I’m currently sitting in a cave.
A dark room in Granada Hills, California, at the home of Jerimiah Morey, our colorist for Emma’s Chance.
This is where the color master turns edited films into cohesive stories; aligning each frame together into one beautiful color palette, all from a converted second bedroom. I’ve been going to Jerimiah for over five years now. (Michael found him through an ad on Mandy.com, the Craig’s list of the entertainment industry)
When we first worked with Jerimiah, he was working for a company during the day, moonlighting indie projects at night. Within the five years we got to know him and work with him, we witnessed him quit his job, establish himself as an independent artist, and move his operation 45 minutes outside of LA.
I send everyone to Jerimiah. And everyone drives out here to work with him.
He’s affordable, but better than that, his work is impeccable.
He’s doing the thing he was born to do.
Nearly all of my work has been colored by him. (And if it wasn’t colored by him, it was only because I wasn’t in control of the decision.) I never have to worry when he’s in the driver’s seat. I can sit back and enjoy the process.
Whenever I come here I’m always inspired too.
I don’t know if its the front lawn and back lawn of the home that gets me (I long to have a garden), or the fruit trees he makes homemade jam from. Maybe its the simplicity of the life he lives, the avoidance of over spending and the American pitfall of credit card debt. (He doesn’t have it) Or it could be the ample free parking outside his front door, on the street. Sigh.
He’s smart. He cut his overhead in half by moving out here, defraying costs for the struggling filmmaker; thereby pulling in more work and bettering his craft.
The artist’s life is a lonely one.
You have to make decisions that our contrary to the norm. You have to go against the grain, possibly being the only one in your extended family who is repeatedly saying, “No, I’m not out of work. Just freelancing.”
“Have I seen anything you’ve worked on?”
“I don’t think so …”
“So this is more of a hobby then?”
“Not exaaaacccctly.”
“Then how do you survive? I mean, you have a job right?”
(Gotta love those J – O – B comments.)
“I make money on a project to project basis. Some times a lot, a little, or nothing at all.”
“Yikes. That rough.”
You’re telling us!
But we wouldn’t have it any other way, right? Here’s to the farmers, the freelancers, the crazies, the artists – anyone who doesn’t live on a consistent paycheck.
You are loved, you matter, and you keep going.
Be like Jerimiah, hone your craft, stay out of debt, and ignore the rest.
x and tales,
AEJ
