24 Hour Film Race: Growing Over You

If you've followed my work at all, you know I love when I get to be the set photographer for film projects, no matter how big or how small. There's something very magical and unifying about working with a film crew, and inevitably the people you work with become an extension of your ever-growing film family. That's why the 24 hour film race is something I look forward to every year, and last year's was by far our best one yet.

If you aren't familiar with how a film race works, the concept is this: write, shoot and edit a film with several requirements (a specific line of dialogue, a chosen prop, and a theme) that are announced at the start of the competition. Given that all this would normally take weeks or months to complete, it's quite the ambitious undertaking. Despite the rigorous schedule, it's always fun and inspiring, and often brings out the best of our creative abilities. 

We may be exhausted at the end of it all, but it's the most fun I've ever had intentionally working myself to the bone and combating the sleep that threatens to invade. Many cups of coffee and red bulls later, I never cease to be amazed by what we've pulled off and how we've managed to bring it all together, and I think that's why I love it so much. Sometimes you need to do the work for the love of it and nothing else, and being able to focus on creating beautiful imagery without working through client concerns or deadlines or bottom lines is a much needed rejuvenating process as an artist. 

Six Windows: Behind The Scenes!

This past month held one of my favorite projects from the past year; working as a Unit Stills Photographer on the set of the web series Six Windows, directed by one of my wonderful friends, Brandon Taylor. Not only did I get to work with some of my favorite people again, but I also was fortunate enough to meet some fabulous new cast and crew members that were simply amazing to work with. We spent a whole week shooting 3 of the 6 episodes that will encompass the first season, and I can't wait to see the finished product. Not only was the cast absolutely solid in their acting abilities, but the amount of love and enthusiasm invested in this project by everyone involved was undeniable. Starring Ellyse Burnett, J.W. Harvey, Alyssa Kempinski, Michelle Jones, Lauren A. Kennedy, Gregory James Cohan, Zach Sciranka, and Carolyn Blair, this project is sure to reveal the challenges and growing pains of navigating New York City. 

Here are some of my favorite moments behind the scenes  of this fantastic production; I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Secret Cinema: Robin Williams Tribute

Over the weekend, a wonderful organization called Secret Cinema put together a beautiful tribute in honor of Robin Williams by screening Dead Poets Society at the South Street Seaport. There are not many comedians that have touched the lives of so many in such a positive way, and I know I am not the only one mourning the loss of such a beautiful soul. His charisma and character will be greatly missed, and while most of us did not know him, we loved his sense of humor and his inherent ability to make us laugh. 

What I found truly special about this event was feeling the collective grief and support of the community, and how everyone who came out to support had a special place in their heart for Robin. I was most touched by the reaction at the end of the film, where everyone in the audience stood with the students on the desk, in a last respectful moment to one of the world's best comedians and kindest human beings. In a strange way, going to this screening was like attending a funeral, and provided me with a small sense of closure, which I'm sure most of us in attendance felt at the closing scene. May we always remember his large heart and tremendous talent, and the deepest sympathy to his family.

Animosity @ Fantasia Film Festival // Available for Pre-Order!

Last month, Animosity was selected to premiere at Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal, one of the largest genre film festivals in the world. While I wish I could have attended, I know it could not have gone any better, and I'm sure it was a fabulous showing!  A huge congratulations to the rest of the cast and crew on how all our hard work and dedication has paid off!

Animosity Production Still with Actress Tracy Willet, © 2012 A. Meadows Photography

Another fabulous bit of news regarding Animosity; it's now available for pre-order at Alternative Cinema, which you can purchase here! It's also being listed through FYE and Barnes and Noble, if you have a membership with either store. Please support our film, so that we can make more wonderful ones in the future, and I can hopefully have more fabulous photos to share with you all soon!

New Film Short: "Rules" Premiere!

I'm very excited to announce that "Rules," a short film from my wonderfully talented friend Brendan Steere will be premiering on June 11th at Indieworks in Manhattan, NYC! If you aren't busy (and if you are, you should really just cancel your plans because this will be undoubtedly more fun) please come out to support a great short that explores socially accepted norms in a culture deeply attuned to what is taboo (If that doesn't spark your interest, then I have no hopes for you!). 

 

The doors open at 6:30 pm, and the location is 163 Allen St, NY. And did I mention that it's free? So why not come out and enjoy a night of great films and drink specials while supporting your local artist friends and their most recent endeavors. I hope to see you there!

Poster for "Rules", a short film by Brendan Steere, Starring Jesse Turits & Shannon Spangler
© Photo by Alyssa Meadows

The 24 Hour Film Race!

As is typical of artists/creative people, we always look for new ways to push ourselves to the limits, to inspire our creativity, and to challenge ourselves in new and exciting ways, and this weekend was no exception! From 10pm Friday night to 10pm on Saturday, Hollow Tree Films competed in the 24 Film Race, and I was elated to work on it with them! 

The Film Race is certainly a refreshing way to spice things up; we take the entire film process, from conception and script-writing to filming and editing (a process that normally takes weeks to months, depending on the size of the project) and make the whole thing happen in under 24 hours! A tad bit stressful, with many cups of coffee and a lot of exhausted bodies after, I think we made a pretty spectacular short, and I can't wait to see how it fares in the competition.

Regardless of if the film wins anything from the Film Race, it was more fun than I've had in a while, and the best all-nighter I've pulled in quite some time with some of the most fabulous people I know! 30 sleepless hours later, these are some of the Behind The Scenes shots I took over the course of the project. More to come soon!

"They Hunger" Behind The Scenes

This weekend, I had the pleasure of photographing on set to develop a proof of concept project called "They Hunger," which I hope comes to fruition because the script is absolutely fantastic! Both Brandon Taylor and Brendan Steere, two fabulous filmmakers and close friends of mine, are heading the project, and I can't wait to see what they can do. I'll be posting more on the project as things progress, but keep your fingers crossed for more good news on this front!

I don't think there's anything quite like working on a film. I love it more than words can describe, and I deeply cherish getting to work with such talented and spectacular people. I wouldn't trade it for the world, and I can't wait for the next project to start. They are some of my best friends, and working with them never feels like a job, but rather a wonderful way of life. I can only imagine where the world will take us.

"Animosity" Lands Distribution Deal!

I am proud to announce that my brilliant friend Brendan Steere's film (which I was also the set photographer for) has set up distribution! You can see the official write-up here!

Production Still of Character "Carrie" in Animosity. © 2012

This project was so much fun to be a part of, and I'm so proud of all the attention and success it has garnered. Not only did it win Best Horror Feature at the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival, but its starring actress and my wonderful friend Tracy Willet also won Best Actress! I couldn't have hoped for more with such talented and creative people, and I am so happy for their accomplishments. We also filmed a majority of the exterior scenes at my home (finally, living in the middle of the forest comes in handy!), so it will always hold a special place in my heart.

I loved working with every single member of the cast and crew; I hope I get to do it again soon!

Production Still of Character "Lauren" in Animosity. © 2012

"Here With Me"

For the last few days, I've been finally getting to work on a dear friend's film project, "Here With Me," a dramatic short exploring the consequences of change and the struggle for survival. Working with Hollow Tree Films has been both personally and professionally satisfying; making movies with this group becomes so much more than just creating a film. Over the years of working together, a deep sense of family has developed, and I would never trade that for the world. I hope we continue to make wonderful work together and share stories that are worth telling for years to come.

Cassandra Dailey & Brandon Taylor, Here With Me, 2014

Cassandra Dailey & Brandon Taylor, Here With Me, 2014

More photos to come of this project soon!