LETTERS ABOUT DIVINE SPARKS FILM SHOOT

  1. "Jungle Chorus" 2-11-08
  2. "Hummingbird Brooding" 3-8-08
  3. "Final Day of Shooting" 3-17-08
  4. "Divine Sparks Update—we did it!!!" 3-18-08
  5. "Whirlwinds and Hummingbirds" 3-25-08

JUNGLE CHORUS

Feb 11, 2008

Dearest friends,

It’s a blessing to be here at Balenbouche.

Every night, I'm lullabied to sleep by a dreamy jungle chorus.  Tree frogs tinkle like tiny bells accompanied by the bass, buzz and beat of frogs, crickets, sundry insects, and Caribbean breezes bending palm fronds amid the muted roar of the distant sea.  Barking dogs intermittently join this glorious cacophony!

On Saturday night, I watched the sun go down between the Pitons with some friends.  The misty horizon striated the flaming sun with jagged horizontal stripes. (The source of inspiration for many a tropical tee-shirt, such ubiquitous sunsets make them no less stunning.)  The pearly gray sky was studded with wisps of purple clouds, and a scattering of magenta clouds above them.  The crescent moon hung above the primordial Grosse Piton like a slice of light above an ancient mysterious deity. Soon, the moon descended behind the black peak of ancient lava, back-lighting it with a halo. Later, we soaked in a pool of hot volcanic water bubbling up from an active caldera—under an intensely starry firmament.  The next day, I smelled like smoked Imogene—from the sulfuric volcanic water lingering in my hair.  Reminded of the Australian aborigines who smoke themselves in fires for spiritual and medicinal reasons, I felt elementally connected to them.

I began painting on Sat and Sun.  I'm now back in my rhythm, yoga-ing, reading and walking, plus painting, which is going well.  I need some newly created paintings for Divine Sparks.  Next week, I’ll make the storyboard for the film.  Yikes, it’s a huge, and at times daunting, project!

My warmest wishes to each of you!

Fondly,
Imogene

HUMMINGBIRD BROODING

On Sat, Mar 8, 2008 at 8:07 am, Imogene Drummond wrote:

Hi dear Eileen,

Thank you for making it to chez moi...

I finished 3 lists for Divine Sparks film shoot:

The daily filming schedule,
Things needed for each day’s shoot,
And cutouts to assemble while filming.  

I'm feeling relieved--for the first time in 6 weeks! When I first arrived, the washing machine and shower hot water heater were both kaput, the termites had made major headway on the floor boards, and still no car. I was worried about this family and how they live so close to the bone.  Fortunately, in the last week, all repaired and installed!

Simultaneous with the improvement of our standard of living, a wondrous event is happening  in the dining room: a hummingbird couple built a teeny tiny nest inside a gold napkin ring atop a tiny golden sconce on a wall below 3 tiny old-fashioned pictures. The momma hummer laid an egg yesterday, and the new parents-to-be are brooding today!!! It is Magical! As there are no screens or glass on the windows, the hummers can fly in and out 24/7. It is an adorable, wondrous sight.  

I feel the DS multi-verse's energy is flowing. YEAH!!!! I HOPE Kitama or I can film a new born baby hummer. Wouldn’t that be a wow?

I'll keep you posted. Do send tons of good energy and thoughts and prayers this way this coming   week. I know you will. I'll send you a daily schedule, just fyi.

Much love, 
Imogene

On Sat, Mar 8, 2008 at 9:56 AM, Eileen Charbonneau wrote:

Sounds like the universe is lining up for you after a little "testing" of your endurance, my friend!

Wow, wow, wow, the schedule looks FABULOUS...you've thought it out very well IMHO, and left wiggle room for invention and delays...perfect! The look of this film is going to be luminous and transformational...how well you are serving your audience, my dear. I am so proud to know you, Sparky!!!

The hummingbird is a sacred messenger in many Native American cultures...the angel between Skyland and very aware and giving Medicine People. I'm so glad this family is bunking with you...a very good sign!

Love,
Eileen

PS: At your house yesterday, I realized that we are both guided by airmen father spirits! Nice connection.

FINAL DAY OF SHOOTING

On Monday, March 17, 9:12 AM, Imogene Drummond wrote: 

Hi dearest Cathy and Eileen,

We've just finished 7 intense full days of filming which became better and better—ESPECIALLY after your prayers and good thoughts!  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

We have one last day of filming today, so please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We're tired but excited and pleased with the footage so far, and want to continue to get divinely divine Divine Sparks footage! Today’s film shoot schedule includes: filming me painting and creating paper cut-outs, and also some faces that I HOPE we can get, including Melanie--beautiful local girl, and a newly arrived beautiful young Asian woman.

I'll send you a full report asap. I hope and trust all is well with each of you, and w your families.

MANY THANKS, MUCH GRATITUDE and LOVE, 
Imogene xoxox

On Monday, March 17, 11:01 AM, Eileen Charbonneau wrote:

You GOT it dear...

Have a wonderful and creative last day!!

You're doing DIVINE work!!!

Love,
Eileen

DIVINE SPARKS UPDATE—WE DID IT!!!

On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 11:06 PM, Imogene Drummond wrote: 

THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH, DEAREST EILEEN!!!

WOW, what an amazing experience. We did it—so far, so good!! Overall, we got some beautiful, poetic, exquisite imagery, and some fun imagery too. I hope the editing process won't be too daunting (i.e. that this footage will facilitate editing, vs. the opposite).

We filmed the multi-cultural, multi-generational faces we needed today; plus the development of the "red" painting and B & W paper cut-outs. Now, I need some still shots for a few additional images. Hopefully the hummingbird will hatch before Kitama leaves on Thurs afternoon. Wouldn't that be GREAT??!!

So many experiences were synchronicitous gifts.  As you say, it was clear that "somebody wants this video made." From perfect weather EACH day, which paved our way for outdoor filming, plus even lighting indoors for macro and animation shots, and a cloudy day today which made shooting inside the (hot) antique copra barn much more comfortable, to getting to the beach a minute before sunset yesterday in time to film my shadow cast by the setting sun and the red clouds at sunset and the reflected light in the water (the sunset images we hadn't gotten yet).

This morning we filmed the gorgeous, old earthy black hands of a local woman holding a bird's nest. She had found a bird's nest with a small white egg in it, and had saved it for me!! Kitama filmed her cupping her hands around mine w the nest and egg. It was like a prayer. What a fortuitous and appropriate way to start the last day of filming!

Uta made an exquisite tropical bouquet that was like a bouquet for a prima ballerina or royalty for the bouquet shot.

On Friday, we filmed a spider web sprayed w mist on it, that we had tried to film on Thurs in the darkening dusk. When we went back earlier on Friday, there was another, better (rounder) web in front of the one we had tried to film previously. Kitama got a great shot of it. He said the spider made it just for us!

We had a rocky start early on, but worked through it, and the process has been a dream since then.

I can't thank you enough for your thoughts, prayers and support. They have been invaluable! Mas tarde.

Love,
Imogene

On Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 9:07 AM, Eileen Charbonneau wrote:

You're giving me the shiverees, Imogene! Sounds like you at Kitama are kindred spirits.

I can't wait to see this film!!!!

Love,
Eileen
March 25, 2008

WHIRLWINDS AND HUMMINGBIRDS

March 25, 2008

Dear Friends,

I’ve been working intensely, cradled in a serene sanctuary of natural beauty.  My first week of reading segued into a (several week) painting marathon, followed by a week of creating a Divine Sparks storyboard (the equivalent of 10 short films), followed by another week of creating the DS photo shot schedule, followed by 8 full days (morning, noon & night) of filming—leaving me one week to tie up loose ends and get organized to come home!  (I still haven’t lazed on the beach; I must be nuts!)

The painting flowed well.  The storyboard was daunting, but turned out to be essential and enlightening.  The photo shoot schedule was like organizing puzzle pieces—also essential.  The filming was stressful, then increasingly exhausting, exciting and exhilarating.  It was like being in direct touch with the source for luminous beauty—seeing beauty under a magnifying glass, in light, in color, in dancing feet and delightful faces.

Five weeks ago, a hummingbird couple began decorating a golden napkin ring holder that had been a candle holder on a tiny golden wall sconce.  (See attached pix.)  The napkin ring became filigreed with woven threads of vines and wisps of cotton.  Inside, among tuffs of cotton, a single pea-sized egg was laid. The hummingbirds took turns brooding for three weeks. After some trepidation that the egg was fallow (wikipedia says hummingbird incubation is 2 weeks), the baby hummer hatched last night.  Today, we have a baby hummingbird who is unimaginably tiny—only its head moves!

It’s a good day when a hummingbird baby hatches in your home!

I’m homeward bound Thursday evening.  Condé Nast comes tomorrow for a photo shoot of Balenbouche.  I MUST straighten up my lacy white room (no small task!) asap.  So, I’ll say good night for now.

I look forward to seeing you all soon.

Love,
Imogene

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