We are thrilled to announce the ‘Swim Tank’ eight screen video installation has been selected to appear in Atlanta May 23-26th as part of the ‘Excursions’ show produced by Stand Alone Gallery.

The eight screen video installation of underwater sequences features Oscar Nominated actor Diana Scarwid (Mommy Dearest, Wonderfalls, Rumble Fish) as well as newcomers Olivia Parker and Josi Demere. I was originally commissioned to design the show for the gala reception of the Savannah Film Festival honoring Oscar nominated writer Guillermo Arriaga (who has written two of my favorite movies: Babel and 21 Grams).

Growing up I was always in love with the video installations and entertainment design of Brian Eno and Mark Fisher, and the ideas stemming from Peter Gabrielle’s US tour and definitely U2′s Zoo TV. A Video installation show, especially a multi-screen show, is something I’ve always wanted to put together. We made this from excess footage that I had from my thesis short film (Swimming With The Virgin) involving underwater sequences in which a young girl (whose mother died) has these dreams in which she searches through the depths to find her mother, only to find the Virgin Mary waiting for her. I am always so enamored by Our Lady and I think she is such a universally powerful symbol and character of all that is motherly. Each panel or screen features a different 6 minute sequence in a timed loop so that there is always something different happening in each space of the gallery. With the 5.1 sound design of female whispers and underwater sounds recorded on location I hope to give the viewer that sense that they are ‘in’ the tank or dream as well.

The underwater footage was shot by Chad Cogdill, the Director of Photography for the thesis film “Swimming with the Virgin.” For these sequences, we employed the Panasonic DVX100 24p camera with an underwater housing. The scenes were shot in a diver training tank in Savannah, GA. To achieve the streaming beams of light that cut through the water, helping establish the “heavenly/ethereal” effect of the scene, we used a 5600K, Arri Sun 1200W HMI with a Fresnel lens. A 5600K, 800watt Joker Bug Par light was used to add subtle detail to the background.

Photographs by Trevor Jenkins for 98 Productions, LLC

It was shortly after watching Spike Lee’s ‘X’ that I got inspired and decided to paint this mural of Malcom X (8′ height x 12′ width Oil On Particle Board ). That movie had a big impact on me, especially the Sam Cooke “Change is Gonna Come” sequence portraying X’s assassination. The way in which the story was told on screen, the emotions put together; definitely made some lasting effect and I’ve always deeply respected Spike Lee as a filmmaker. Well, after reading the speech of “The Ballot or The Bullet” I greatly respected Malcolm X as an orator. I love a great speech, and once I’d pulled down a book of great speeches from the 20th century containing “The Ballot or The Bullet” I was hooked. The text in the mural behind the figures is actually the speech of “The Ballot or The Bullet”. Not living during the years of his existence, I can’t really say I truly knew the social impact X was having or not having, but like so many good leaders he definitely had a way with words. My personal favorite comment he ever made was “the chickens have come to roost”, referring to the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. In that very brief moment he used the power of words to utter the sentiments that so many people knew to be true, but were to afraid to say.