This time of violent tumult––plague! murder! fire!––puts me in mind of the Blitz in WWII Britain.
For perspective and help, I've been reading about home life in Britain during those war years.
I came across this quote, below, that a young bride at the time took as her guide after she heard King George read it in his Christmas speech of 1939. He also said in this speech that everyone hoped for peace in the coming year, but if it did not come, "We shall remain undaunted"*.
(Quote and audio are in a Guardian article about wartime marriages.)
I like it. No need to believe in a literal god to find it helpful–– there never is a known, safe path into the unknown:
I've been wanting a big, creative project to occupy myself with, ever since Covid-19 began.
Nothing presented itself to me until the other day, when Penny Cooper was given a time machine.
Funnily, it was Ass't Man who asked me if I wanted that old bike speedometer at work.
I turned it down.
Then I remembered my old idea to make a movie called Starship 379, made with objects that cost no more than $3.79. Something clicked, and I took the speedometer.
(The idea is old, alright--I first posted about Starship 379 at the end of 2008.)
I showed the speedometer to a friend who shall remain nameless.
She said, "It's like the chronometer on Star Trek that spins when they travel back in time."
And again, . . . CLICK!
I can make a movie--built out of still images--about Penny Cooper traveling back in time to the Blitz.
To rescue a little girl who is being evacuated from London... whom Penny Cooper has seen in danger, in some sort of vision.
Who turns out to be her own self.
That time loop is from La Jetée, an amazing 1962 short film made of still photos about a man who time travels and witnesses his own death. It's made of still photos, but it doesn't feel that way.
Oh--you can watch the whole 27-min. film on Vimeo.
https://vimeo.com/309034119
I first got the idea of making still-photo films not from La Jetée but from Mortmere's 2007 Star Trek slash fan-video, which inspired me to make my own vids.
Stop-motion filming them would take forever and in my hands, probably not turn out very well.
My main challenge will be finding a stunt double for Penny Cooper---to play the girl she rescues who looks "just like" her...
I've started looking for source photos of children evacuees at train stations. (I think the girlette may be in danger of falling under a train.)
I'd misremembered such photos as sweet. In fact, they're as painful as any photos of refugees on the move.
But you do see amazing expressions on the faces of the children, who do remind me of the Orphan Red girlettes.
Photos above mostly from the Getty, www.gettyimages.co.uk/photos/evacuee?family=editorial&phrase=evacuee&sort=mostpopular#
___________________
* Etymology of "daunt" (v.) c. 1300, "to vanquish, subdue, conquer," from Old French danter, ... "be afraid of, fear, doubt; control, restrain," from Latin domitare, frequentative of domare "to tame".
Sense of "to intimidate, subdue the courage of" is from late 15c.
Penny Cooper is definitely the type to remain UNdaunted.
For perspective and help, I've been reading about home life in Britain during those war years.
I came across this quote, below, that a young bride at the time took as her guide after she heard King George read it in his Christmas speech of 1939. He also said in this speech that everyone hoped for peace in the coming year, but if it did not come, "We shall remain undaunted"*.
(Quote and audio are in a Guardian article about wartime marriages.)
I like it. No need to believe in a literal god to find it helpful–– there never is a known, safe path into the unknown:
I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:The Penny Cooper Project
‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’
And he replied:
‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’
I've been wanting a big, creative project to occupy myself with, ever since Covid-19 began.
Nothing presented itself to me until the other day, when Penny Cooper was given a time machine.
Funnily, it was Ass't Man who asked me if I wanted that old bike speedometer at work.
I turned it down.
Then I remembered my old idea to make a movie called Starship 379, made with objects that cost no more than $3.79. Something clicked, and I took the speedometer.
(The idea is old, alright--I first posted about Starship 379 at the end of 2008.)
I showed the speedometer to a friend who shall remain nameless.
She said, "It's like the chronometer on Star Trek that spins when they travel back in time."
And again, . . . CLICK!
I can make a movie--built out of still images--about Penny Cooper traveling back in time to the Blitz.
To rescue a little girl who is being evacuated from London... whom Penny Cooper has seen in danger, in some sort of vision.
Who turns out to be her own self.
That time loop is from La Jetée, an amazing 1962 short film made of still photos about a man who time travels and witnesses his own death. It's made of still photos, but it doesn't feel that way.
Oh--you can watch the whole 27-min. film on Vimeo.
https://vimeo.com/309034119
I first got the idea of making still-photo films not from La Jetée but from Mortmere's 2007 Star Trek slash fan-video, which inspired me to make my own vids.
"Kirk/Spock: The Prize (or, The Whipped Cream Maneuver)"
The idea of still photos is such a good one for the girlettes.Stop-motion filming them would take forever and in my hands, probably not turn out very well.
My main challenge will be finding a stunt double for Penny Cooper---to play the girl she rescues who looks "just like" her...
I've started looking for source photos of children evacuees at train stations. (I think the girlette may be in danger of falling under a train.)
I'd misremembered such photos as sweet. In fact, they're as painful as any photos of refugees on the move.
But you do see amazing expressions on the faces of the children, who do remind me of the Orphan Red girlettes.
Photos above mostly from the Getty, www.gettyimages.co.uk/photos/evacuee?family=editorial&phrase=evacuee&sort=mostpopular#
___________________
* Etymology of "daunt" (v.) c. 1300, "to vanquish, subdue, conquer," from Old French danter, ... "be afraid of, fear, doubt; control, restrain," from Latin domitare, frequentative of domare "to tame".
Sense of "to intimidate, subdue the courage of" is from late 15c.
Penny Cooper is definitely the type to remain UNdaunted.
Gosh, those brave children.
ReplyDeletePenny is quite the courageous one isn't she?
ReplyDeleteI remember all the stories and movies made about the displaced children of war time.
MICHAEL: They had to be so shockingly brave.
ReplyDeleteRIVER: Penny Cooper is a brave girlette.
I can't wait to see Penny Cooper's film. Have fun cat sitting too!
ReplyDelete