So grateful to have been a part of the Flux Screening Series this November. Our music video for “I'm Not Ready,” directed & animated by Cassie Shao, premiered for a sold-out audience at the Billy Wilder Theatre at the Hammer Museum. The special event was a feast of short films and visual works from luminary directors from around the world, capped by Flux’s signature “Filmmaker Presentations,” allowing the invited filmmakers to express themselves in unexpected ways on stage. One year, a surprise drop-in from director Michel Gondry resulted in an impromptu drum performance, setting quite the precedent. I, however, decided to bring my old cell phone from the early 2010s. I used it on stage as a prop that helped resuscitate emotional memories of my struggle with depression, during a time when reconnecting with family and friends was difficult. A variation on a story I’ve told with The Moth in Los Angeles, it was invigorating to pair it with Maggie Dave’s music.
As the presentations continued, this immersive dialogue between myself, the other filmmakers and the audience was an affirmation in the power of experiencing art together. I hope to continue this spirit of exchange with our upcoming releases as a band. After the show, members of YACHT treated everyone to a special DJ set in the courtyard under a warm canopy of stars. I was flattered to talk with so many who were moved by my story, as I kept switching my drink to shake their hands. The Los Angeles evenings had not yet been seized with cold, so plenty of dancing and smiling was enjoyed by all. (with bandmates Mark Christopher and Ricky Berger there in spirit!)
-Sean David Christensen, December 22nd, 2019
All event photos by Brian Feinzimer.
