be different. And add the clips. And edit more. Happy times!

Published on October 28, 2015 at 6:00 by
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Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Everybody Wants to Rule the World. The thought of singing this song only crossed my mind last week. I do have the album Songs from the Big Chair, but it did fade into the background over the years. It’s still not prominent to me really, but the thought of singing this song was enticing. It stuck.

A couple of weeks ago i made a playlist with the sing along songs on Spotify. I’m adding some new songs to this list, so i can sing along with them as well and make up my mind. Today i added Everybody Wants to Rule the World and decided straightaway to sing this one. I do have some difficulty with the final two words of the title. They do go quite low, too low for me really. I did try some variations, but it sounds completely different when i go up at the end. And shifting the key of the entire song makes it way too high for me. So yeah, sorry, but this is how it goes for me right now.

I do sing along with these songs a couple of times a week. I like the songs, i like the singing along and it is a training for my voice. I do feel, after an hour or more that i can sing better. A bit anyway.

I hope you will like it. Enjoy!

Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Welcome to your life; there’s no turning back
Even while we sleep we will find
You acting on your best behavior
Turn your back on mother nature
Ev’rybody wants to rule the world

It’s my own desire, it’s my own remorse
Help me to decide. Help me make the most
Of freedom and of pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world

There’s a room where the light won’t find you
Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down
When they do, I’ll be right behind you
So glad we’ve almost made it
So sad they had to fade it
Ev’rybody wants to rule the world

I can’t stand this indecision
Married with a lack of vision
Everybody wants to rule the world
Say that you’ll never, never, never, need it
One headline, why believe it?
Everybody wants to rule the world

All for freedom and for pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world

The original video

Published on October 27, 2015 at 6:00 by
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To Leusden

Today the wintertime started once more. This morning i woke up around 8. It gave me enough time to get my breakfast, wrap up my present for my mum and even put on a bit of make-up.

I walked from the train station Amersfoort to Leusden. I had told my mum a bigger time frame through which i would be there. So today i walked through the forest. It was nice, the leaves were mostly yellow and orange and red and green. I did see some mushrooms. But the best mushrooms i saw in Leusden! Big red with white spots.

I got home around half past seven. It was completely dark. It was dark when i was in the train. So tonight i did put on my headphones and listed to some music. Yay! I kept on listening to the music when i walked home form the train station here in Rotterdam.

See ya tomorrow!

Published on October 26, 2015 at 6:00 by
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Today

Today i wrote an email to a friend. I also did some shopping. I read a bit. I watched tv. Expedition Robinson.

Tomorrow i have an appointment with the dental hygienist, at eleven. I do need to clean up my house. Vacuum clean. Clean up the hall with some water. Mop. I just looked up the translation for the Dutch word dweilen. Crawl? Seems very unlikely to me. A wet mop sounds better. Anyway, i do hope i will do this tomorrow. And then i will relax a little. Friday is a day off for me. As is Saturday.

Ooh, i do need to call my mum tomorrow. It’s her birthday!

I will also need to get her present done. I already know what it is. I won’t tell though. It is a secret!

Have a lovely weekend. Kiss 💋

Published on October 23, 2015 at 6:00 by
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Rotterdam – The People

Making this video clip was a lot of work. Filming all the different clips on four separate days. Editing the clip. Picking the music. The Cinematic Orchestra i’ve known for eleven / twelve years. This song is from the album Man with a Movie Camera. From all the songs in my list for this clip, i liked this one the most. Even though i get a bit sad while watching the clip.

I hope you will like this clip. Enjoy!

Published on October 22, 2015 at 6:00 by
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The market

People on the market.

A quiet day today. Yes, i’ve been to the market. Inside the Markthal. Filmed a few times. At home added the clips to the video clip i’m working on this week. Tomorrow i want to get out early and go to the Bijenkorf. I do hope its busy. It usually is when this special event starts.

I’m thinking a lot. Dreaming a lot too. I do hope some day soon there will be more things to do. Better enjoy the quiet while it lasts!

Have a good day.

Published on October 21, 2015 at 6:00 by
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French Onion Soup

Today i made onion soup. I decided that yesterday, when i went to the market. I bought a kilo of white onions.

Before i started i did do a quick search for a recipe. I came across this article How to make the Best French Onion Soup on seriouseats.com. I do think the pan i used has a really thick bottom, since i cooked the onions for an hour, and they still were not brown. Since i started at 5pm, i didn’t wait, i added two sliced garlic, a bit of flour, a bit of red wine and a liter of water with two cubes of dried beef broth. I let it simmer for another half hour to let the taste develop more.

I then tore a rye spelt bread in a couple of pieces, added some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top and put it under the grill for around 7 minutes.

It was good!

uiensoep

Ingredients

  • 500 gr of white onions, three medium sized ones myself
  • 50 grams of butter
  • a tablespoon of flour
  • some white or red wine, i used red, it was the only wine i had, but with the white you do keep the original colour of the onions
  • 1 liter of beef broth
  • some nutmeg, mace and pepper
Published on October 19, 2015 at 6:00 by
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Rotterdam – Bridges and buildings

This week i made two walks long the river the Nieuwe Maas running through Rotterdam. One across the Willemsbrug and over the Noordereiland, the other along the Boompjeskade over the Erasmusbrug and over the Wilhelmina Pier to Hotel New York. I filmed clips all along the walks. The idea of using short clips of structures i got in between the two walks. The second walk i made these clips.

The music choice was difficult. I was doubting my first pick of Re-Education Through Labour by Chris & Cosey. It is a long time favourite, but it’s been years since i last listened to it. In 1982 or 1983 i bought their album Trance which has this track on it. In the end, i didn’t change my mind. It is not a nice happy go lucky track, but it does fit Rotterdam in some ways. Or any town for that matter.

Enjoy the clip!

Published on October 16, 2015 at 6:00 by
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Terribly happy

Worked on the Rotterdam clip today. Calling it Buildings and bridges. I like that name. First i thought of the name Two bridges, but well, there are three bridges in it, and also many buildings. So i will not use that name. I do need tomorrow to get the order of the clips right.

Already thinking about the next clip. I’m thinking of filming people. Brrrr. A bit scary. But still, i think i can get it done. I’ll start tomorrow with filming. And saturday on the market. Sunday in the centre. And next wednesday the Drie dwaze dagen (Three foolish days) will start at the Bijenkorf. It’s busy usually. I just checked the opening times, on Wednesdays the shops open at 8.00. So yeah, right now i think i should be there and film.

I don’t know what i will be doing after that. It depends on how my next video clips will be received. So far it’s pretty quiet. It is difficult for me, really. Because to me it is not quiet at all. I feel totally enthused about these clips. I can not believe i only started making them halfway September. To me it feels like so many things are coming together. The music, the filming, the editing, the ordering. I love it. I do know i’m still at the start of this. I do know i’m not young anymore. But i do know with every week i’m making a step forward. Absolutely.

So yeah, i’m happy. So terribly happy.

Published on October 15, 2015 at 6:00 by
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